WhatsApp has a 2-3x higher conversion rate than email
At Movement, we’re always looking for smarter, more human ways to organise. And in the run-up to the recent UK general election, we discovered something interesting: WhatsApp isn’t just for group chats and family threads—it might be one of the most effective campaign tools we’ve seen.
Messaging That Moves People
Our team found that WhatsApp messages were generating two to three times the conversion rate of traditional email. That’s a significant uplift when the goal is urgent—be it signing up volunteers, gathering donations, or getting people through the door at a community meeting.
There’s a reason for that. WhatsApp is immediate. It’s familiar. And, crucially, it lives on the same screen as the people supporters know and trust.
The Power of Immediacy
While emails can languish unread in an overflowing inbox, WhatsApp messages tend to get noticed—and quickly. On average, people responded within 5 to 25 minutes, compared with several hours (or longer) for email.
In moments of political volatility—like the recent snap general election—this responsiveness can be the difference between a well-attended rally and an empty hall. WhatsApp allowed us to move at the speed of the news cycle, and bring people with us.
Intimate, Not Intrusive
One of the platform’s quiet strengths is that messages feel personal. Supporters read them in the same place they receive updates from their families and friends—which means they’re more likely to read, click and respond.
We recorded read rates of 80–90%, and click-through rates approaching 35%. These figures aren’t just impressive—they suggest something deeper: people were actively choosing to engage.
Campaigning in Conversation
Unlike email or social media posts, WhatsApp allows for real dialogue. It’s not just a broadcast tool—it’s a space for stories, questions, support and solidarity.
Here’s how we used it:
Collecting personal stories and media hooks directly from the community
Holding peer-to-peer conversations through text, pictures and videos
Rapid data collection using branching surveys tailored to each user’s responses
Mobilising events via automated messaging with embedded details
Creating multi-step welcome journeys for new supporters
Keeping key activists engaged through broadcasts or curated groups
Distributing memes, personalised videos and media that cut through online clutter
This wasn’t just digital comms—it was community-building at pace.
What It Tells Us
As campaigns evolve, so must the channels we rely on. WhatsApp offers something rare: the ability to speak to people directly, in the language of their everyday lives.
Whether it’s for collecting insights, sharing a powerful video, or simply checking in, it’s a space where campaigns can be human, urgent and connected.
And that might just be the future of organising.
