WhatsApp is set to enhance its Communities feature with the introduction of new functionalities aimed at promoting member interaction. Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, revealed on Wednesday that it will incorporate a new Events feature and facilitate replies within Announcement Groups, ultimately enriching the user experience within Communities.
The newly launched Events feature enables group members to create various types of events, allowing others to indicate their attendance. Additionally, reports suggest that WhatsApp is developing a Recently Online feature that will show users who have recently logged into the app.
In a post on its newsroom, Meta stated, “To help bring communities even closer together, we’re adding a new way for people to organize events on WhatsApp, and we’re introducing organized replies in Announcement Groups so members can respond to important updates from admins.” According to the company, any member in a community group will be able to initiate an event, with the option accessible via the paper clip icon in the text field, which also provides access to other functionalities such as polls and payments.
These events can pertain to various occasions, from virtual gatherings to birthday celebrations. Upon creation, group members will have the opportunity to RSVP, confirming their attendance. The visibility of who will or will not attend the event is shared among all members.
Details about the events can be located on the group’s information page. Members planning to attend will receive reminders as the event approaches. Currently, the Events feature is only available for groups within Communities, but WhatsApp plans to extend this capability to all groups in the upcoming months.
Moreover, WhatsApp is introducing the ability for members to respond to messages within Announcement Groups. Each community is equipped with a dedicated Announcements group accessible to all members, regardless of their involvement in specific sub-groups, yet only admins can post content. This group serves as a platform for significant announcements that concern the entire community.
The new reply feature aims to gather feedback from community members while keeping discussions organized. Replies will be grouped and minimized to prevent clutter, with a slide-out option available to view all responses. Notably, reply notifications will remain muted for all users.
