By sending Google search traffic straight into WhatsApp with message extensions and an automated 360Dialog onboarding flow, a leading European grocery retailer reached an 8.0% click-through rate and grew active subscribers 150% year over year, alongside its other channels.
The Challenge
Reaching shoppers at the moment they search
A leading grocery retailer in Europe uses WhatsApp to deliver weekly digital leaflets, exclusive promotions, and store updates directly to consumers. WhatsApp was already an established everyday messaging channel in its market, and the retailer wanted to grow its subscriber base faster and beyond social media.
Social ads only reached active social media users. They missed shoppers who were searching Google for grocery deals, weekly offers, and leaflets, and there was no direct way to start a conversation with the brand at that moment.
Classic search campaigns lead from ad to landing page to sign-up form, with drop-off at every step. In a highly competitive retail advertising market, the cost per subscriber also had to stay low and predictable as the campaign scaled.
The Solution
Google message extensions with automated onboarding
The retailer partnered with Google and 360Dialog to set up an always-on lead generation engine. Google Ads campaigns targeted consumers who were actively searching for grocery deals, discounts, and weekly leaflets.
Message extensions took users straight from the ad into the retailer’s verified WhatsApp Business account, with no landing pages or sign-up forms in between.
An automated welcome flow via 360Dialog collected GDPR-compliant opt-ins and immediately delivered value through digital leaflets, a store locator, and weekly specials. Keywords, ad copy, and chat entry triggers were tuned on an ongoing basis to improve click-through and completion rates.
The results
Over 75% of clicks became opt-ins
Active subscribers grew 150% year over year. Google Message Ads, together with the retailer’s other channels, helped make WhatsApp its fastest-growing channel.
More than 3 out of 4 users who clicked the ad completed onboarding and opted in, a funnel conversion rate above 75%. Web landing pages typically convert 5 to 15%. The click-through rate reached 8.0%, well above the typical 3 to 5% retail benchmark for Google Ads.
Cost per subscriber was nearly equal to cost per click, a ratio of roughly 1:1, reflecting almost no drop-off between click and opt-in. The result is a cost-efficient acquisition model that complements Meta CTWA campaigns and can be applied across retail markets.
