Facebook owner Meta have doubled down on the reported success of social media advertising in helping small businesses get discovered by launching several new tools to help them manage their ads and connect with a wider user base.

Noting that Facebook and Instagram ads that opened to a WhatsApp chat for direct communication between customer and business were particularly successful, Meta’s new features are set to make the creation of these ads easier, via the WhatsApp Business app.

For starters, business owners will be able to more easily manage messages across social media platforms, as Meta bring WhatsApp to inbox, so that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp messages all appear in the one place. Furthermore, they also plan to allow for multiple devices to share the one WhatsApp account and number, a feature that was previously limited to the one device.

The Meta Business Suite is also getting some new features, allowing businesses to send out promotions and messages to those who consent to it.

Finally, Meta have improved lead generation potential for small businesses, via features such as a “get quote” button on Instagram accounts, as well as stickers in stories. Customer polls and questionnaires are also to be featured for lead filtration. Meta Business Suite now enables direct lead information downloads to a user’s CRM.