WhatsApp Business API
With more than 2 billion users on WhatsApp, it’s not just the most popular messaging app to talk to friends and family. Companies are increasingly turning to WhatsApp as well to connect with their customers on their favorite channel.
There are many good reasons to use WhatsApp for you and your customers.
- Most people open their messaging apps several times a day. Whats App is the easiest and most convenient way for your customers to communicate with you because it is already part of their daily habits.
- Mobile phone messages have opening rates of 98 percent (compare this to e-mail, which is only 20 percent). Avoid busy inbox and create a long-term direct connection with your customers.
- Messaging allows you to respond faster to customer requests and resolve questions before postponing your purchase. This boosts your conversion rate and increases customer satisfaction.
- Customer service has never been more comfortable, efficient and fun, share text messages, emojis, photos and files of any kind with your customers.
- Whats App Business API allows medium and large companies to connect with their customers around the world. While access to the API has been complex, there are now many solution providers who make it easier for any business and budget.
In this article, you’ll learn what whats app Business API is and what features it offers and how you can start using Whats App business In simple steps.
What is WhatsApp for business?
Regardless of the popular app you know from your personal use, Whats App has two corporate options. Although they have a similar name, they are quite different from each other in the range of features, costs and usages they support.
Whats App business is the right choice for small stores, it’s freely available for Android and iPhone devices and comes with basic support features, such as quick responses, labels, and business profile.
The biggest downside is that Whats App Business is designed to handle individual conversations, and to give large companies a secure and scalable solution tailored to their needs, Facebook introduced whatsapp Business API in August 2018. The API allows companies to receive and respond to unlimited WhatsApp messages from their customers.
Unlike Whats App Business, whats app Business API is not a ready solution and doesn’t come with its own front façade. Companies integrate whats App API endpoint with customer communication software.
Choosing the right platform to connect to the API is critical because the features available to support your Whats App depend on it.
WhatsApp business file
When you sign up for Whats App Business, your account is automatically listed as a business account. Unlike regular and private accounts, these come with a trademark profile.
Customers who start a conversation with you on Whats App will be able to see your company name and logo at the top of the conversation, even if you haven’t saved you as a contact.
When they click on your profile, they’ll see all relevant information at a glance: cover image, description, address, email, website, and hours of work.
This clearly links your WhatsApp profile to your brand, explains the service you offer on this channel and offers customers alternative ways to reach you or learn more.
Another type of WhatsApp business account is an “official business account” verified by WhatsApp support and adds a green tag next to your name as proof of authenticity. Verification adds more confidence in customer communications, however, “prominent brands” tend only to receive them and the submission process cannot be influenced.
WhatsApp message tools
Are you wondering why Whats App opening rates are much higher than email rates? This is because the app is still free of spam and newsletters.
Maintaining this is a Whats App priority because opening up a corporate platform carries the risk of disturbing its user base – and losing first place as the most common messaging app.
Promotional messages, spam and broadcasts (sending aggregated messages, such as newsletters) are generally prohibited in Whats App for business. This includes voucher codes, gifts, retail messages and unconscionable calls, but may also apply to certain words or phrases that make the message seem very promotional.
But there are more rules in place that ensure that customers have a proper experience and offer value.
Participate
You can only send messages to people who have already sent you a message or have actively agreed to receive Whats App messages from your business (for example, by entering their phone number or selecting a box to indicate their consent).
Your account template messages
Template messages play a key role in connecting via whatsapp Business API. It allows you to organize large parts of your service process by sending pre-defined messages in large sizes, for example order confirmations, appointment reminders, or shipping updates.
These types of messages are text strings and auto-customizable elements (such as name or date). WhatsApp provides business with a selection of pre-approved template messages for common service scenarios.
You can also create your own template messages for individual use cases. Whats App wants to prevent companies from using template messages to send collective promotional content to customers outside the 24-hour service window. That’s why WhatsApp must approve all template messages before you can start using them. This process usually takes one to two weeks.
To sum this up, whats App Business API is particularly interesting for use cases where users benefit from receiving information directly from a company. Common examples include boarding passes, recharge posters and product brochures.
Full encryption and data privacy
Data privacy is an important topic in communicating with customers and a necessity when introducing a new communication channel.
WhatsApp Business API secure setting allows companies to use WhatsApp to communicate with customers. Messages are encrypted from end to end, which means that WhatsApp or other third-party providers can’t read them — making this solution safer than traditional email.
What is the cost of WhatsApp Business API?
Unlike the free WhatsApp Business API, WhatsApp Business API is a more advanced solution with a paid model. However, costs vary greatly depending on the service provider, so make sure you compare service providers first.
Who can use WhatsApp Business
To protect users and prevent unwanted trading on its platform, WhatsApp has a strict trading policy. Some of these restrictions are clear (such as weapons, drugs and gambling). Others are somewhat surprising (such as contact lenses, wigs and supplements). So check the list carefully and make sure your product or service is compatible.
WhatsApp gives only a few prominent companies direct access to their WhatsApp Business API.
For most companies, the path to WhatsApp Business API will be through a so-called business solutions provider. These are official Facebook partners that provide companies with easy access to the API.
