WhatsApp isn’t just for chatting anymore. With a whopping 1.2 billion people using it every month, and the number expected to jump to over 3.5 billion by 2025, it’s not just a messaging app – it’s also an amazing tool for marketing.
While other platforms like WeChat and Facebook Messenger have been in the game of helping businesses with marketing communication for quite some time, WhatsApp bought a unique edge to the competition, benefiting from two key factors—
- WhatsApp: Most Popular Messaging App
- WhatsApp: The leading messaging app in 133 countries worldwide
If you’re interested in using the WhatsApp Business API for your business, keep reading. This article will give you a thorough overview and a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the WhatsApp Business API.
What is WhatsApp Business API
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The WhatsApp Business API is a program interface developed by Facebook in August 2018 specifically for medium to large businesses.
This tool assists businesses in receiving and responding to an unlimited number of WhatsApp messages. It enables tailored solutions to help businesses scale their customer engagement through WhatsApp.
Here are the main features of the WhatsApp Business API:
- Messages are Broadcasted for bulk notifications.
- Multi-agent access for customer support
- No app or interface, use via BSPs or CRM
- WhatsApp Chatbot & interactive messages support
- Green Tick, verified WhatsApp Business profile
The WhatsApp Business API serves as an interface, and to make the most of its features for engaging with your customers, you’ll need a separate Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. You can easily obtain your CRM dashboard from GetItSMS within minutes.
Why do I need WhatsApp Business API?
Here are four compelling reasons why you should consider using the WhatsApp Business API:
1. It helps you create superior brand connections.
To secure long-term benefits, establishing trust and credibility among your target audience is crucial. The WhatsApp Business API plays a pivotal role in helping you achieve precisely that.
Here’s why—
- The WhatsApp Business API offers you the ability to communicate with your customers in a private and personal environment.
- Businesses can create profiles on WhatsApp Business API, enabling them to share vital information with customers. This includes contact details, website URLs, social media links, store addresses, new offers, and more.
- WhatsApp ensures the verification of all business accounts by assigning them a “green tick.” This verification process helps businesses establish authority, providing customers with the assurance that they are not receiving spam.
2. It enables businesses to engage with their customers globally.
WhatsApp, being free to use, boasts an impressive smartphone penetration rate of 95%. It holds the title of the most widely used messaging app in 104 different locations. With its global popularity, if you have a diverse customer base or customers who travel internationally, WhatsApp allows you to communicate seamlessly anytime.
3. It helps your customers to have real-time conversations with you.
A remarkable 84% of companies that prioritize enhancing customer experience report a subsequent increase in revenue. By integrating WhatsApp Business API into your business strategy, you can significantly elevate your customer experience and satisfaction levels, potentially leading to notable business growth.
How?
WhatsApp chat is like a two-way street, making it easy for your customers to ask questions directly without the hassle of phone calls or emails.
Thanks to these real-time conversations, your customers will feel a sense of care and personalization.
4. It keeps your data safe and secure.
In a survey, 86% of respondents expressed a growing concern about data privacy. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep your customers’ data secure to ensure their satisfaction. WhatsApp messages, being end-to-end encrypted, contribute to a sense of security for your customers when connecting with you.
Who Can Use WhatsApp Business API?
To apply for the WhatsApp Business API, it’s essential to comply with specific business terms and conditions. However, determining your eligibility for the API boils down to two main factors:
1. Business size
Obtaining the API can be a complex process, and quick approval from WhatsApp is typically granted to medium to large-sized businesses. This is why it’s referred to as “WhatsApp Enterprise.” For small businesses, securing approval is challenging and often unlikely. Nonetheless, they can still utilize the free WhatsApp Business Application.
2. Industry
WhatsApp enforces a strict commerce policy that explicitly prohibits certain industries from using the API. These restricted industries include adult content, arms, alcohol, entertainment, gaming and gambling, supplements, tobacco, and medical drugs.
On the other hand, industries such as education, real estate, travel, eCommerce, and telecommunications are allowed to use the WhatsApp Business API.
How does WhatsApp Business API work?
The WhatsApp API is a valuable tool for businesses managing numerous daily support requests. It enables you to send unlimited messages to your customers, allowing you to communicate with them in any content format you prefer.
The WhatsApp Business API categorizes your messages into two types— Session messages and Template messages.
The distinction between these two lies in the timing. If your customers send you a message and you respond within 24 hours, those messages are referred to as session messages, and you won’t incur any charges for them.
However, if you respond after the 24-hour window, you must use a template message that has been pre-approved by WhatsApp, and you will be charged for it.
How to Apply for WhatsApp Business API?
Certainly! Here’s a step-by-step guide for applying for the WhatsApp Business API:
1. Select the application route
Certainly! There are two ways you can apply for the WhatsApp Business API, and you need to choose one:
A. Direct Signup:
You can sign up for the WhatsApp Business API directly on the official Meta Business Help Center website.
Choosing this route may cause unnecessary hassles. If you’re a medium-sized company, obtaining approval can be difficult, and even if you succeed, dealing with technical challenges is likely.
B. Through a Solution Provider:
If you’re aiming for a quick and hassle-free approval, consider going through a WhatsApp Business solution provider like GetItSMS. They simplify the process for you.
2. Submit basic information
Next, you need to provide basic information about your company and explain your intentions with the WhatsApp services you plan to use.
This information includes—
- Company name
- Website URL
- Industry
- Country of company headquarters
- Location (s) where you want to provide your services
- Intended use cases
- Time to market(the time when you want to launch the service)
- Volume predictions (messages/day)
Once you’ve submitted the necessary information, you can expect to receive brand approval within 2-3 weeks.
3. Activate your phone number
Following your brand approval, you’ll need to furnish additional information to activate your phone number for your WhatsApp business account.
If you already have a phone number registered with the WhatsApp Business app, you can move forward with the activation process. If not, make sure to register it beforehand.
Here is the information you need to provide for the activation of your phone number:
- The phone number of your WhatsApp Business account
- Name associated with the number
- Customer Facebook Business Manager ID
- The region for your app
After activating your phone number, you’ll handle all communications on a virtual server, often referred to as a docker, using a dashboard or a BSP system.
Keep in mind that you can register up to 25 phone numbers for each WhatsApp business account. Each new number will necessitate a separate docker server, leading to a notable increase in your monthly expenses.
What to do after setting up WhatsApp Business API?
Once you’ve established your WhatsApp Business API, consider the following crucial steps:
1. Get your green tick badge
A green tick next to your business name builds trust and credibility for your brand among your customers.
However, you can only qualify for a green tick badge if you send 500 messages per day and have an international presence for your brand.
Getting a green tick badge directly from WhatsApp can be challenging at times. However, GetItSMS can assist you in obtaining it more quickly.
2. Integrate it with GetItSMS
With GetItSMS, you can create, deploy, and integrate a WhatsApp bot on your number, enhancing the return on investment (ROI) for your business.
- Enhance customer experience
- Boost lead generation for your business
- Improve abandoned cart recovery
- Initiate marketing campaigns
- Establish your own Ecommerce store
Conclusion
Applying for the WhatsApp Business API can open up valuable communication channels for your business. By following the outlined steps, you can simplify the process and potentially enhance your customer interactions. Remember, choosing the right path, whether through the official website or a solution provider like GetItSMS, can make the approval journey smoother.
Once approved, managing your communications and utilizing the features of the API can contribute to a more effective and engaging business presence on WhatsApp. So, go ahead, explore the possibilities, and leverage the WhatsApp Business API to connect with your audience in a more meaningful way.
