The Tech Tipster

WhatsApp Business API – Everything You Need To Know

WhatsApp the uncontested leader of the messaging app category. With over 1.5 billion people using WhatsApp messaging app every day, it is a smart business decision to leverage the app for customer engagement. You have to be where your customers are.

But even if you have in your plans to use WhatsApp to help in customer engagement but still not able to proceed as you are still confused about how to advance or have other questions in mind regarding WhatsApp Business API. This blog is the right place to start!

 What is WhatsApp Business API?

 In August 2018, Facebook launched WhatsApp Business API for medium and large enterprises. Why did Facebook decide to launch WhatsApp for Business? Because around 2017-18 All around Africa, Latin America & South East Asia, small businesses started skipping email altogether and instead started using their personal WhatsApp accounts as their primary method of communicating with customers. These businesses aren’t WhatsApp-first, they’re WhatsApp-only.

WhatsApp Business gives businesses the opportunity to interact with their customers in a private, secure environment, allowing businesses to interact with their customers in a more informal and friendlier way.

WhatsApp Business API is an application program interface. Being an API, there is no front end interface provided and no app. The idea is businesses take the WhatsApp API endpoint and integrate it into their business software and be able to interact with their customers seamlessly.

The main 3 use cases WhatsApp Business API is:

• To be able to respond to customers within 24 hours
• To create a  business branded presence on WhatsApp
• Create a Chatbot for sending out automated notifications/FAQs

Getting Started

Let us start by defining a few WhatsApp jargon like WhatsApp Business App, WhatsApp Business API, WhatsApp API Provider, etc..

WhatsApp Business App: WhatsApp Business is a free download application designed for small business owners. You can create a catalog to showcase products and services and connect easily with your customers with automation, sorting, and instant-messaging tools.

WhatsApp Business API: If the number of chats is getting overwhelming, it is time for a paid service- WhatsApp Business API. WhatsApp Business API will help small and medium-sized businesses communicate with customers around the world so that they can connect with WhatsApp in a simple, secure, and reliable way. To get WhatsApp Business API, you can contact any of the WhatsApp Business API providers like Yellow Messenger. Yellow Messenger is also a WhatsApp partner.

WhatsApp API Provider: To help you achieve your business aims, there are many official WhatsApp business API providers, who will help you out with API as well as the verification process. It takes 3-4 weeks for verification and an active WhatsApp Business API. Yellow Messenger is the official WhatsApp Business API provider as well as WhatsApp partner.

WhatsApp Business API Key:  To establish your business presence on WhatsApp environment, you need an API key. Integration of the WhatsApp API in website or software helps you to get almost unlimited access to customer care or other messaging services.

WhatsApp Business API Profile: The WhatsApp Business profile allows businesses to establish a presence on WhatsApp using WhatsApp Business API. Unlike other messaging apps, the profile will not be searchable in WhatsApp itself so it is up to the business to promote their presence. The WhatsApp Business profile includes a cover photo, description, address, email, website and business hours for your WhatsApp Business account.

 Official WhatsApp business account: These accounts appear with a WhatsApp verified green tick next to their name. A business account on WhatsApp can either be listed as an “Official business account” or a regular “Business account”. A business can’t request or pay to turn a “Business account” into an “Official business account”.

As of now, only certain business accounts are listed as “Official business accounts”. Listing a business as an “Official business account” is based on a variety of factors, such as whether the brand is notable or not. There is no official process for this process, but if you want to get it done, you can contact your WhatsApp Partner to help get you started.