Read this to understand everything you need to know about WhatsApp Business API (WABA) accounts. Here is a small summary of everything covered in detail below:

  1. WhatsApp Business API is different from WhatsApp Business App.
  2. Every brand needs to get approval from WhatsApp to start using WhatsApp Business APIs.
  3. Getting access to WhatsApp Business API Account is different getting a Green-Tick ( ✅) on your WhatsApp profile.
  4. There are two types of messages: Session Messages & Post Session Messages.
  5. Reply & Notification Messages have different ways to start a conversation with any user and supported content types.
  6. You can customize following in your WhatsApp Busines API Account profile: Image, Description, Address, Email, Website, About.


1. WhatsApp Business API vs WhatsApp Business App


FeaturesWhatsApp Business APIWhatsApp Business App

Automation

Complete conversationOnly the first message
NotificationsRich and PersonalisedNA
Human TakeoverUnlimited AgentsMax 2 Agents (Mobile & Web)
User ManagementAdvanced CRMBasic using tags
Initiate ConversationWith user's consent
Only by adding user contact
AccessApproval BasedOpen to download



2. Getting Access to WhatsApp Business API

Your business needs an approval from WhatsApp to start using WhatsApp Business APIs. We have partnered with WhatsApp to ease out the approval process. You have to just give us your business details and we do all the hard work on your behalf to get the approval.


3. Business vs Official Business Account (Green-Tick ✅)

Business Account

  • By default, any account using the WhatsApp Business API or WhatsApp Business App is a business account.
  • Every WhatsApp Business API Account is verified manually by WhatsApp for authenticity.

Official Business Account (Green-Tick ✅)

  • WhatsApp manually verifies an authentic, notable brand to make it an Official Business Account.

  • An official business account has a green checkmark badge in its profile and chat thread headers.
  • The name of the business is visible even when the user hasn't added the business to their address book.
  • Very few businesses get access to Green-Tick.


Note: Official Business Account application is different from the Business API Account application. Your brand can only apply for Green-Tick after Business API Account approval.


Learn more about the importance of Green-Tick, how it appears to users, the process of getting it and other related FAQs.


4. Message Types

WhatsApp Business APIs has two types of messages:

Reply / Session Messages:

  • Any message which is sent within 24 hours from the last customer's message.

  • When the customer replies again then the 24 hours window resets.
  • You can send any nature of messages - promotional, transactional, conversational, etc.

Notifications / Post Session Messages:

  • Any message which is sent after 24 hrs from the last customer's message. That's why they are also called notification messages.

  • WhatsApp charges brand for these messages.
  • Only messages of transactional nature are allowed.

Learn more about the two message types.


5. Message Content Types

Session Messages

  • You can send Rich Text (Bold, Italics, Strike, Monospace), Image/Video/Audio, PDF/Documents, Location, Contact messages.
  • All these message types can be personalized using dynamic parameters.

Post Session Messages

  • You can only send Rich Text (Bold, Italics, Strike, Monospace) messages.
  • These messages can be personalized using dynamic parameters.

Learn more about all the different message content types.


6. How to start conversations

Session Messages

  • For this type of message, the user has to initiate the conversation.
  • The user can initiate the conversation in the following ways: directly sending a message to your WhatsApp Number, clicking on a Link to your WhatsApp number, clicking on a Button on your website/email, scanning QR Codes from pamphlets, Website Chat Plugin, Website Popups.

Post Session Messages

  • You can use notification messages to start a conversation with any user. But before starting a conversation you have to first get consent from the user.
  • You can get a user consent on your website/app using Opt-In Widgets, Website Popups, In-App Actions or you can ask the user to send an SMS/Miscall for optin in.

Learn more about all the different ways the conversation can be initiated with the user.


7. Business Profile

You can customize following in your WhatsApp Business API Account Profile:


Learn more about all these customizations in the business profile.