When it comes to WhatsApp, the world of business communication opens up with not one or two, but three options:

1.   WhatsApp App
2. WhatsApp for Business App
3. WhatsApp Business API

Unlike the WhatsApp Business app and WhatsApp Business API, your regular WhatsApp app is ideal for personal communication, keeping you connected with friends and family. For this reason, you don't need to use any automations with it. Since our focus here is on business communication, we'll dive into the WhatsApp Business API. 

The WhatsApp Business API is the commercial version of the popular messenger. The business platform is designed for medium and large businesses to communicate with customers and sell via WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Business App vs. WhatsApp Business API: Making the right choice

While we’ve already discussed the benefits of using the WhatsApp Business API, let’s take a look at its potential drawbacks.

1. Creating an account & crafting message templates: Creating an account and message templates require quick approval.
2. Strict content guidelines: WhatsApp cares about the user experience, so there are some guidelines to follow. Although this can limit the types of messages you send, it can help with delivering better messages.
3. Timely replies matter: Time is precious. To help your interactions flow smoothly and avoid any additional charges, you need to make sure to reply to messages within 24 hours.
4. Cost considerations: Messaging comes at a cost, especially for businesses with a large customer base. Make sure to evaluate your budget.
5. Setting up & maintaining the API: Since API is a powerful platform it requires some technical expertise or the support of BSP services.

As mentioned earlier, WhatsApp Business API doesn't have a front-end interface. That’s why a team of developers or a Business Solution Provider (BSP) is required to operate it.

Although getting access directly from Meta is possible, it is a tricky and complicated process that requires technical knowledge for setup. 🤓 This is why opting for a BSP like Kommo can make the integration process much easier and faster.

Additionally, you can benefit from Kommo’s 24/7 customer support, automation features, and the ability to integrate all your communication channels into one place.

Understanding WhatsApp Business API accounts

The WhatsApp Business Account, also known as WABA, is divided into two categories:

1. Regular business account
2. Official business account

Each of these accounts comes with a business profile page, built to showcase all important information about your business, such as your phone number, product catalog and website in one place. The official business account offers a green checkmark badge.

By having an official business account, you gain access to the green checkmark badge, located right next to your business name.

This badge serves two important purposes:

1. It authenticates your account as a verified business entity.
2. It helps your customers easily identify and differentiate your business from other unverified accounts.

However, getting an official business account can be challenging. Let’s explore what you need to consider.

The Regular WhatsApp Business API account

How to create WhatsApp Business API account

Creating WhatsApp Business API is easy, however setting it up will require help from either developers or a BSP.

Before going forward with creating, ensure that you have the following information prepared:

• Business details like display name, legal name, and address
• A Facebook Business Page
• A New Phone Number

There two ways in which you can create WhatsApp Business API account:

• Through WhatsApp Manager in Facebook Business Manager
• Through BSP like Kommo

Creating WhatsApp Business API account in Facebook Business Manager

If you want to create WhatsApp Business API account directly through Meta, you will need have a Facebook Business Manager account ready:

1. From there, go to All tools > WhatsApp Manager
2. Under Account Tools, click Phone numbers > Add phone number
3. Create a WhatsApp Business Profile
4. Add a new phone number for WhatsApp

Depending on the category, your business can choose to use one of the following message types:

• Templates
• Free-form Messages

Marketing, authentication, and utility conversations are typically initiated by businesses and require pre-approved message templates to begin the conversation. Service conversations, on the other hand, are initiated by the user, and businesses can respond using free-form messages.

Creating effective WhatsApp message templates

For each of those categories you’ll have a 24-hour window to respond to customer messages. If you fail to respond within that time frame, you must use WhatsApp Message Templates.

You can have a maximum of 250 message templates for each of your WABA, and you can only send template messages to users who have given their consent (opt-in) for your business to send them messages.

Note: To use WhatsApp Message Templates, businesses must first create and submit them for Meta’s approval.

Exploring different types of WhatsApp message templates

WhatsApp Business API allows you to go beyond regular text templates and create multimedia and interactive message templates. These templates can include attachments such as multimedia files or have CTA or quick reply buttons, making the messages more engaging for customers.

The good news is that businesses can complete the entire process of creating and managing message templates without leaving their chosen Business Solution Provider (BSP).

Quality rating & status of message templates

If you are using Kommo, you can create your template and submit your template for a review directly without leaving our CRM.

After you submit your template, it can have one of the following statuses:

• Pending - when you first submit your message template
• Approved - when your message template gets approved
• Rejected - when your message template gets rejected
• Flagged - when your quality rating gets low
• Paused - when your message template reached low quality it will be paused for 3 or 6 hours to protect phone number rating
• Disabled - when the quality rating doesn’t improve within 7 days after getting flagged

If your template gets disabled, it means you cannot send or edit a Disabled message template.

Generally, it can take up to 24 hours for Meta to approve your template. If your template is approved, you will see the status change to Approved in your WhatsApp manager.

This means, you can start sending it to your customers, and when you do, it will start generating its rating based on usage and customer feedback.

One of the main things that can drop your quality rating is sending messages to those customers who have not opted in to receive messages from you. This can lead to your template getting Flagged or Disabled. 

Note: A drop in the quality rating of a message template can affect its status

If your quality rating changes, Kommo will notify you.

Once your customer responds to your template message, or initiates a conversation (service conversation), you can reply with a free-form message.