WhatsApp Business API: A definitive guide for your business (2024)
Here’s the essential guide to the WhatsApp Business API you’ve all been waiting for! “What is an API?” you might ask. APIs, short for Application Programming Interfaces, function as software intermediaries that facilitate seamless communication between two applications, much like a skilled waiter in a restaurant.
In order to use the WhatsApp API, businesses will need to choose a provider and integrate it with software to fully unlock its function. With this powerful tool, your business can then streamline communication using functions like automated replies, WhatsApp broadcasting, chatbots, interactive messages like WhatsApp buttons, and more...!
What is WhatsApp Business API?
WhatsApp Business API is a tool specially designed for businesses to power communication with customers all across the globe safely and effectively.
In overly simplified terms, WhatsApp Business API can be explained as an upgraded version of the WhatsApp Business App. While the WhatsApp Business App supports small businesses with basic functions such as business profiles, auto-replies, labels, and more, the options are rather limited, especially for those dealing with a greater number of clients and daily inquiries.
WhatsApp API, other than the security and reliability it brings to both businesses and customers, offers a wide range of additional features, including quick replies, chatbots, multiple logins, mass broadcasting, personalized messages, WhatsApp API integration, and many more to help businesses sell better online.
What about WhatsApp Cloud API? Learn more about what it is from our blog guide.
How is WhatsApp Business API different from WhatsApp Business App?
Considering the differences between WhatsApp Business API and WhatsApp Business App is crucial. If a budget is required for this messaging solution, it will only make sense for business owners, marketers, customer support, or sales to truly weigh the pros and cons of each option, ensuring that the decision caters to the business's needs.
*Third-party WhatsApp Business API providers are no longer available since June 2022 in accordance with Meta's policy change.
The differences, at one glance, can be summarized as shown in the table above. To understand each of the distinct features in-depth, read on.
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10 Advantages of WhatsApp Business API
What can you do with the WhatsApp Business API?
The possibilities are endless! Businesses can integrate the WhatsApp Business API with platforms like SleekFlow to access more functions and increase workflow efficiency.
As we work through these 10 advantages of WhatsApp Business API, the benefits of WhatsApp Business API will be as clear as day.
Verified WhatsApp Business accounts
When using the WhatsApp Business App to contact customers, only the phone number will be displayed.
In contrast, WhatsApp Business API allows businesses to have a WhatsApp Official Business Account (OBA), showing the business name instead of the business phone number, even if the customer has not saved the business’s phone number.
On top of that, there will also be a tiny green verification tick next to your business name to show authenticity and reliability.
With the WhatsApp Business green tick verification applied, you can avoid your WhatsApp Business account from being banned, saving the time and effort to go through all the hassle and suffering the consequences of never being able to use that number on WhatsApp again.
Read more about the steps for unblocking your WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp Business Template Messages
There are two types of WhatsApp Business Messages: Template Messages and Session Messages.
WhatsApp Template Messages are pre-approved message templates for marketing, one-time password notifications, or outbound messages like delivery alerts and appointment reminders. WhatsApp Template Messages are categorized into:
Utility conversations
Authentication conversations
Marketing conversations
Here's how to determine your message category when you're putting Template Messages for WhatsApp's approval:
With a template message set up, you can personalize your messages by adding variables such as first name, birthday, and membership points, etc. to send out personalized WhatsApp broadcasts.
Find out more about creating Template Messages in our quick guide.
WhatsApp Business API conversation-based pricing
From February 2022 onwards, WhatsApp officially introduced a conversation-based model for the official WhatsApp Business API. No matter if it's Template Messages or Session Messages, they are all charged according to the number of conversations, depending on whether the message is business-initiated or user-initiated.
Firstly, the starting 1000 user-initiated conversations are free of charge, before November 1, 2024!
The pricing for each type of conversation will also follow the country that your business is in:
The pricing shown in the table above has been updated according to Meta's latest pricing structure in 2024.
To understand further how conversation-based pricing works, check out our blog on WhatsApp Business API pricing.
Calculate your WhatsApp Business messaging costs
WhatsApp Business API charges businesses per 24-hour conversation. Estimate your monthly charges now
WhatsApp Business Pricing Changes: October 2024 Announcement
On 10 October, 2024, Meta announced major changes to the WhatsApp Business Platform (API)’s pricing model, designed to simplify costs and enhance flexibility for businesses.
Here’s what is changing:
Starting November 1, 2024, service conversations will be entirely free, replacing the previous limitation of 1000 free service conversations per month.
Starting February 1, 2025, the international authentication rates will cover 7 new markets, and Meta is also reducing rates in existing markets.
Starting April 1, 2025, businesses can use utility templates for free within a 24-hour window.
Starting April 1, 2025, businesses in the Phase 1 group will be charged per template message instead of the previous conversation-based pricing model.
Starting July 1, 2025, all businesses will be charged per template message in phase 2 rollout.
**Meta is rolling out per-template message pricing in two phases. It will be applied to SleekFlow users on 1 July 2025 (Phase 2).
We’ve outlined everything you need to know about the latest WhatsApp Business pricing update, along with practical strategies to help your business adapt seamlessly and efficiently.
WhatsApp Interactive messages
WhatsApp interactive messages encourage customer engagement by providing users with simpler options to communicate the products or services they need from your business.
Remember how back in our school days when we used to prefer multiple-choice questions over long-answer questions for exams? The same goes for this!
This fully explains why interactive messages tend to have significantly higher response rates and conversions compared to informational, text-based messages.
WhatsApp List Messages
WhatsApp enables businesses to engage customers using list messages with up to 10 options, making the message flow simple, consistent, and efficient.
WhatsApp chat buttons
Up to 3 options can be provided for the users. This means that business users can design 3 buttons for the customers to select. It can even be combined with list messages when customizing an interactive message flow!
An important note when using interactive messages is that they can only be sent within 24 hours after the user-initiated message is sent. Also, the customers will not be able to select more than one option at a time, but they will be able to return to previous text messages.
It all depends on how you set up the buttons to make it fun for your customers!
WhatsApp Broadcast
With the WhatsApp broadcasting function, businesses can send out mass, but personalized messages to their customers to offer details about events or promotions.
Undoubtedly, this saves businesses a lot of time as marketers will no longer have to copy and paste each text individually while ensuring the customer’s name is spelled correctly!
For example, logistic firms can use this function to notify their customers of deliveries, educational firms can also use this to send out seat confirmations for seminars, and supermarkets can use this to send out flash promotions.
SleekFlow has opened up a new channel for us to conduct marketing and broadcasting effectively.
Wilfred Belsey
Head of Retention & CX, Nutrition Kitchen
Find out how Nutrition Kitchen increases sales using the WhatsApp Broadcast feature.
WhatsApp multiple logins
Gone are the days when customer support agents need to fight for the one phone with the WhatsApp Business App installed!
With the WhatsApp Business API, multiple agents can access the businesses’ WhatsApp phone numbers at the same time.
Hence, this not only allows more customer service agents to serve more customers at a time but also allows cross-functional team collaboration.
WhatsApp chatbots
For efficiency, use a chatbot!
Generally, chatbots can be used to cut down the amount of time used for customer service by screening the customer’s needs. Following this, the customer will then be routed to the relevant department automatically to get the best answers to their queries.
Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to set up WhatsApp chatbot for your business.
Automated messaging rules using SleekFlow Flow Builder
Through WhatsApp Business API, businesses can automate FAQs, broadcast messages, and interactive messages and automatically assign incoming chats to various agents based on specific rules.
This will markedly improve team efficiency as customer service agents can spend more time attending to customer needs instead of manually assigning chats.
One simple example is, with SleekFlow, chats can be automatically reassigned to a different agent if the initial agent’s status has been set to “away”. This in turn reduces the customer’s waiting time while ensuring that the customer service agents have sufficient breaks and rest time. Experience more amazing features with Flow Builder by clicking our CTA below!
Automate your business growth with Flow Builder
Streamline sales, marketing, support, and operation workflows in the era of hyper-personalization.
Businesses can make their WhatsApp number more accessible by adding it to a live chat widget on their websites.
WhatsApp catalog
With WhatsApp Business API, businesses can create WhatsApp catalogs to showcase their products or services to potential customers on WhatsApp. It provides businesses with a platform to upload detailed information about their products or services, including the product name or title, price, description, website link, and product code.
This feature can encourage impulse shopping, and on top of that, offer consumers a faster, more efficient, and coherent buyer's journey. As they share their positive experience with others, you'll get marketing for free too!
In-chat payment links on WhatsApp
From social to order and payment, the in-chat shopping experience becomes frictionless with the WhatsApp Business API. Simply generate a payment link for your customers to pay directly in the chat. The fewer the steps, the more likely it is for the consumers to buy more.
Integrated customer profile
Since WhatsApp has become the preferred communication channel for most, many customers tend to like using WhatsApp.
Customer details gathered from other platforms, including the physical store, e-commerce websites, or social media can be combined into a single profile. You can then use the information for your WhatsApp broadcasting or customer support.
Integrating various messaging channels as well as add a myriad of CRM software such as the Salesforce CRM, HubSpot CRM or even your calendar, payment gateway, task management, etc. will also help you attend to your WhatsApp customers with high accuracy and efficiency.
Who should consider using WhatsApp Business API?
The useful functions of the WhatsApp Business API are extremely attractive, but it is still vital for business owners to consider the suitability of its usage based on their working industry.
1. Retail
The sale of goods and services directly to consumers makes the retail industry a rather fast-moving sector in the world of businesses. As digital technology drives customers towards online shopping and inquiries, O2O retail techniques are no longer an unfamiliar option to most retailers.
For retail businesses, a large number of daily incoming messages from customers can be quite overwhelming and time-consuming to manage. This makes WhatsApp Business API the most appropriate solution as it allows for automation, chatbot, and broadcasting, while at the same time making the account appear more trustable and reliable.
Retail selling is all about communication. The messaging data generated by SleekFlow is critical for us to drive lasting sales performance.
Yonnie Wong
Senior Marketing Manager of bossini
See how the renowned fashion retailer, bossini, generates sales for their O2O campaigns with the WhatsApp Business API via SleekFlow.
2. Automotive
Before going for a test drive, customers are bound to acquire information about the vehicle that they are interested in. If the customers call in and the line is constantly busy, it may result in a massive loss of leads over time. In this case, the list messages and reply buttons on WhatsApp Business API are definitely useful to save manpower in attending to these new and potential customers.
Also, WhatsApp Business API will be able to ease the procedures of scheduling and making appointments as they progress, thus improving customer satisfaction.
Read the success story of Automate, a car servicing platform that incorporated WhatsApp into their native mobile app with SleekFlow's Public API.
3. Telecommunication
Telecom service providers almost always receive millions of inquiries every day. Most of the time, these customers desire an immediate, personalized response, taking a toll on the customer service team.
Similarly, these challenges of dealing with complex operational processes and related problems can be dealt with by using WhatsApp Business API.
4. Fintech
Blooming e-commerce and the demand for fast, secured digital payments are propelling the fintech revolution. With the integration of advanced technologies including AI, data science, and more, businesses in the field surely understand the importance of having a stable and efficient chat management platform.
The WhatsApp Business API will be a fine addition to their deployment of various sophisticated tools for decreasing the response time of messages while delivering financial services of the utmost quality, security, and privacy.
Explore how AQUMON leads the fintech industry with WhatsApp Business API on SleekFlow.
5. Human resources
Human resources are all about managing human capital and guiding each individual to their fullest potential. The amount of communication and interaction on top of other paperwork and tasks can cause an unbearable volume of workload. Not to mention that the questions from employees or operational procedures are often repetitive.
This problem can no doubt be solved effortlessly using the WhatsApp Business API. Why repeat the excessive steps when the time can be utilized more efficiently with other duties?
How to apply and set up a WhatsApp Business API account?
Firstly, businesses will need to choose a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) and ensure they have a verified Facebook Business Manager account. Submit your business information for verification and complete the Facebook Business Verification process. Once your business is verified, register a phone number that hasn’t been used with WhatsApp before. Your BSP will help set up the API.
These providers will process the business’ WhatsApp Business accounts and Template Messages by sending relevant information to WhatsApp.
To get the most out of WhatsApp Business API/WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta strongly encourages businesses to choose an official WhatsApp BSP or WhatsApp Business Solution Partner. Understandably, with so many BSPs for WhatsApp on the market, it might get a little overwhelming.
Here's why you should choose SleekFlow as the WhatsApp BSP:
Best pricing for businesses with a large volume of messages
Other than the conversation fees charged by Meta, businesses will be required to pay a subscription fee or provider fee to the WhatsApp BSP. SleekFlow offers a reasonable price according to your needs.
Looking to use the WhatsApp Business API without subscribing to SleekFlow? Check out our programmable Messaging API.
Cloud API to scale your WhatsApp broadcasting campaigns
SleekFlow uses the Cloud API, hosted by Meta, which supports 80 MPS (messaging per second) and up to 500 when requested.
Stability of connection
Having your WhatsApp Business accounts disconnected is the last thing you want for your business. It can bring unhappy customers when messages are missed or fail to send. With SleekFlow as the authorized WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, you don't have to worry about errors caused by failed HTTP requests as SleekFlow uses the powerful, secure, and reliable resources provided by Meta.
Easy onboarding of WhatsApp Business accounts in 3 minutes
SleekFlow works closely with Meta's WhatsApp team to make sure that customers can access the latest WhatsApp Business features as soon as possible. Now, it only takes 3 minutes to complete the onboarding process with SleekFlow!
Quick access to new WhatsApp Business features
As SleekFlow's WhatsApp Business API user, you will be the first to access upcoming features such as Product Messages, Message Reactions, Message Replies, and more.
Getting started with WhatsApp Business API through SleekFlow
Upon deciding to incorporate the all-mighty WhatsApp Business API, businesses will then have to choose a platform solution that best fits their needs. Businesses who are looking for a holistic sales-accelerating customer experience platform can consider using SleekFlow!
SleekFlow has user-friendly web and mobile versions that integrate well with the WhatsApp Business API and other messaging apps. In addition, SleekFlow also has added capabilities of integrating with your existing CRM stacks to ensure a smooth onboarding process and experience. There will be more amazing features to come too!
What is WhatsApp API Integration
For businesses that have WhatsApp API integration, customers can reach out to them directly and easily from their WhatsApp accounts.
Customer support, online booking/orders, and overall consumer experience are streamlined with this integrated process. In addition, faster and smoother communication is made possible. Customers no longer have to go through call centers, customer support queues, and automated messages, which also reduces pressure on your support teams.
Make SleekFlow your preferred choice for your WhatsApp API Integration. Follow through our detailed step-by-step guide to apply for your very own WhatsApp official account.
What WhatsApp Messaging API Integration
For companies with an IT development team, WhatsApp can be integrated into their applications and connected with over 2 billion users worldwide. After integration, companies can easily customize user experiences and have complete control over data management without any front-end restrictions.
To name a few, businesses can manage to sign up for multiple WABAs and instantly send messages, create templates, manage media files, and configure webhook settings on our cloud-based platform, with faster throughput rates than on-premise messaging APIs.
Learn more about WhatsApp Messaging API for developers here
How Singtel leverages WhatsApp Business to drive customer experience
Across social media, news, blogs, and more, customers have been known to prefer texting businesses as compared to emails or calls. To match the pace of these contemporary trends, Singtel has taken full advantage of WhatsApp Business by implementing many, if not all the features to boost the level of customer satisfaction.
Below are some main aspects or features of WhatsApp Business API that have offered great assistance to Singtel:
Automated workflow with the chatbot on WhatsApp Business
Multi-logins for multi-user management
Enhanced customer experience
Singtel, as a prominent industry leader, has redefined client-facing roles using WhatsApp Business API as the key to driving business growth. As customer relationship holds great importance in a thriving business, their decision to dive deep into social commerce serves as a great reference for all.
Therefore, if your business has yet to explore the powerful potential of conversational commerce, now's probably a good time!
Want to outcompete your peers with SleekFlow's help?
Book your personalized demo with SleekFlow today and unlock the potential of seamless communication
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