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Whatsapp API for business

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With more than 2 billion users, WhatsApp is not only the most known Messenger App for talking to family and friends. Businesses have been widely turning to WhatsApp as well. The WhatsApp business API enables medium and large sized businesses to get in touch with their customers all around the world.

There are many good reasons to use WhatsApp business for your customers and for yourself. Mobile messages have incredible open rates of 98 percent, compared to that of email which is just 20%. It eliminates crowded inboxes and sets direct long-term connections with your customers. People mostly open their Messenger App several times per day. WhatsApp being the easiest and most convenient base for your customers to get in touch with you because it’s already part of your daily routine.

Messaging allows you to react faster to any request of the customers which might be an unanswered question during the purchase cycle. This boosts your conversion rate and expands customer satisfaction. Whatsapp provides customer support that has never been more convenient, efficient and fun. You can share text messages, emoji, images and files of any kind with their customers.

Whatsapp API Account

Whatsapp business API is designed for larger companies. To connect Whatsapp Business to your company software you will need Whatsapp API account and that’s where a Whatsapp partner comes in. These accounts are not available directly through Whatsapp. So what you have to do is to apply through a Whatsapp partner in order to get approved.

You will set up your Whatsapp Business profile, once approved. It is similar to a regular Whatsapp profile having additional business information like website, address and business hours. The business policy of Whatsapp needs active consent from a user before a business can begin messaging them.

From a Whatsapp user, there are two ways to get consent. The easiest is the user sends the first message. The other option is a checkbox opt-in, in which the user will need to check a box and add their phone numbers to give consent. A business can send the first message once done.

WhatsApp Business API: Messaging

The two types of messages provided on WhatsApp API are Session Messages and Message Templates.

Types of WhatsApp API Messages
  • WhatsApp API Business: Session Messaging

    WhatsApp doesn’t let businesses using WhatsApp API to send messages at their convenience. WhatsApp imposes a messaging limitation called Session Messaging to avoid spam and make sure businesses reply to incoming messages quickly.

    Session Messaging enables you to reply to contacts’ messages within a 24-hour window. You can no longer send Session messages once the 24-hour window closes. There isn’t a need for any advance approval before sending a Session Message, provided that it is by WhatsApp Business Policy and WhatsApp Commerce Policy.

    Besides the ordinary text Session Message, you can send Interactive Session Messages using WhatsApp API. Interactive Session Messages, with a user-friendly format offer customers an easier way to find and select what they want from your business.
    Four types of Interactive Session Messages are available. This includes List Messages, Single Product, Reply Button and Multi-Product Messages. Single and Multi-Product Messages are impressive for sending a Catalogue to customers.

  • WhatsApp API for Business: Template Messaging

    Businesses are only permitted to reply with Message Templates after 24 hours from the contact’s last incoming message. These are pre-approved messages used to reopen the 24-hour Messaging Window or start a new conversation.

    Besides the standard Message Templates, WhatsApp API also provides Multimedia and Interactive Message Templates. The former supports images, videos or PDF documents, while the latter lets you attach call-to-action or quick reply buttons.

    To manage the quality of customer experience, WhatsApp needs businesses to obtain opt-ins from customers prior to beginning a chat with Message Templates.

    Opt-ins can be gained both on and off WhatsApp. Think interactive voice response (IVR), website forms, WhatsApp Ads, WhatsApp links, WhatsApp QR codes or through WhatsApp threads (customer-initiated messages).
    To opt-in contacts, they must first see the value of doing so. It’s better to ask for opt-ins at the right time and right place.

  • Benefits of using WhatsApp Business API
    • Schedule appointments
    • Instant responses
    • Seamless agent hand-off for complex queries
    • Personalise experiences
    • Send payment reminders
    • Answer FAQs
    • Transform marketing
    • Collect documents
    • Provide post-sale support

WhatsApp Business API is not as problematic as you might be thinking. It is an easy way of automating messages to offer instant responses to your customers. Get ready to apply your brand new knowledge and take your business to the next level with WhatsApp API.