Best WhatsApp API For Business in 2024? There has been a growing interest in marketing messaging apps in many sectors over the past few years. From their inception, messaging apps like WeChat and Facebook Messenger have encouraged and supported their usage by businesses as channels of communication. When WhatsApp joined the fray in 2018, companies worldwide jumped at the chance to sign up for the platform’s new Business API.
Companies can quickly receive and respond to an unlimited number of WhatsApp messages. Facebook launched this service in August 2018 to help large and medium-sized companies better communicate with customers using WhatsApp at scale.
While micro and small businesses don’t pay anything to utilize the WhatsApp Business App, more prominent firms who want to use the API will incur monthly fees and message costs. In 2019, approximately one thousand businesses were using the WhatsApp Business API.
In this article, you will get precise detail on WhatsApp API.
Who Can Use WhatsApp Business API?
Before applying for the API, you must meet two specific business requirements.
1. Size of the Business
Creating and integrating a WhatsApp chatbot is difficult. WhatsApp quickly approves medium and enormous enterprises. It is why WhatsApp Enterprise is a business API. Small enterprises rarely get supported. They can send instant communications using the free WhatsApp Business app (non-interactive messages.
2. Industry
Industry WhatsApp’s business policy restricts which industries can use Business WhatsApp API. Independent software providers, real cash sectors including gaming and gambling, adult content and entertainment, guns, alcohol and tobacco, supplements and other medical treatments cannot use the API. WhatsApp API offers enterprises industry-specific benefits.
Key Features of WhatsApp Business API
- Messages are broadcast for mass alerts
- Green Tick confirmed the WhatsApp Business profile
- No app or interface is required; access through BSPs or CRM
- Support for interactive chatbots and WhatsApp messages
- Access to many agents for client service
Also See: How to Send WhatsApp Messages from Excel Using VBA
What is the Benefit of Using WhatsApp Business API?
1. Repid Responses
A company’s responses to clients’ WhatsApp messages can be automated using the WhatsApp API. Even if the reactions are not AI, they can still be fun for the client to participate in and leave feeling happy.
Thanks to tools like WhatsApp’s auto-reply and notifications, businesses can keep in contact with their clients at all hours, even on holidays. WhatsApp is the most convenient method of contacting clients because of its interactive list messages and dynamic reply buttons.
2. Customize the Experience for Each User
WhatsApp allows you to customize your messages by adjusting specific settings. When you add contacts, it will automatically retrieve their information and insert it where you choose in your notes.
Beyond this, WhatsApp can communicate in ten other tongues right now. Businesses that provide support for many languages can better connect with clients personally by speaking to them in their native tongue.
3. Address Frequently Asked Questions
Automating responses to all the frequently requested inquiries is a simple way to facilitate simple self-service requests. Companies can quickly respond to clients’ basic questions using WhatsApp. However, agents are required to assist with complex queries.
Businesses can specify up to 5 input messages to trigger WhatsApp replies when keywords match precisely. Price, rate, fee, and cost are all examples of terms that can elicit a similar response from your audience regarding your product’s pricing.
4. Set up Appointments
The WhatsApp API allows the app to be linked to your schedule. Appointments may be automatically scheduled for all leads, eliminating the need for follow-up phone calls or email exchanges.
Automated messages can be delivered to customers, informing them when the sales staff will be available again. When a company integrates WhatsApp’s API, its staff and consumers benefit from significant time savings.
5. Remind Customers to Make Their Payments
WhatsApp may be a powerful tool for preventing customer churn in the banking sector or any organization that relies on a subscription model. Customers frequently forget to pay their bills, but you can send them a note to remind them.
Payment reminders can be sent over the WhatsApp API using the predefined alert update form. WhatsApp now supports in-app purchases, so customers may pay their bills using the messaging service.
6. Acqure Required Paperwork
Documents were either physically handed in or sent through email before the advent of WhatsApp. Nowadays, no one would fill out paper forms rather than use a digital interface. WhatsApp allows you to gather and store all of the necessary paperwork in one convenient place. The customer’s presence is required, however, for biometric scans.
7. Offer Follow-up Assistance to Buyers
The primary objective of utilizing the WhatsApp API is to provide customer support. Businesses can begin assisting the channel immediately upon the placement of an order. WhatsApp is beneficial for communicating, shipping and delivery status to answer difficult client questions. Business requires to automate and test their chatbots for 100% accuracy fully.
The percentage of happy customers using your WhatsApp chatbot will rise if it is good. Using the WhatsApp API can help you finally master results-driven marketing. There is a 99% open rate, meaning thousands of people see your chatbot marketing messages.
Businesses can take advantage of the rising number of eyes by being more proactive with their marketing and advertising. Well-timed communication can do wonders for your company at this stage.
8. Powerful and Safe Conversations
Thanks to its end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp is the most secure platform for communicating with clients. Customers are so confident in WhatsApp that the company is now supporting banking and payment systems.
WhatsApp does not allow enterprises to send messages on their own to be compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation. Customers can only start receiving messages if they have given permission to do so or initiated a conversation.
Pricing of the Whatsapp API
Over time, WhatsApp’s Business platform pricing has changed. WhatsApp’s Business API used to have a per-notification fee until early this year. However, WhatsApp’s Business API pricing has been conversation-based from February 2022. Thus, it is now the entire conversation that costs money rather than each notification.
An all-inclusive, 24-hour call to a customer service line costs one flat rate. It means that you have 24 hours to communicate with your users. Interactions with clients range widely from enterprise to enterprise. WhatsApp Business Pricing separates conversations into two groups:
1. User-Initiated Conversations
The user initiates the conversation by sending the first message. This form of dialogue kicks off when a company replies to a user within the 24-hour session.
2. Business-Initiated Conversaions
The business sends the first message. Message templates must be pre-approved before being used to start a conversation.
Also See: How to Send WhatsApp Messages from Excel Using VBA
How to get WhatsApp Business API Account?
Numerous companies offer API access to WhatsApp so that businesses may quickly and simply create accounts. However, the sign-up procedure’s difficulty level is influenced by how customers subscribe. Business service providers typically employ either the “traditional” or “embedded” sign-up processes.
The traditional registration approach is a hands-on application procedure. Waiting times are inevitable because of the number of times communication must be exchanged between the company and the BSP agent.
In contrast, an embedded sign-up form on a BSP’s site enables companies to bypass third-party portals and complete the onboarding process in its entirety. There is no need for a BSP representative to be involved because this is a self-service procedure.
There are four basic requirements for obtaining a WhatsApp API account through the embedded sign-up:
- You can either “buy” a number or “port” an existing one
- Fill out the form to sign-up for a WhatsApp Business Account
- Make use of the integrated sign-up and pop-up forms
- Create an API Key for your company’s software
Also See: How to Create Short WhatsApp Link
Types of Messaging
The two Main Categories of WhatsApp Messages are as Follows
1. Session Messages
They are started by the customers and are often relevant to various questions. A chat with a customer support representative will begin once the user sends a message. As long as the client responds to the pre-written message, the line of communication will remain open for another day.
2. Template Messages
Message templates are delivered by businesses to notify customers of crucial information, such as the status of an order or a transaction. One thing to keep in mind is that you need the customer’s permission to send template messages.
Once a user’s consumer has enabled WhatsApp to opt-in to receive alerts and notifications, the user is free to send the customer promotional messages. You can keep talking for free if it’s less than 24 hours since the customer’s last message.
Also See: How to Send WhatsApp Messages from Excel Using VBA
Top 10 Companies for WhatsApp API
1. Respond.io
Respond.io is a business messaging platform consolidating marketing, sales, and support communications via IM, web chat, and email for forward-thinking companies. Broadcasts help target a specific demographic, new contacts can be added to a drip campaign, and event-based promotions can be triggered via an API.
Advantages include a switch from personal to business accounts, better sales visibility, lead qualification automation, and integration with customer relationship management software. Automated messages help determine client needs and direct them to agents with the appropriate expertise, language proficiency, availability, and more.
It can initiate or send out mass notifications, such as emergency broadcasts or maintenance alerts, from within the system. Use flexible Chat Menus to make your customers happy. Respon.io invites contacts to investigate your offerings, and marking them with tags that will help you categorize them for sales prospect lists, marketing broadcasts, and drip campaigns is a great way to get them involved.
Each day, supervisors can check the dashboard and see if there are any unusual patterns in the conversations or actions of the agents. Moreover, it tracks agents’ activity and workload in real-time to find out why some exchanges are lingering unattended.
Pros
Respond.io is an excellent tool for enhancing communication channels. Each Team member has access to and can participate in group chats, where they can read and respond to messages, make private remarks, and assign tasks to others. We offer a free version.
Cons
As many of Respond.io’s features are still in beta, you will need to be patient with the platform for the time being.
2. Landbot
Landbot is an exciting, user-friendly, and potent platform that allows you to build and deploy any chatbot. The dashboard on Landbot.io helps examine and export all information about exchanges between chatbots and leads. For personal interaction with a company’s personnel, a clickable phone number, email address, or even a Whatsapp button can be added to any message.
Users of Landbot.io can set up SEO for social media sharing and integrate monitoring IDs for applications like Google Analytics. Through the platform’s application programming interface (API), developers can manage bot discussions within the platform’s built-in Helpdesk.
Pros
The product features a wide variety of pre-built integrations and the ability to connect with any API-enabled software via webhooks, making it a breeze to get up and running. It is simple to use. There is zero necessity for programming.
Cons
There is no chance for integration of external services. It is not possible to choose from a wide selection of templates. Moreover, it’s costly for a minor degree.
3. Whatso
The Whatso WhatsApp advertising platform is multilingual, allowing for use in a wide range of local and international tongues. Sending a message to anyone is an option for users. Whatso, WhatsApp marketing software will enable customers to safely and quickly deliver mass messages to their client base.
Whatso’s many features and services make spreading the word about a business’s latest deals and offerings easy. Complete contact information can be imported thoroughly from TXT or CSV files. The data can be easily copied and pasted. In addition, Whatso WhatsApp marketing software users can send tailored messages to their customers.
Pros
It is simple to set up and utilize. Without adding a person to your contact list, you can send an infinite amount of WhatsApp messages.
Cons
The software’s initial performance lagged a bit. Newcomers may have to pay a higher rate.
4. Formstack
There’s a free trial period of 14 days. Formstack is used by over 500 people in 112 different countries. Instead of wasting paper, see how the online form builder from Formstack may improve efficiency in any field.
Among the many powerful capabilities offered by Formstack are over 50 connectors with a wide range of payment processors, email, CRMs, accounting, help desk, project management, and other applications. Further, it is a solution that abides by HIPAA regulations.
Formstack can also help simplify and streamline the experience of completing an online form. With our intuitive drag-and-drop UI, you’ll never need to learn how to write.
Pros
Both the service and the speed with which questions are answered are first-rate. The product is both inexpensive and simple to use.
Cons
The dashboard isn’t updated.
5. Omnisend
Omnisend is a comprehensive omnichannel marketing suite that includes email marketing, automation, SMS marketing, and more. It has API integration and offers email and phone support around the clock.
It may segment and target audiences based on demographic and psychographic information provided by completed forms, email and SMS campaigns, automation, a content editor, and other reports. Facebook Messenger helps communicate with consumers, and WhatsApp is useful for sharing with subscribers.
The free edition of Omnisend includes the ability to send out email campaigns, create registration pages, and view reports. Including push notifications in pre-existing automated processes and campaigns helps users improve their connections with prospects and clients.
Notifications are helpful for various purposes, including announcing limited-time offers, confirming purchases, and more. A registration box widget is a little box that appears at the bottom of web pages and can be clicked by visitors without interrupting their experience.
Pros
The overall package is favourable. A/B testing is easy to install. Superb results can be achieved with SMS Advertising. Automation is effortless.
Cons
Unfortunately, blog postings cannot be emailed directly from your RSS feed in Omnisend. The Enterprise package is the only one that does not put any limits on the number of users or the number of emails.
6. Wati
The WhatsApp Web CRM solution WATI is the best for any company. Users can organize their contact lists, initiate chats, and coordinate customer service efforts, all within the WhatsApp platform. More than two billion population use WhatsApp, and you can effortlessly market to them.
WATI facilitates the entire process of opening a business account, from the first application through the integration of the WhatsApp Business API and the provisioning of operational resources. With WhatsApp’s unified inbox, groups of people may work together to handle customer messages without leaving the app. Canned responses are another option for providing a uniformly fast reply.
It’s simple to manage an extensive list of subscribers, create and distribute custom templates, use filters, schedule and track appointments, monitor payments, and more. Contacts may be managed efficiently and effectively, and communication with consumers is simplified with this solution.
Pros
Regarding automating our WhatsApp marketing efforts, WATI is one of the most user-friendly tools. It responds promptly to client messages and inquiries around the clock, seven days a week. The API platform is straightforward, and the customer support is first-rate.
Cons
Unfortunately, once a message has been delivered, it cannot be retrieved. Having a fast internet connection is necessary for chatting.
7. Twilio
Twilio helps to engage clients at every step of their journey. The Twilio Customer Engagement Platform enables you to grow by combining flexible APIs for any digital channel, first-party customer data, and a worldwide network of servers. It goes beyond simple automation to develop human interactions with billions of worldwide consumers. Leverage the power of consumer data to create personalized journeys and offer 1:1 messages that exceed your customers’ expectations.
Connect with customers on their favourite channels—anywhere in the world. Quickly connect sophisticated APIs to start designing solutions for SMS and WhatsApp messaging, audio, video, and email. You can do everything to make your customers feel like you can read their minds with the level of convenience and proactivity you provide.
Your teams can effectively interact with customers in new and exciting ways thanks to the availability of contextual data, the adaptability of workflows, and the smoothness of cross-channel conversations.
Pros
You can operate it for sending and receiving SMS messages with ease. An excellent user interface and helpful service make this an ideal choice. When it comes to managing and verifying a phone number, chatbots, integrations, and automated systems, Twilio has you covered in every way.
Cons
The process of installation is complex. You require coding. Marketers will not enjoy using the API account type.
8. MessageBird
MessageBird is a global SMS messaging service that operates in every country. Use MMS, RCS, or chat to transmit and receive rich material (such as pictures, videos, audio, and GPS coordinates) to and from clients’ mobile phones. Employees and clients can talk freely without disclosing personal information or being identified on the phone.
It is possible to record calls and have them transcribed automatically. Voicemails can be left by callers as well. Use Rich Communication Services (RCS) to activate suggested actions, letting customers take various steps from within discussion threads (such as adding events to their calendar and saving tickets in their wallet app). The MessageBird Application Programming Interface is helpful with any programme.
Pros
The prices are great when you buy in bulk, and the site is easy to use. The reporting is outstanding, and checking the delivery status of messages is straightforward. The interface is sleek and precise.
Cons
A few phone numbers aren’t getting through. Slow response time from tech help. There is no way to add funds instantly. There are currently no tutorials or guides available for Wi-Fi phone models.
9. Zoko
Zoko.ai is an all-business cloud-based platform and a WhatsApp hub for businesses. Sales, marketing, and customer service are all accessible via WhatsApp. Moreover, it has many capabilities, including WhatsApp orders. Zoko’s industry-leading WhatsApp sales tool can help you monetize your WhatsApp account.
The dashboard enables you to qualify and guide prospects and customers toward a sale on WhatsApp. Customers and prospects who message you on WhatsApp are the most interested.
Pros
The tool ensures a smooth WhatsApp connection with customers. Moreover, the dashboard gives customers and prospects a smooth experience. It’s user-friendly UI & UX (UX).
Cons
The customer service needs to be improved. Starter and Team plan lack API and webhooks.
10. BotSpace
BotSpace is a WhatsApp business API that boosts growth. Without training, it can implement end-to-end chat systems in minutes. BotSpace features instant-deployable conversational templates. Connecting Bot Space to your existing customer service platforms is an enterprise-wide solution. Moreover, it charges $29/month and includes 500 active contacts.
Pros
BotSpace is cheap and has good customer service. It integrates all systems, including HubSpot and Shopify.
Cons
It only supports WhatsApp and lacks Omni-platform engagement.
Also See: How to Send WhatsApp Messages from Excel Using VBA
Conclusion
Using the WhatsApp Business API is more straightforward than it sounds. It’s critical in the modern day to use WhatsApp Business accounts and integrate the WhatsApp Business API into them. WhatsApp Business is aimed at businesses with a moderate number of users, while the WhatsApp Business API aims at those with many users.
WhatsApp is a technology that facilitates real-time communication throughout the buyer’s journey, from initial contact to final payment and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WhatsApp’s Business API Free to Use?
No, there is a fee associated with using the WhatsApp Business API.
Can I Alter My WhatsApp Number Once I’ve Already Set it up?
Facebook’s business manager lets you modify your WhatsApp number and page name.
How to Send 1000 WhatsApp Business Messages?
- Create a WhatsApp Business account.
- Simply navigate to Chat, then select New List from the drop-down menu.
- Fill in the names of the people you wish to send the message to, or use the search bar.
- Click the + button to select them from your list.
- To continue, press the OK button.
- Initiate a new project by clicking the Create button.
Is the WhatsApp Business API Access to all Users?
Everyone can’t gain access to the WhatsApp Business API Platform.
Is it Valid to use WhatsApp for Business on the Web?
WhatsApp Web allows you to utilize WhatsApp Business from your computer.
