What is WhatsApp Business API (Ultimate Guide) | 2024 Edition

Is your business thriving on WhatsApp, but you’re looking to turn those customer interactions into real marketing opportunities?

Exploring the best tools to streamline your business communications on WhatsApp?

Introducing WhatsApp API – the solution you've been searching for!

With WhatsApp API, you can seamlessly connect with your customers on the platform they prefer most. So, if you have been thinking of trying out WhatsApp API for business but don’t know where and how to start then we've got your back!

We’ve compiled an ultimate guide to WhatsApp API, covering everything from key features to use cases, how to apply, and the immense benefits it offers to boost your business ROI.

Stay with us till the end as we’ll also discover how DoubleTick WhatsApp API can supercharge your customer service, boost sales, improve engagement, and automate your business on WhatsApp.

Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!

​What Is WhatsApp API?

The WhatsApp API is an application program interface that enables businesses to send and receive bulk WhatsApp messages in real-time. It streamlines customer communication with features like interactive automated messages, real-time campaign and team performance analytics, a shared cloud-based team inbox, WhatsApp chatbots, third-party app integrations, and much more.

In a nutshell, the WhatsApp API is a powerful tool for businesses looking to personalize their customer communication and enhance the overall customer experience. Whether you're a small business owner or part of a larger company, the WhatsApp API can be customised to fit your needs.

Does Your Business Need WhatsApp Business API?

Absolutely!

Because WhatsApp isn't just a messaging app; it's a powerhouse for business communication. With 2.7+ billion monthly active users, it offers an unparalleled reach. 

WhatsApp notifications boast a 98% open rate, which means your messages are almost guaranteed to be seen. Moreover, with a 45-60% click-through rate, engagement is significantly higher compared to traditional email, which only has a 21% open rate and a 2-5% click-through rate. 

Also, the average user checks WhatsApp 23 times a day, making it a prime platform for personalized customer experiences.

So, if you're looking to maximize your marketing and customer service efforts, the WhatsApp API is the way to go.

But why invest in WhatsApp API when you can use the free WhatsApp Business App?

Let’s explore the reason why in the next section!

Here is your one-stop guide to all the key WhatsApp statistics for business​

Advantages of Using WhatsApp Business API

The API offers advanced features and scalability that the free app cannot match, making it an invaluable tool for growing businesses. Some of the key advantages of using the WhatsApp Business API include:

• Send unlimited WhatsApp messages to both saved and unsaved contacts without getting blocked.
• Leverage cloud-based shared team inbox to handle multiple customer chats simultaneously.
• Access real-time, detailed analytics of your broadcast campaigns and team performance to measure and optimise your efforts.
• Effortlessly set up WhatsApp chatbots to automate common customer inquiries and routine tasks to streamline your business operations.
• Automatically transfer complex queries to live agents, ensuring personalized attention where needed.
• Offer round-the-clock customer support, ensuring your customers can reach you whenever they need help.

With WhatsApp API you can boost your marketing efforts with targeted and efficient communication strategies, making it an essential tool for modern business operations.

What is the Difference Between WhatsApp API and WhatsApp Business App?

The WhatsApp Business App is a free-to-use application designed for small businesses and individuals with a limited customer base. It’s perfect for engaging with a small audience but has several limitations when it comes to scaling up.

Here are some of the key limitations of the WhatsApp Business App:

• You can send broadcast messages to only 256 users at a time.
• Broadcast messages are only delivered to recipients who have added you to their contact list.
• There is no option to track the performance of your broadcasts.
• You can’t integrate WhatsApp chatbots to automate customer interactions.
• You can’t send messages with clickable buttons or quick replies.
• The app doesn’t support multiple logins.
• You can’t integrate the app into any CRM or third-party application.

You can overcome these limitations with the WhatsApp API as it is designed for businesses who want to scale.

Here’s how the WhatsApp API for Business is different from WhatsApp Business App

From the above table, it's clear that the WhatsApp API offers a more comprehensive and feature-rich solution for businesses looking to scale their communication and marketing efforts. It offers numerous advanced features that help overcome the WhatsApp Business App's limitations, enhancing your marketing and customer support capabilities.

Here is your one-stop guide to the difference between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business App, and WhatsApp API

Key Features of WhatsApp Business API

WhatsApp API offers a range of features. Some of the key features include:

• Send messages to an unlimited number of saved and unsaved contacts.
• Manage multiple customer interactions with a shared team inbox.
• Integrate chatbots to automate chats, updates, and routine business tasks.
• Send multimedia messages with clickable buttons to engage customers.
• Use a single WhatsApp number for your entire marketing communication.
• Connect the WhatsApp API with any CRM or third-party apps and tools.
• Boost your business’s credibility with a verified green tick badge.

Sounds great, right? You can sign up with DoubleTick to get WhatsApp Business API and supercharge your business right away. 

Plus, you can test out the WhatsApp Business API for free.

Download DoubleTick:

• Download from Playstore
• Download from Appstore

Now, let’s explore various use cases of WhatsApp Business API in detail.

Use Cases of WhatsApp Business API

There are numerous potential use cases of the WhatsApp API. However, you can't leverage it to the fullest without a WhatsApp API service provider. You need a trusted solution partner like DoubleTick to set up the WhatsApp API and get the platform ready for you. 

DoubleTick is one of the best WhatsApp API solution providers helping businesses transform WhatsApp into the ultimate sales engine. 

Here are some of the use cases of WhatsApp Business API that you can execute with DoubleTick:

1. Broadcast Promotional Messages

WhatsApp now allows businesses to send promotional messages. Send personalized product recommendations based on shopping behaviour and past purchases, share discount offers, festive promotions, product launches, and more to boost sales. Note that these messages can only be sent to users who have opted in to receive WhatsApp notifications from your business.

2. Automate Notifications

Automate notifications for orders, deliveries, payments, and more. With integrations like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Razorpay, you can keep your customers informed every step of the way. Send payment reminders, links, and event updates to drive users to your payment portals and events instantly.

3. Live Human Chat Support

Leverage team inbox to manage multiple customer chats efficiently on various devices using the same WhatsApp number. You can also define a team hierarchy and offer roles-based access to your agents. 

4. WhatsApp Chatbot Integration

Integrate WhatsApp chatbots to handle customer queries, automate routine business tasks, collect customer information, and instant feedback post-resolution to improve your products and services. These bots provide a human-like experience, making customer interactions seamless. Also, automatically passes complex queries to live agents whenever needed.

5. Interactive Messages with Clickable Buttons

Send personalized messages in various formats like images, videos, PDFs, and GIFs. This enhances the user experience and personalization. Compliment these messages with clickable CTA and quick reply buttons. These interactive messages make your communication more engaging and actionable.

Up next let’s discuss what is conversation in WhatsApp API.

What is a Conversation in WhatsApp API?

In WhatsApp API, a conversation refers to a chat session between a business and a customer. This session can be initiated by either party. Once initiated, businesses and customers can exchange an unlimited number of messages, including template messages, within a 24-hour session window without incurring any additional charges.

Types of Conversation

There are two types of conversation windows in WhatsApp API: 

1. Business-Initiated Conversations 

2. User-Initiated Conversations

These conversation types are further categorized into different groups. They are:

Business-Initiated Conversations

1. Utility Conversations

2. Authentication Conversations

3. Marketing Conversations

User-Initiated Conversations

1. Service Conversations

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Marketing – Send promotional offers, product announcements, and more to increase awareness and engagement.
• Utility – Send account updates, order updates, alerts, and more to share important information.
• Authentication – Send codes that allow your customers to securely access their accounts.
• Service - All user-initiated conversations which help customers resolve inquiries will be categorized as service conversations.

let's now start breaking them up one by one in detail:

Business-Initiated Conversation

If a business sends the first message, the conversation is initiated immediately and is valid for 24 hours from the message sent time.

The Business-initiated Conversation (BIC) is further categorised into 3 groups:

1. Utility Conversations: These conversations help facilitate a specific, agreed-upon request or transaction. For example, updates to customers about an ongoing transaction, post-purchase notifications, or recurring billing statements fall under this category.

Now, let's look at some examples of messages that align with the utility template category:

Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.

2. Authentication Conversations: This category enables businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes, potentially at multiple steps in the login process. Activities such as account verification, account recovery, and integrity challenges would fall under authentication conversations.

It's essential to note that authentication templates are the most restricted among the template categories. To classify a template as authentication, a business must adhere to the following conditions:

• Utilize WhatsApp’s predefined authentication message templates, which can incorporate optional elements like security disclaimers and warnings about expiry.
• Configure a one-time password button (options include copy-code or one-tap).
• Abide by content restrictions: URLs, media, and emojis are not permissible within authentication template content or parameters. Furthermore, parameter content is subject to a length restriction of 15 characters.

Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.

3. Marketing Conversations: As the name suggests, this category includes promotions or offers, informational updates, or invitations for customers to respond or take action. Essentially, any conversation that doesn't qualify as a utility or authentication conversation is a marketing conversation.

Here's a key point: if a template blends utility and marketing content together, it'll be labelled as a marketing template. Essentially, any conversation that doesn't qualify as a utility or authentication conversation is labelled a marketing conversation.

Let’s dive into some examples to illustrate messages that would be categorized under the marketing templates category:

Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.

User-Initiated Conversation

If a user sends a message and the business replies to it, a conversation session is initiated and the session is valid for 24 hours.

The User-initiated Conversation (UIC) is further classified into 1 group i.e. Service Conversations.

1. Service Conversations: This category encompasses all user-initiated conversations which help customers resolve inquiries.

Up next let’s talk about WhatsApp API integration.

What Is WhatsApp API Integration?

WhatsApp API integration means setting up the WhatsApp API platform for your business communication needs. It enables you to use the WhatsApp API to send bulk broadcast messages and leverage premium features like WhatsApp chatbots, which streamline and automate your customer interactions.

Once the platform is ready, you can integrate it seamlessly with your preferred third-party apps or platforms such as Zoho, WooCommerce, Shopify, Pabbly and much more. While these integrations can be complex and require technical expertise, there's no need to worry. 

At DoubleTick, we handle the entire setup process for you, ensuring your WhatsApp API platform is integrated smoothly with the apps or platforms of your choice.

Methods of WhatsApp API Integration

There are two WhatsApp API integration methods

1. DIY WhatsApp API integration​ 

2. WhatsApp API integration via a solution provider​

Let's discuss the pros and cons of each method.

DIY WhatsApp API Integration

DIY WhatsApp API integration means setting up the WhatsApp API yourself by directly accessing it through Meta. This method requires technical knowledge and is time-consuming but gives you more control and customization over your integration.

Advantages

• Customization: With DIY integration you have the freedom to tailor the WhatsApp API to your specific business needs. This allows you to align the integration with your branding, messaging style, and customer experience.
• Control: With DIY integration you’ll have greater control over the API's functionality and behavior. You can fine-tune the features, settings, and automate workflows to match your business goals and customer engagement strategies.
• Flexibility: You can adapt and scale your WhatsApp API integration as your business grows. This flexibility allows you to adjust the WhatsApp API as per your business needs, add new features, and optimize things based on changing market trends and customer demands.

Disadvantages

• Technical Expertise Required: DIY WhatsApp API integration requires knowledge of coding languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. This can be challenging for businesses with no dedicated IT teams or developers with the required skills.
• Time-Consuming: Building and maintaining the WhatsApp API integration from scratch is time-intensive. It requires constant updates and maintenance as WhatsApp releases new updates.
• Limited Support: You won't have access to immediate technical support from WhatsApp. You'll have to rely on your own resources, refer to WhatsApp Business API documentation, or seek help from online communities if you encounter any issues.
• Payment Challenges: To use WhatsApp API service directly from Meta you’ll have to add your credit card to your WhatsApp API account. However, Indian credit cards are currently not accepted for direct payment to Meta, complicating the setup process for businesses in India.

WhatsApp API Integration via a Solution Provider

This is one of the best and most effortless WhatsApp API Integration methods as a solution provider like DoubleTick we’ll handle the entire setup process for you. At DoubleTick we’ll get everything ready for you so that so that you can access ready-to-use solutions with advanced features like bulk broadcast, team inbox, WhatsApp chatbots, order booking bots, campaign and team analytics, differentiated WABA number, custom integrations with any third-party business tools you use and much more.

Advantages

• Hassle-Free Setup: The WhatsApp API solution provider will take care of all technical aspects, saving you time and resources. You can focus on your business while the provider handles the integration.
• Flexible Payment Options: Solution providers manage billing with Meta and offer more flexible payment options. This makes budgeting and billing more efficient, with support for various payment gateways like Stripe, Razorpay, and Worldpay.
• Dedicated Support: WhatsApp API providers offer dedicated support teams to help with any issues or questions during the integration process. They also have connections with Meta’s support team to resolve technical issues quickly and efficiently.
• Advanced Features: Access additional tools and features like automated messaging, in-depth analytics, advanced chatbots, and personalization options. These features enhance your customer communication strategy and make using WhatsApp for business more effective.

Who Can Apply for WhatsApp Business API?

Before applying for the WhatsApp API, it's crucial to ensure your business complies with WhatsApp's guidelines. Certain industries are prohibited from using the WhatsApp API. Here are the sectors that are not eligible:

• Drugs
• Tobacco products
• Betting/Gambling businesses
• Alcohol distributors
• Weapons and ammunition businesses
• Live animals trading
• Adult products/services
• Medical/Healthcare products
• Dating platforms
• Cryptocurrency platforms
• Multi-level marketing and get-rich-quick schemes
• Misleading or fraudulent products or services

If your business does not fall into any of these categories, congratulations! You are eligible to apply for the WhatsApp API and harness its power to enhance your customer communication strategy.

Up next let’s see how to apply for WhatsApp API.

How to Apply for WhatsApp Business API?

There are two main ways to get the WhatsApp Business API: 

1. Directly from Meta 
2. Through a solution provider like DoubleTick

​

Directly from Meta

You can apply for the WhatsApp API directly from Meta. However, this path can be challenging, especially for mid-scale companies. You’ll need a developer to set up the API, which is labour-intensive and technically difficult. Additionally, Indian credit cards are not accepted for direct payment to Meta, complicating the process further. Meta also provides limited support during the setup, making it a very inconvenient path.

Through a WhatsApp API Solution Provider

A solution provider like DoubleTick simplifies the process significantly. We’ll get the quick approval and set up the WhatsApp API platform for you within two to three days. And, if your Facebook Business Manager (FBM) is verified, DoubleTick can get you started in just 5 minutes.

Get Started with DoubleTick

DoubleTick is a mobile-first WhatsApp marketing and automation tool designed to empower your sales team to sell more in less time. The solution comes with premium WhatsApp API features such as cloud-based shared team inbox, bulk WhatsApp broadcast and AI-powered no-code WhatsApp chatbot, commerce Bot and much more. An all-in-one AI-powered customer conversation management software, DoubleTick has everything that you've been looking for in a WhatsApp marketing solution.

Here are a few of the reasons to love DoubleTick:

• Super intuitive, easy to use and mobile-friendly solution.
• Robust mobile app to chat with customers on the go.
• ​Bulk broadcast your messages to unlimited saved and unsaved contacts.
• Automate WhatsApp marketing by scheduling your broadcast messages.
• Stay on top of your WhatsApp marketing campaign with real-time analytics and detailed reports to identify customer interests, and optimize communication and timing to fine-tune your approach.
• Monitor agents' and customers' chat responses with performance metrics from the analytics dashboard.
• Single WhatsApp number for your entire company with a cloud-based team inbox and role-based access to route and assign customer conversations to the right agent automatically.
• Automate agent workflows by directly assigning incoming customer chats as per agent's availability.
• End-to-end automated catalogue sharing and order booking via AI-powered commerce BOT.
• Drive WhatsApp automation via AI-powered active chatbots that can automate lead qualification, answer customers’ queries, send automated anniversaries & birthday wishes, abandoned cart notifications, pending balance reminders, bills and all kinds of alerts to customers.
• Cultivate positive customer relationships through lead nurturing via leads and chat management bots.​
• Choose your favourite tools such as Shopify, Zapier, Pabbly, Google Sheets, WooCommerce etc. and integrate them with DoubleTick in just a few clicks.
• Effortlessly integrate DoubleTick's chat widget onto your website with just a few clicks.
• Differentiated WABA numbers cater to cross-functional teams, ensuring specialized handling of diverse business operations.
• Block unwanted messages and maintain the quality of your business interactions.
• Collision detection feature that prevents duplicate responses and ensures streamlined communication by notifying agents when a colleague is already handling a chat.
• Number masking so that your customer data is saved with you.
• 24/7 Customer support is available on call, WhatsApp or email.

How To Get DoubleTick? 

Kindly Click on the Below Banner to get a FREE DEMO to learn about our product offering, features and pricing plans.

Now transform WhatsApp into the ultimate sales engine to delight customers and drive revenue with DoubleTick!

👉 Get Your Free DEMO Now 👈

Or Download the application from the Playstore or Appstore

How to Get DoubleTick for FREE?

Step 1: Download the DoubleTick App

Navigate to the Play Store or Apple Store and download DoubleTick. You can also download the app here:

iPhone Users: Download Here

Android Users: Download Here

Step 2: Sign Up for a Free Demo Account

Before you commit, we want you to experience the power of DoubleTick firsthand. Sign up with DoubleTick and access the platform, where you can explore and test the features of the product.

Wrapping Up!

Congratulations on reaching the end of this learning journey about WhatsApp API, its features and use cases. Now that you have gained a comprehensive understanding of the capabilities of the WhatsApp API, it's time to apply your newfound knowledge and take your business to new heights.

The automation features of the chatbot are just the beginning of the potential of the WhatsApp API. So go ahead and explore all the possibilities that it offers and unlock the true potential of your business with DoubleTick WhatsApp Business API.

💪 Ready to get started? Book a FREE demo with us and start your journey to success!

👉 Get Your Free DEMO Now 👈

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Is WhatsApp Business API free?

Answer: No, the WhatsApp Business API is not free. However, you can try our demo account to experience the features and technology. Download the DoubleTick App to test with a demo account.

Download the application from the Playstore or Appstore

Download from Playstore

Download from Appstore

Question: Can I use WhatsApp Business APP and WhatsApp Business API on the same number?

Answer: No, you can't use WhatsApp Business APP and WhatsApp Business API on the same number. 

Question: Can I send automated messages using WhatsApp Business API?

Answer: Yes, with WhatsApp APIs' AI-powered advanced chatbot you can preset replies and send automated messages to your customers. 

Question: Can I access WhatsApp on multiple devices with WhatsApp Business API?

Answer: Yes, with WhatsApp API you can access WhatsApp on unlimited devices based on your subscription with your WhatsApp solution provider.

Question: What is a 24-hour messaging window?

Answer: When a customer initiates a conversation with the business it kicks off a 24-hour WhatsApp "session window" during which the business can send non-templated messages to the customer. This could be text, multimedia messages, documents, locations or anything that comes under the guidelines of the WhatsApp community. A WhatsApp session window lasts for 24 hours after the last inbound message the business receives from a customer. After that, the business can't reply. Businesses can only send outbound business-initiated messages (marketing, reminders, and the like) to customers who have opted in.

Question: How can I get a verified WhatsApp official business account?

Answer: You can get a verified WhatsApp official business account with WhatsApp Business API. 

If you're already a WhatsApp API user with a good track record of sending messages, following WhatsApp community guidelines and having a good phone number quality rating and strong brand presence, then we can assist in getting you the green tick badge next to your display name quickly.

Question: How many users can use WhatsApp Business API?

Answer: An unlimited number of users can have access to the WhatsApp Business API basis your subscription with your business solution provider

Question: What are the message template types in WhatsApp Business API?

Answer: Below are the supported message template types and their categories in WhatsApp Business API. 

Supported Template Classes and Categories

Marketing – Send promotional offers, product announcements, and more to increase awareness and engagement. 

Utility – Send account updates, order updates, alerts, and more to share important information. 

Authentication – Send codes that allow your customers to securely access their accounts.

There are 11 categories under which you can create a WhatsApp message template and use it for your WhatsApp broadcast campaigns. Although WhatsApp keeps on adding new features and message templates, only a few specific messages are currently accepted by WhatsApp.

1. Account update
2. Alert update
3. Appointment update
4. Auto-reply
5. Issue resolution
6. Payment update
7. Personal finance update
8. Reservation update
9. Shipping update
10. Ticket update
11. Transportation update

Question: What is the most crucial factor that helps you get a Green Tick badge on WhatsApp?

Answer: Here are the key factors that can help you get a green tick badge on WhatsApp:

• Adhering to WhatsApp's community guidelines
• Having a good phone number rating (no spam or reports)
• A strong brand presence with 3 organic PR releases
• A high volume of messages sent through the WhatsApp Business API
• Compliance with WhatsApp's policies and verification criteria.

Ultimately, WhatsApp will review your account and determine if it meets its criteria for verification.

Question: Can I make my own WhatsApp API?

Answer: No, by no means you can make your own WhatsApp API. It has to be officially signed up via Meta or a solution provider, such as DoubleTick. 

Question: How to get a WhatsApp Business API account?

Answer: There are two ways through which you can get WhatsApp Business API:

1. Direct sign-up from Meta
2. Through a solution provider such as DoubleTick

You can directly sign-up from Meta but going down this path isn’t particularly efficient. If you're a mid-scale company, you'd need a developer to set up the API which is too labour-intensive and technically challenging.

On the other hand, a solution provider will get quick approval and can swiftly set up the WhatsApp Business API platform for you. For instance, with DoubleTick, the process takes between two to three days. With DoubleTick the possibilities to scale your business are endless. 

​👉 Get Your Free DEMO Now 👈

​

Question: Can I send bulk messages on WhatsApp Business API?

Answer: Yes, you can send unlimited WhatsApp messages via WhatsApp Business API basis your messaging tier.

Question: Can I send a message template with promotional content?

Answer: It depends on the country where the brand is based. Non-transactional messages (aka marketing) are available for selected countries. The submission process is the same as any other message template. 

Question: Do I have to pay for failed broadcast messages?

Answer: No, since failed messages are not delivered to recipients, there will be no charges involved. However, you may need to update the contact list as these failed messages mean the recipient is inactive or has not opted in to receive messages from your business. This may negatively affect your phone number quality rating. 

Question: Are there any free conversations under the new pricing model?

Answer: Yes, For every WABA account, the first 1,000 conversations/month are free for user-initiated conversations only.

Question: Does DoubleTick offer a free trial?

Answer: Yes, we do offer a demo account that you can play with. Download the DoubleTick App to test with a demo account.

Download from Playstore

Download from Appstore

Question: What’s DoubleTick’s pricing plan? 

Answer: Kindly email us at grow@quicksell.co or Click here and get a free demo to learn about DoubleTick’s features and pricing plans.

Question: How many team members can I add to my DoubleTick account?

Answer: You can add unlimited team members to DoubleTick.

Question: In how many days will the DoubleTick setup be ready for my WhatsApp Business account?

Answer: If your Meta Business Manager is verified, you can get started with DoubleTick within 5 minutes. If however, you need help with Meta Business Manager verification, we can help you with that, and the process will take around 3 days to a week depending on how ready you are with your documents as well as the response time from Meta.

Question: Can I use my existing number for DoubleTick?

Answer: Yes, you can use your existing number with DoubleTick. However, we would recommend that you use a new number instead of using an existing one to ensure smooth operations for your business.

Question: Can I use my WhatsApp business app number and DoubleTick number at the same time?

Answer: No, at a time you can use only one account. Data from your WhatsApp business account will be erased once you switch to DoubleTick. 

Question: To how many customers can I shoot the broadcast messages?

Answer: There is no restriction. You can create unlimited broadcast groups and shoot messages to unlimited contacts. However, Meta might restrict you if a lot of customers mark your message as spam. The best practice is to enable the STOP bot on DoubleTick and send your templates with a STOP quick reply message so that people who are not interested in your communication can easily press STOP to opt out instead of reporting your number as SPAM to WhatsApp.

Question: Can I automate and schedule broadcast messages?

Answer: You can automate WhatsApp messages and schedule broadcasts with DoubleTick.

Question: Does DoubleTick come with a bulk contact upload feature?

Answer: Yes, you can simply upload an Excel file having contact details to the dashboard and shoot messages in bulk to unlimited customers. 

Question: How many devices does DoubleTick support?

Answer: An unlimited number of devices can be used with DoubleTick. However, access to the number of accounts will be based on your subscription.