Using WhatsApp for Business

How to create a WhatsApp Business account

July 31, 2020

5 min.

Want to have your company available on the most popular messenger app in the world and become more accessible to current and potential customers?

We’ve got you covered.🧐 WhatsApp Business has a free app designed for small and local businesses which lets them connect with customers on their favourite messenger.

So how to create a WhatsApp Business account?

You’ll learn: 👇

How to create a WhatsApp Business App account

Creating a WhatsApp Business account takes some standard steps as downloading the app, filling out all of the account details and making sure it is prepared for high quality customer communication. 😎

Download and install WhatsApp Business App

Fill out your WhatsApp business profile

Set up the messenger automations

Download and install WhatsApp Business App

WhatsApp Business is available on Google Play (Android) and Apple Store (iOS). You will need a phone number to start using the app.

Step 1: Download and launch the WhatsApp Business app

WhatsApp Business is completely free so just head over to the Google Play or Apple Store and give it a try.

Step 2: Accept the Terms of Service

To be honest I accepted without reading them. I live according to the ancient saying ‘Life is too short to read terms and conditions’. Unsurprisingly, a Deloitte study found out that 91% of people don’t read legal terms and conditions.🤷‍♀️

WhatsApp terms of service

Step 3: Verify your phone number

Add the phone number which you want to connect to the WhatsApp Business account. Have in mind that 1 number can be used per account.

Write your phone number and you will receive an SMS code for verification.

If you want to use the number you have already registered in the regular WhatsApp app, you will be able to register it in WhatsApp Business but will be logged out of the regular WhatsApp and the account will become inactive. All of the contacts will be transferred from WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business in this case.

Still it is recommended to use separate phone numbers for WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business as this will let you separate your personal and business communication.

Verify WhatsApp phone number

Step 4: Give WhatsApp Business access to contacts and photos

WhatsApp Business will grab contacts from your phone’s address book and in case you want to share media through the app (which you probably will) you need to approve the access to photos and camera. 📸

Step 5: Create the WhatsApp Business account

To finish creating a new account you will need to:

  • Write down the Business name.
  • Choose a profile picture.
  • Select the business category in which your company operates.
WhatsApp Business App basic profile details

Once you pass these steps, you officially have a WhatsApp Business account and now it is time to fill out all of the company details.

Fill out your WhatsApp Business App profile

Simply creating an account is not enough. The goal is to create a profile which represents your company and gives customers all of the basic contact and business details.

Once you create an account, in the WhatsApp chat click on the ‘Describe your business’ field.

This will take you directly to the business profile settings. They can be accessed alternatively by clicking on the three dots in the top right corner > Settings > Business tools > Business Profile.

WhatsApp Business profiles have additional fields compared to regular WhatsApp accounts which only feature a profile picture and name. You will be able to fill out:

  • Business name
  • Phone number
  • Description
  • Business address
  • Business category
  • Business hours
  • Email
  • Website
  • About
WhatsApp Business profile settings

WhatsApp Business accounts also feature a Product catalog. In it you will be able to display your products and services with pictures, description, price and product code.

Your business profile is your virtual storefront so make sure you fill out everything and make it stand out. 👨‍🎤

Set up the messenger automations

WhatsApp Business App has features you won’t find in the regular WhatsApp we all know and love.

It has messenger automations which will make your communication faster and easier.

  • WhatsApp Away message automatically informs your customers that you are not available in the period they have contacted you. You can write a template which lets them know when you’ll get back to them.
  • WhatsApp Greeting message greets your customers when they write a message for the first time, so write a template which gives them a warm welcome.
  • WhatsApp Quick replies are template messages you can create and use while chatting with customers. They will help you quickly respond to common questions.

Create templates for each automation and you’re all done. 😌

WhatsApp messaging automations

How to create a WhatsApp Business API account

It may come as a surprise, but WhatsApp Business has two products - WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business API.

API is designed for medium and large businesses which communicate with many customers in a single day. It doesn’t have a standard interface and can be connected to a CRM. Its main benefit is the ability to communicate from a single WhatsApp Business account on multiple devices with a whole team actively chatting with customers.

WhatsApp Business chat internal in Kommo

How to make a WhatsApp Business account in API is a bit more tricky and unlike WhatsApp Business APP which is completely free, API accounts are a paid service.

Since creating a WhatsApp Business API account is a longer process which has costs associated with it, our team can help you out with a free demo in which they will explain all of the benefits you can get by connecting WhatsApp Business API to a CRM.

💬 Sign up for a free demo with the Kommo team and learn how WhatsApp Business API can revolutionize communication with your customers.

Applying for a WhatsApp Business API account can be done through Solution Providers which cooperate directly with WhatsApp. All API accounts must be approved by WhatsApp.

When it comes to WhatsApp Business API I recommend the following steps:👇

Step 1: Schedule a free demo with our team to go through your business needs and WhatsApp API.

Step 2: Sign up for a free 14-day Kommo trial account.

Step 3: Apply for a WhatsApp Business API account through Twilio.

Step 4: Connect your WhatsApp Business API account to Kommo.

Check out this video on how to apply for a WhatsApp Business API account through Twilio (WhatsApp Solution Provider) and connect it to Kommo.

💬 Want to learn more about setting up WhatsApp Business API and using WhatsApp Business? Check out our complete Using WhatsApp for Business guide.

Wrap up

Once you have followed all of the steps described in this article, you can take a deep breath and relax. You’ve created your WhatsApp Business account. 🥳

Now that you know how to make a WhatsApp Business account, I wish you a lot of success in your communication with customers on the world’s most popular messenger app.

💬 Check out the rest of our blog dedicated to WhatsApp Business and all the ways you can use it to enhance your communication with customers.

🚀 Make a personal sale with Kommo

✅Kommo is a pioneering Messenger Based Sales CRM software that helps businesses achieve more sales and create long-lasting relationships with their customers. It is a tool that enables companies to reach better results and increase their profits.

Damjan Gogovski

Partnerships manager @ Kommo

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