- To prevent Spam messaging WhatsApp has created Session & Template Messages in the WhatsApp API product. Anytime you reply to a Customer within 24 hours it is considered a Session Message. Any time you message a Customer more than 24 hours after they message you, it is considered a Template Message.
- A Template Message must be approved by WhatsApp before it can be used to message customers. Once approved you can use it as many times as you like.
- This 360dialog WhatsApp API product includes unlimited Session Messages, while Template Messages are billed at the WhatsApp Standard Rate.
- A Facebook Business Account, also known as Facebook Business Manager, is the place where a company manages all their Facebook assets including Facebook Ads, Facebook Pixels, Facebook Pages & more. If your company uses any of these tools, it is likely you have an Admin at your company with access to Facebook Business Manager. To complete your WhatsApp API Account - Facebook (WhatsApp is owned by Facebook) will need to verify your Facebook Business Account belongs to a real business.
- To do this you will need to go to your Facebook Business Manager, navigate to Business Settings then Business Info. Once you press the Verify button you will need to submit company documents & provide an address. It will take 1 to 3 business days for Facebook to verify your business. We recommend you do this process, before you begin the Sign Up Process above.
- WhatsApp verifies companies are using their own brand and are not impersonating any other business. WhatsApp also verifies the company does not operate a line of business which is not allowed by WhatsApp Commerce Policy.
- WhatsApp will need to approve your WhatsApp Display Name. To be verified quickly use a Display Name that matches your Legal Business Name or Website branding. Do not use all capitals, extra punctuations, emojis or symbols. Display Name verification will begin once you add & verify a Phone Number to your 360dialog WhatsApp API account.
- The WhatsApp Commerce Policy prohibits business transactions of illegal products or services. Accounts that do not abide by the policy will not qualify for a WhatsApp Business Account. Although it is possible to appeal WhatsApp's decision, if you fail WhatsApp Commerce Policy verification, the WhatsApp account will not be activated. Commerce Policy verification will begin once you add & verify a Phone Number to your 360dialog WhatsApp API account.
- Here are examples of businesses that are not allowed by WhatsApp Commerce Policy. Companies that sell drugs (prescription or otherwise), tobacco, alcohol, unsafe ingestible supplements, weapons, ammunition, explosives, animals, adult products or services, body parts or fluids, medical or healthcare products, real money gambling and dating services.
- Keep in mind if your brand is involved in any of the above businesses, your brand can still get a WhatsApp API account. However, you will not be allowed to use your WhatsApp API account to trade in these items. You may be required to explain how you will be using the account in your appeal.
- To use this WhatsApp API account, you will need to add a phone number you control. It is best to use your company phone number. However, you cannot use a phone number that is currently in use with a WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account.
- If the phone number is already in use with a WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account, you can still use it. However, you will need to delete your WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account before attempting the SMS or Voice Call verification. If you do not delete the account, the SMS or Phone Verification will fail.
- Deleting the account will cause downtime and you will not receive your Customer messages until you connect to respond.io. To delete the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account open the WhatsApp account and go to Settings > Account > Delete Account.
- Keep in mind, deleting the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account will cause you to lose your Contacts & Messages. Additionally, if your Facebook business verification is rejected and your number does not pass the WhatsApp Display Name & Commerce policy check, you will not be able to revert your number back to the WhatsApp Business App. We recommend you use a number that is not currently associated with a WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App account to avoid any complications.
- Unlike the App, WhatsApp API does not have a desktop or mobile interface. To respond to messages, you need to connect WhatApp API to Messaging Software (like respond.io).
- Please keep in mind, respond.io is free forever for up to 100 Contacts. After 100 Contacts there are paid plans available. A respond.io paid plan is not included in this offer.
- To grant access to your WhatsApp API account as soon as possible, WhatsApp has provided Sandbox & Expanded Sandbox mode.
- Once Phone Number registration is complete, you will enter Sandbox mode. In Sandbox mode, you can send Session Messages to up to 10 phone numbers and 10 Template Messages to up to 2 phone numbers per day.
- To move from Sandbox to Expanded Sandbox mode you will need to begin the Facebook Business Account verification process. That is why it is best to complete the Facebook Business Verification before starting the Sign Up process.
- In Expanded Sandbox mode you can have up to 1,500 conversations per day and send up to 10 Template Messages to 2 Customers per day.
- Once your Display Name and Commerce Policy is verified, you will have access to unlimited messages.
