WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp Business API or even a WhatsApp Business solution provider? It can get pretty confusing when you're looking at the different options your company has. We got you! We'll compare the different WhatsApp business solutions, so you can figure out which one is best for you.
Open rates of over 90%, conversions of up to 90%, and the world's most engaging social media network! If you're not using WhatsApp for your business yet, you're missing out on a huge opportunity in customer communication!
But here comes the tricky part. Once you've decided to use WhatsApp for marketing, sales, or customer care, you're probably confused by all the different options. So, let's take a closer look at the existing business services to see what WhatsApp business solution is best for you.
The WhatsApp ecosystem
Most people know WhatsApp as a private smartphone app for chatting with friends and family. As WhatsApp's popularity has grown, and more businesses have started to use WhatsApp as a customer channel, WhatsApp developed two solutions specifically for businesses: the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business API (official name: WhatsApp Business Platform).
Important: As a company, you're only allowed to use the business app and the API, because WhatsApp prohibits the commercial use of the regular app.
WhatsApp business solution for micro businesses: WhatsApp Business App
In 2018, WhatsApp launched the WhatsApp Business App for (very!) small businesses. This app was never intended for mid-sized or larger businesses and is accordingly designed for freelancers, single business owners, and micro businesses with a maximum of five employees.
The WhatsApp Business App is free. Businesses can download the app for free and use it on their smartphones. It's very similar in use and feel to the regular app.
So, what can you actually do with the Business App?
You can set up a company profile, upload information, such as your business hours and a small product catalog. You can also engage in two-way chats with customers.
On the flip side, this is what you can't do with the WhatsApp Business App.
You can't...
- Scale newsletters or marketing messages (push notifications are limited to 256 recipients)
- Connect chatbots
- Integrate CRM systems
- Centralize your communication in a single (desktop) inbox for your whole team
- Guarantee data protection
All of these limitations quickly become an issue when you want to scale your WhatsApp communication and are working with a larger team.
Case in point: the German design agency "I love DESIGN" started off with the WhatsApp Business App. In order to keep all the customer chats in one place, they only had one single "WhatsApp phone". Employees would pass the phone around all the time, so everyone could get back to their customers on the shared device.
Quickly, this became a nuisance, especially as the WhatsApp channel became really popular with customers and the incoming requests became too much to handle on one phone, says I love DESIGN founder Tim Bünger.
That's when I love DESIGN switched to the WhatsApp Business API.
Get in touch, and our team is happy to walk you through the process!
Professional WhatsApp business solution: WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API is WhatsApp's full-fledged business solution. It's a digital interface through which you can connect to WhatsApp's business features. Since 2022, the API is officially called "WhatsApp Business Platform".
What does the WhatsApp Business Platform offer?
You get access to:
- WhatsApp's campaign tool that lets you send personalized marketing messages and gives you access to analytics
- A bulk message sender (with potentially no upper limit)
- Chatbots
- Connectors to integrate your CRM systems
- Verified account (green tick).
This API connection is theoretically open to everyone. But you obviously need to know how to build a software around it, how to design and connect chatbots, and how to connect business tools like CRM systems or payment systems.
Even for larger enterprises, this requires time, skills, and money. This is where WhatsApp Business Solution Providers (BSPs) come in. A BSP is a verified WhatsApp partner who is certified by Meta to build and offer an official WhatsApp Business solution. BSPs therefore already offer an out-of-the box WhatsApp software that you can start using right away.
WhatsApp Business Solution Provider: What you should know
Not all providers who want to sell you a WhatsApp solution for businesses are also legitimate. Therefore, always check Meta's partner directory first.
Be especially weary of WhatsApp modified solutions, or "WhatsApp mods" like GB WhatsApp or WhatsApp Plus. They're not official business solution providers and offer unauthorized (and therefore unsafe) WhatsApp software.
With Sinch Engage, you don't have to worry about that. We're one of the oldest BSPs, and over the years, have developed a stable, safe, and no-frills WhatsApp business solution that's used by hundreds of companies around the world.
Sinch Engage offers:
- Immediate deployment (get started within minutes!)
- No special IT skills required. If you know how to use WhatsApp, you can use Sinch Engage.
- First-class customer support and expertise
- Central chat inbox (not only for WhatsApp, but all relevant messengers such as Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Apple Messages for Business)
- Bulk message sender
- Campaigns tool for personalized marketing messages and performance insights
- Intuitive drag-and-drop chatbot (build your own chatbot in minutes, it's easy... and fun!)
Companies like BMW, AAA, Kia, and METRO, trust our WhatsApp business solution and use it successfully for marketing, customer service, sales, and even for recruiting.
Even if you currently use the WhatsApp Business App, switching to Sinch Engage is no problem. You can even take all your chats and your number with you.
Find out how Sinch Engage can benefit your business. Our experts will guide you through the platform and answer all your questions.
