What is WhatsApp Cloud API?
WhatsApp Cloud API is a solution by WhatsApp using which business owners can send bulk WhatsApp to their customers with buttons.
Advantages of WhatsApp Cloud API
✅ It is the perfect choice for generating leads, qualifying, Warming up old leads, and keeping your current leads engaged with automated WhatsApp messages.
✅ You can set it up and get started right away.
✅Unlike SMS or email, users see 100% of WhatsApp messages.
✅ Users can reply with just one tap, so with the right message you can get almost 100% engagement.
✅ Because of the high engagement, it is the best way to generate, qualify and warm up leads.
How is WhatsApp Cloud API (WACA) different from regular WhatsApp?
Normal WhatsApp | WhatsApp Cloud API | |
Type of number | Can be new or old | Must be a new number |
Who can you send msgs to | Only to saved contacts | Anyone |
What msg can you send | You can send any meessage that you want | For first message you can only send pre-approved templates, after getting a reply you can send whatever you want |
How many msgs can you send | You can forward to maximmum 5 saved contacts at a time | unlimited |
Number Banning | If more than 5 people report your number it gets banned by WhatsApp | There is no concept of banningin WACA |
Send Personalized WhatsApp in Bulk!
Try automatic WhatsApp welcome messages with buttons with TeleCRM.
See How it WorksHow to apply/get started with WhatsApp Cloud API
- Open developers.facebook.com.
- Go to My Apps and click on Create App.
- Select app type as business and click next.
- Fill out the details and click Create an app.
- Select WhatsApp from add products.
- Now scroll down and click on the add phone number.
- Fill out the details about the WhatsApp business account (this is what will be visible to the users).
- Enter a phone number and verify with OTP (you can only use a number that is not already in use on any other WhatsApp).
What are the charges of WhatsApp Official Cloud API?
Understanding WhatsApp API’s charging system
UIC & BIC
UIC (User Initiated conversation): it is any conversation between the user and your WhatsApp API number that is initiated by the user i.e. where the first message is sent by the user to the business.
BIC (Business Initiated conversation): it is any conversation between our user and your WhatsApp API number that is initiated by the business i.e. where the Business sends the first message to the user.
What is a conversation according to WhatsApp’s cloud API charging system?
When you send a message to a particular number it starts a conversation. The conversation gives you a 24-hour window. Any message sent or received during the 24 hours is considered to be part of that single conversation. You will not be charged any additional amount for those messages.
But if you send another message after the 24-hour window expires then it is considered as starting another conversation. This gives you another 24-hour window.
WhatsApp’s actual charges in India:
UIC: Rs 0.35/ conversation (approx)
BIC: Rs 0.80/ conversation (approx)
5 most important hacks to quickly get approved for Whatsapp Cloud API
1. The business should have a website
It’s not absolutely compulsory to have a website. But if you have one you will get approved for WhatsApp Cloud API very quickly
2. Verify your Facebook Business account
Without business verification, you get a maximum of 5 numbers and a daily messaging limit of 1000 messages per number per day.
But after verifying your business you can send up to 100,000 messages or higher from 25 numbers in one go.
3. Guidelines around your WhatsApp handle/display name
- It should be the same as the name you have on your website and Facebook page
- It should not violate WhatsApp Commerce and Business policies.
- It must have a clear relationship with the business.
- It must contain a minimum of 3 characters.
- It may not be in URL format. Ex- telecrm.in
- Do not change the spacing from the spacing used in your business name.
Ex- TeleCRM – Correct, Tele CRM – Wrong
4. Should be a new number
Don’t use a number that you have already used on WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business. This delays the approval process.
5. Carefully and correctly enter the basic details
When you sign up for the Official WhatsApp cloud API, WhatsApp will ask you for 4 basic details.
- WhatsApp display name
- Business website
- Country
- Business Type
As long as you have a Live verifiable business website with the same name as your WhatsApp display name. your application for WhatsApp Cloud API will be approved quickly.
- Once upgraded to API, can’t use any other Whatsapp application on the chosen number
- First, you have to signup and get verified on Facebook to use WhatsApp Cloud API
- Every message template that you use to initiate conversations has to be pre-approved by Facebook.
- WhatsApp does not provide a direct interface for this and you have to rely on tools like TeleCRM for sending messages through the official API
What is the process of sending messages through Whatsapp Cloud API?
- Go to the WACA dashboard, create a template, and submit it for approval by WhatsApp.
- Once the template is approved by WhatsApp you can use that to start a business-initiated conversation with any prospect, lead, or customer.
WhatsApp Cloud API templates and best practices
How to create Cloud API
You can go to the WhatsApp dashboard and create a new template.
WACA Templates pro tips
- Simplify the templates as much as possible.
- You can add images up to 5MB in a WACA message template.
- You can add videos of up to 25 MB in a WACA message template.
- The template must be grammatically correct.
- WACA message templates don’t accept short URLs like bit.ly or TinyURL. So if you have to set up a link in your WACA message templates you have to make sure it’s a simple URL.
Advanced WhatsApp Cloud API features & how to use it with TeleCRM:
Here are some of the key automation you can build by combining TeleCRM with WACA
- Instantly send WhatsApp to a new lead.
- Notify team members via WhatsApp on getting a new lead.
- Run WhatsApp chatbot to qualify leads.
- Provide automated support through WhatsApp chatbot and much more.
- You can set up a subscriber list and send them WhatsApp-chained messages (just like email marketing).
WhatsApp Cloud API Best practices – How to prevent getting flagged
- Don’t send blindly promotional messages, instead deliver value.
- Give them the option to opt-out in case they are not interested.
- Smartly structure your messages like a funnel to build conversations and get conversions instead of spamming them non-stop.
