Facebook-owned WhatsApp currently has over two billion active users worldwide, and WhatsApp Business is a popular subdivision of the app. In this post, we discuss how to make a WhatsApp Business account.
With the WhatsApp Business application, you can easily maintain an online presence for your small business even when you’re not online. The app has an auto-reply feature that gives a reply to your customers automatically in your absence.
If you know how to make a WhatsApp Business account, you’ll be able to get the most out of this messenger app designed specifically for small and local businesses.
How to make a WhatsApp Business account
Outlined below are the steps for creating a WhatsApp business account:
- Download and install the messenger app. The app is available on Google Play Store for free download.
- Launch the software. After the download and installation, open it in your app drawer.
- Go through the Terms of Service. The Terms of Service of the WhatsApp Business app and WhatsApp Messenger are similar. Review the WhatsApp Business Terms of Service press Agree and Continue to accept them.
- Register your phone number. To add your country code, pick your country from the down-down and supply your phone number in international phone number format. Press Done or Next, followed by OK to receive a six-digit code for registration through text message or call. Then, complete the registration by entering your 6-digit code.
- Give access to contact and photos. You can add contacts to WhatsApp Business from your phonebook. Also, give access to photos, videos, and other files on your mobile device.
- Create an account. Enter your business/company name, pick a business category, and select a profile picture.
- Build a profile for your small business. Press EXPLORE and then tap Business profile to add key business information such as your business address, working hours, description, and others.
- Start chatting. With your business profile set up, you can now start a chat. Select a contact you want to chat with from your phonebook, enter a message in your text field, and press the Send
Can I create a WhatsApp Business account without a number?
To sign up for WhatsApp messaging, phone numbers are often required. But it’s also possible to create a WhatsApp Business account without a number.
Here’s how to make a WhatsApp Business account without using a phone number:
- Sign in to the app and check the box to accept its Terms of Service
- Supply the WhatsApp Business phone number you want customers to contact you on
- WhatsApp Business will now detect your WhatsApp Messenger account and carry out a restoration
- Tap on Continue or Restore to approve it
Wait a while for the process to be complete so you can continue with setting up the account on WhatsApp Business.
Is a WhatsApp Business account free?
Yes. You can download it for free from the Play Store.
How to verify a WhatsApp Business account
To use messaging tools like the WhatsApp Business app or the WhatsApp business APIs, it’s crucial to verify your number. Account verification is one of the procedures on how to make a WhatsApp Business account.
Follow these steps to register your account:
- Add your country code by picking your country from the down-down
- Supply your phone number in an international phone number format
- Press Done or Next, followed by OK to receive a six-digit code for registration through text message or call
- Complete the registration by entering your 6-digit code.
If you intend to use the phone number you’ve registered already in WhatsApp Messenger, you can do so but it will be signed out of the regular WhatsApp, and that account will no longer be active.
We recommend using different numbers for WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business to separate your communication from business communication.
Can I convert my WhatsApp to a business account?
Yes. Here’s how to migrate from regular WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business:
- Back up your WhatsApp data (including the chat history and media) and pick the necessary features to save the chats in the cloud storage
- Open the Play Store app and download WhatsApp Business
- Open the WhatsApp Business app, go through the Terms of Service, and accept them to proceed
- WhatsApp will identify your number automatically but ensure the phone number is correct
- WhatsApp will then start the migration procedure, and your data will be transferred from WhatsApp Messenger to WhatsApp Business
- As the process is ongoing, don’t close the app because you can be prompted to permit the app to back up your data
- Give all required permissions to WhatsApp Business, including media and contacts
- Create a WhatsApp Business account, supply your business name, and profile picture, and pick the right business category
- Head to Settings > More options > Business tools > Business profile to build your WhatsApp Business profile.
- Supply other details such as your company’s name, working hours, business address, and others
WhatsApp Business features
With features like Auto-reply, quick replies, catalog, and labels, WhatsApp Business will help you operate your small or local business efficiently.
Auto-reply. This option allows you to easily maintain an online presence for your small business even when not online. It gives a reply to your customers automatically in your absence.
Quick replies. These are WhatsApp messaging templates that you can use for building key conversations in advance. WhatsApp Business lets you create automated greeting messages to engage with your customers. Simply set away messages to inform your customers when you’ll be back online.
Other features of the app are short links, catalogs, labels, and so on.
Final thoughts
If you know how to make a WhatsApp Business account, you can easily maintain an online presence for your small business, advertise your products and services, and engage your customers even when you’re not online.
You can make use of both WhatsApp accounts (for the regular WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business) at once so long you register each with different phone numbers.
