In 2021, Latin American logistics company Urbano Envíos implemented the WhatsApp Business API to optimize package delivery. A WhatsApp address verification system was introduced, allowing recipients to confirm their location before the delivery person arrives.

Previously, delivery drivers would go to the recipient’s last registered address, resulting in bounced deliveries when it wasn’t updated. By using the WhatsApp Business API, Urbano Envíos doubled its productivity and achieved a 100% delivery success rate when recipients used WhatsApp.

In 2021, Brazilian marketplace Consórcio Magalu automated the delivery of financing plan information and allowed users to schedule appointments directly via WhatsApp using the WhatsApp Flows feature .

Before this solution, lead conversion relied on calls and emails, which slowed down the process excessively. According to data provided by the company itself, the implementation of the WhatsApp Business API increased conversions among organic visitors by 2.9 times and increased conversions from paid traffic by 49%.

The easiest way to access the WhatsApp Business API is through a business solutions provider. This way, you can use the platform’s intuitive interface that integrates with your marketing tool, without the need for programming or integrating WhatsApp into your back-end systems.

To integrate the WhatsApp Business API, a business must use the services of a Business Solutions Provider ( BSP ) that partners with the messaging app, which are typically marketing automation platforms.

Brevo is one of the certified providers available to offer this service. WhatsApp campaigns are available on all Marketing Platform pricing plans.

Once you’ve chosen a BSP provider, you must create an account with them to access the WhatsApp API. The provider automatically connects your WhatsApp Business account to your BSP account. You can find out how to do this in Brevo here .

You can link an existing WhatsApp Business account or create a new one, but it’s essential that it be a business WhatsApp account, as the API isn’t available for personal accounts.

Verifying your business on Meta is a mandatory step to protect consumers. WhatsApp needs to verify that you are authorized to represent the brand you are registering. All business accounts go through this process to prevent fraudulent contact with users.

It’s important that you specify the business name you’ll use, so WhatsApp can approve it by following these instructions .

This verification can take up to 30 days and is not dependent on BSP providers like Brevo.

As an additional optional step, you can request enhanced verification to have an official business account. When you do so, a green check mark appears next to your professional account name. This option can boost credibility, but this level of verification is more difficult to obtain.

When the account has this level of verification, the company name will always appear in chats, even if the contact hasn’t registered it on their personal phone.

Outgoing or business-initiated messages sent via the WhatsApp Business API must conform to message templates , subject to Meta verification:

• Messages can be up to 1,024 characters long . You can have a maximum of 250 templates and 25 phone numbers per business account, although there’s no limit to the number of business accounts Business Manager allows.
• WhatsApp evaluates your customer experience with a quality rating . Similar to sender reputation in email marketing, it takes into account the recipient’s reaction to your messages: whether they read and respond to them, or block and report them.
• If you have a high quality rating, you’ll be able to send notifications whenever you need. To do this, just follow WhatsApp’s recommendations.
• Bulk messages are subject to limits , which depend on the quality of your outgoing messages and the volume you send.
  

  WhatsApp Business API Success Stories

  KLM becomes the first airline to use the WhatsApp API

  In 2017, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines became the first airline to use the WhatsApp Business API. Through this integration, the airline sends more than 10,000 boarding passes daily via WhatsApp and provides flight status information, such as gate changes, delays, and check-in reminders.

  Additionally, in 2018, KLM rolled out the Family Updates service , which allows passengers to create a WhatsApp group to automatically share real-time flight information with family and friends, even when they are offline.