The Ultimate WhatsApp Guide 🇬🇧

Updated 3 weeks ago by Xandro Lopez

1. Introduction

Are you wondering how to apply for a WhatsApp Business API number?

Are you just trying to run some tests?

The fact is, you're probably not the only one. Many companies these days are looking to jump on the WhatsApp Business API bandwagon but the truth is, it's either hard to find the right information or the information is unclear.

Therefore, we have decided to create a step by step guide of how to test our WhatsApp integration and how to apply for an official WhatsApp Business API number with Landbot.

2. Getting Started

2.1 Creating an account

First things first, before you can do anything on the platform you'll have to create an account.

Its very simple! Just go to this sign up link and sign up with your favourite option out of those provided!

2.2 Building your Bot 🤖

From the moment you sign up, you have a 5 day free trial where all bot building features are available, so we recommend building your bot within those 5 days.

However, if you feel like you need a little bit more time, do not hesitate to contact us on sales@landbot.io or on the chat in the bottom right corner of the app to find out if you are eligible for a trial extension!

To help you build your bot you can:

- Use our extensive Knowledge Base

- Join our amazing Academy with video tutorials for different WhatsApp use cases 📹

Feel free to also take a look at Features not currently supported in WhatsApp bots and Types of content you can use in WhatsApp so you know what you can and can't use.

2.3 WhatsApp Testing (former Playground)

Since our WhatsApp integration is a paid subscription, we have created a free testing environment called WhatsApp Testing. 🧪

It allows you to experience what the official API integration feels like from the final user perspective.

Testing channels work in one direction only, which means only the phone number you connect to it will be able to send and receive messages from the testing channel.

You will be able to add up to 10 phone numbers to the WhatsApp Testing!

Click here to read the full article on how to set up a WhatsApp Testing channel.

2.4 WhatsApp Testing vs WhatsApp Official Integration

There are a few features/actions that are only available for the WhatsApp Official Integration since they require brand and number approval by WhatsApp.

Below is a list of the features available ✅ and not available ❌ on WhatsApp Testing (former Playground).

Once you are happy with the bot you created (or if you are in a rush, while you are creating it) you can start applying for the official WhatsApp Integration.

3. How to apply for the Official WhatsApp Integration

If your question is "How do I make my bot public?", then you're in the right place.

Below, you can find the details of the whole process!

3.1 Choose your WhatsApp Plan

- WhatsApp Pro Plan - for small/medium size companies with up to 4000 contacts (see definition at the end of the article) per month

- Enterprise Plan - for larger companies with 5000+ contacts per month

Contact Sales for more information on our Enterprise Plan if you expect to have over 5000 contacts per month (ie. the amount of WhatsApp numbers you expect to have one or more conversations with each month).

3.2 Purchase your WhatsApp Plan

If you decide to go for the WhatsApp Pro Plan you can sign up to it very easily on your account by following the next steps:

Requesting WhatsApp approval has a cost of 50€ per number. If your brand is not accepted by WhatsApp or cancel the process, you are entitled to request a refund for the plan price excluding the approval fee.

1. Click on the Channels Section in the dashboard on the left of your screen

2. Select WhatsApp Pro

3. Click on the "UPGRADE NOW" button

This will take you to the subscriptions page.

4. Select whether you are buying as an 'End user' or a 'Company' and enter the details required depending on your choice.

5. Insert your Credit Card Details and click "Continue"

If the payment is processed correctly, you will now have access to all Professional Plan functionalities and can start the WhatsApp Brand and Number approval.

If you don't have a WhatsApp Pro section and it looks like in the following picture instead, make sure to send us a message on the small chat icon in the bottom right corner so we can add the WhatsApp feature to your account.

3.3 Requesting WhatsApp Brand and Number Approval 📞

Once you have completed the previous steps you will be able to make a request for your brand and number to be approved.

You can do this on the platform by going to your WhatsApp Pro section, clicking on the "Request WhatsApp number" and filling out the bot.

IMPORTANT: please read the WhatsApp Business API document before filling in your details, you can also read it here

Once you have read the document, the bot will ask you for the following information:

Company details: Mainly full company name and company address.
Facebook Business Manager ID: You can find it by following this guide.
Phone number: The number you want to activate a WhatsApp Business account for. It needs to be able to receive an SMS / phone call for the activation. Please, ready carefully WhatsApp policy about numbers.

Once a phone number is registered on the WhatsApp Business API, it cannot be used for WhatsApp Business or the WhatsApp consumer app. A phone number can be upgraded to the WhatsApp Business API, but not downgraded.

Display Name: The name that shows to your customers when they haven't saved your number. All display names should have a relationship with your business, should not violate WhatsApp Commerce and Business policies and be an accurate representation of your business. Please, read with attention WhatsApp Display name policy here.

Once a number has an official business account, it is not possible to edit the display name easily. We would need to deactivate and re-register the number and the entire chat history would be lost.

Once the details have been filled out and your WhatsApp Business account created, someone from our Customer Success team will reach out to you with next steps.

You can also find them detailed below:

4. Approval Process

The approval process can take up to two weeks and is controlled and run directly by Facebook. Landbot cannot, by any means, speed up this process.

1. Facebook Business Verification

We recommend you apply for the FB Business Verification as soon as possible, since we have seen that it usually takes up the most time.

Business verification is a process that verifies your:

Business as a legal entity: Your business should be properly registered with official local authorities and have an official business phone number or mailing address.
Proof of access to your business: You must be able to receive a verification code sent to your business’s phone number or email address.

You can verify your business by following this Facebook Guide

2. Approving Facebook Notification

You will receive a notification on your Facebook Business Manager in order to accept the WhatsApp Business Account creation. Please approve it.

3. Account Review

Once step 1 and 2 are completed, please let us know in the email thread we have created.

WhatsApp will review the account and we'll let you know as soon as we receive an update on its approval status. Note that this process can take between 1-2 weeks.

If you are using the number provided for activation on the mobile consumer version or the WhatsApp Business app, you will have to migrate the number to the WhatsApp Business API platform.

You can do this directly on the WhatsApp app by following the steps described here.

4. Display Name Review

If the WhatsApp Business Account has been approved, the display name will then be reviewed 🔎

5. Pin Number Exchange

Once step 4 is approved, we are finally ready to complete the integration!

We will reach out to you to find a good time to launch an SMS to the number to integrate which will include a 6 digit pin code.

Once received you will need to send it back to us on the email thread.

Once we have received the pin we will activate your account and the integration will be complete and available on you Landbot account!

CONGRATULATIONS!! 🎉🥳

6. Green Tick (Optional) ✅

The Green Tick is given when WhatsApp has verified that an authentic, notable brand owns this account.

An Official Business Account has a green checkmark badge in its profile and chat thread headers. The name of the business is visible even if the user hasn't added the business to their address book.

Very few businesses will be official business accounts and conditions to become one are not very clear to date. More information here.

To request the Green tick let us know and send us the following information:

Verified Facebook Business: A screenshot is fine
Business Name:
Phone number to verify:
Website:
Link to Facebook Page:

We'll let you know if you have been approved as soon as we receive an update from WhatsApp.

5. WhatsApp Business API Functionalities on Landbot

Once your number has been activated you will be able to use some functionalities you were not able to use on the WhatsApp Testing (former Playground):

5.1 Get Opt Ins

In order to reach out to your users, they need to become subscribers first by means of an Opt-in! 🤚

This is the place where we provide you with the tools you need to get them onboard. 🚀

You can find the full explanation here.

5.2 Request HSM Template

You can request an HSM template from the Channels section in Landbot!

You will also be able to see all your approved Templates in this section. 👀

For more information on the full process, click here

5.3 Campaigns

By setting a Campaign you'll have full control on how you reach out to your subscribed users.

You can send pro-active messages (HSM Templates) to a defined segment of your subscribers, decide which message to send, when to send it, and if this message will trigger a WhatsApp bot.

Once you launched a campaign, you'll be able to know exactly how it has been received by checking the Metrics.

Check out the full article here

6. Definitions

Session Messages - Session messages are reactive messages written in response to a customer inquiry. WhatsApp labeled them as “session messages” since they can only be sent within 24H Customer Care Window.

HSM Templates - (Highly Structured Messages) are proactive messages that companies can send via WhatsApp to their subscribers after 24 hours from the subscriber's last contact. Read more about the different types of messages in our blog!

Opt-In - A user must first consent to receive messages in WhatsApp by opting into them via a third-party channel. This can be any channel your business uses to communicate with people today — your website, app, email, SMS, retail location or you can even create an Opt-in bot. Find out how to do it here.

Feel free to check the Facebook official documentation as well.

Active Monthly Users/Contacts - the amount of users (or phone numbers) you interact with during one month. Eg. If you have a conversation on 4 different days with the same number, this will only count as one contact.

Team Member/Agent - a user that has access to the Landbot platform through their personal email

7. FAQ

Read the full list of FAQ by clicking here