What is the WhatsApp Business API, and why do you need it for WhatsApp Marketing?
Mahaboob Zulfa
Lead - Product Marketer
November 21, 2024
If you are a marketer looking for the next big channel with serious ROI potential, here is a number that will make your day—98%+ open rates. Yes, you read that right. While email is still doing its thing (we see you, email marketing!), WhatsApp is quietly becoming the marketing channel that's impossible to ignore.
With 2.95 billion monthly active users worldwide, WhatsApp is not just a messaging app anymore. And Meta has made it even better for businesses with dedicated tools that let you unlock WhatsApp's full marketing potential.
Whether WhatsApp Business is your next move or your current challenge, here's everything explained.
Breaking it down—WhatsApp Business Account vs WhatsApp API
Meta offers two different products for leveraging WhatsApp for your business. First is the WhatsApp Business App(iOS | Android), built for small businesses (think of it as WhatsApp's starter pack), and the other is the WhatsApp business platform, aka the WhatsApp Business API that is built for scaling your customer engagement and experiences (the premium package, if you will).
So what exactly is the difference? Let’s break it down:
The WhatsApp Business App offers everything that a small business needs to engage and grow their customer base. It is packed with impactful features—you get to be Meta verified (hello, credibility!), automatically send welcome messages, away messages, etc. You also get to use WhatsApp's Quick Replies and Labels, showcase your products with the Catalog feature, and so much more.
The WhatsApp Business API, on the other hand, is like the business app's older, more sophisticated sibling. You can initiate conversations, respond to customer queries, send files, accept payments, and do so much more than with a regular WhatsApp Business Account.
Here's a detailed feature breakdown that shows you exactly what you get with each:
Features
WhatsApp Business App
WhatsApp Business API
Essential Business Features
WhatsApp Business Profile
✓
✓
Meta-verified Business
✓
✓
Multiple Device Access
✕ One device at a time only
✓ Multiple users with a shared team inbox
Messaging & Communication
Greeting & Away Messages
✓
✓
Quick Replies
✓
✓
Labels
✓
✓
Add Multiple Agents
✓ Limited
✓ Unlimited
Shared Team Inbox
✕
✓ Available with service provider integration
Marketing & Promotions
Catalog & Catalog Links
✓
✓
Broadcast Messages
✓ Limited to 256
✓ Unlimited
QR Codes, Short Links, and Action Buttons on social accounts
✓
✓
Click-to-WhatsApp-Ads(CTWA)
✓
✓
Call to Action Ads
✓
✓
Multiproduct Messages
✕
✓
Advanced Features
Accept Payments
✕
✓
Detailed Analytics for Every WhatsApp Message
✕
✓
WhatsApp Flows
✕
✓
Third-party Integrations
✕
✓
The real difference— From a marketer's perspective
Now that we've detailed the differences, what do they actually mean for you, the marketer? To put it simply, WhatsApp Business API is your ticket to the big leagues. Here's how it stands out:
Automated messaging: While the regular WhatsApp Business App offers basic automation, the API takes it to a whole new level. You can leverage automated messaging for your marketing campaigns, service updates, or transactional messages like those crucial "your order is confirmed" notifications that customers love.
Message templates: The WhatsApp API gives you access to pre-approved message templates for sending notifications and alerts to customers. It's like having a library of perfect messages ready to go.
Media sharing: Share everything from product catalogs to video tutorials without breaking a sweat.
Integration: Connect WhatsApp with your entire tech stack—your CRM, e-commerce platform, you name it. Whether you want to bring back those abandoned cart customers or re-engage with long-lost ones, it's all automated. Your marketing keeps working even when you're away.
"But wait... How technical do I need to be?"
While WhatsApp API offers so many features for businesses, it doesn't offer them via an interface and only does it with lines of code. But here's the good news—you don't need to know a single line of code!
We recommend integrating with a WhatsApp marketing platform like ZEPIC, which can get everything done for you through a slick and easy-to-use interface. No coding required, and it's completely self-serve, too.
The Big Question: What about the cost?
WhatsApp API costs come with two components: WhatsApp's own fees and your solution provider's costs.
A conversation is a 24-hour window that starts when you send or receive a WhatsApp message. Pricing varies based on the country and the conversation type (marketing, services, utility, etc). You can view the latest pricing from WhatsApp here: https://business.whatsapp.com/products/platform-pricing
Choosing your WhatsApp partner—What to look for?
Let's break down WhatsApp's partner ecosystem (without the tech jargon). You have two options: Solution Partners (previously called BSPs) and Tech Partners. While Solution Partners mainly handle the billing and reselling of WhatsApp services, Tech Partners give you direct access to WhatsApp's Cloud APIs and all the latest features Meta rolls out.
And when you work with a Tech Partner, you get to deal directly with Meta for the business stuff, while enjoying all the innovative tools through your partner's platform. Think of it as getting a VIP pass to WhatsApp's features without the extra middlemen.
So... Do I really need a WhatsApp partner?
After everything we've talked about, you're probably wondering if you really need a partner at all. While WhatsApp API is powerful, it does come with its technical complexities. That's why working with a Tech Partner makes sense. WhatsApp Tech Partners like ZEPIC handle everything for you—setting up your account, creating message templates, running campaigns, even migrating your existing WhatsApp business account if you have one. Plus, you get direct access to Meta's features without dealing with any code or technical headaches.
Ready to upgrade your marketing game with WhatsApp Business API? With ZEPIC, you can get started with WhatsApp marketing in under 2 hours—no technical hassles, everything in one place, set up by yourself. Because honestly, you should be focusing on creating great campaigns, not fighting with technical setups.
Desperate times call for desperate Google/Chat GPT searches, right? "Best Shopify apps for sales." "How to increase online sales fast." "AI tools for ecommerce growth."
Been there. Done that. Installed way too many apps. But here's what nobody tells you while you're doom-scrolling through Shopify app reviews at 2 AM—that magical online sales-boosting app you're searching for? It doesn't exist. Because if it did, Jeff Bezos would've bought (or built!) it yesterday, and we (fellow eCommerce store owners) would all be retired in Bali by now. Growing a Shopify store and increasing online sales isn’t easy—we get it. While everyone’s out chasing the next “revolutionary” tool/trend (looking at you, DeepSeek), the real revenue drivers are probably hiding in plain sight—right there inside your customer data. After working with Shopify stores like yours (shoutout to Cybele, who recovered almost 25% of their abandoned carts with WhatsApp automation), we’ve cracked the code on what actually moves the needle. Ready to stop app-hopping and start actually growing your sales by using what you already have? Here are four fixes that will get you there!
The Painful Truth: You're probably losing about 70% of your potential sales to cart abandonment. That's not just a statistic—it's real money walking out of your digital door. And looking for yet another Shopify app for abandoned cart recovery isn't going to fix it if you're not getting the fundamentals right.
The Quick Fix: Everyone knows you need multi-channel recovery that hits the sweet spot between "Hey, did you forget something?" and "PLEASE COME BACK!" But here's the reality—most recovery apps are a one-trick pony. They either do email OR WhatsApp, not both. And don't even get us started on personalizing offers based on cart value—that usually means toggling between three different dashboards while praying your apps talk to each other.
Enter ZEPIC: This is where we come in. With ZEPIC's automated Flows, you can: Launch WhatsApp recovery messages (with 95% open rates!) Set up perfectly timed email sequences (or vice versa) Create personalized recovery offers not just on cart value but based on your customer’s behavior/preferences Track and optimize everything from one dashboard
Fix #2: Reactivate past customers today
The Painful Truth: You're probably losing about 70% of your potential sales to cart abandonment. That's not just a statistic—it's real money walking out of your digital door. And looking for yet another Shopify app for abandoned cart recovery isn't going to fix it if you're not getting the fundamentals right.
The Quick Fix: Everyone knows you need multi-channel recovery that hits the sweet spot between "Hey, did you forget something?" and "PLEASE COME BACK!" But here's the reality—most recovery apps are a one-trick pony. They either do email OR WhatsApp, not both. And don't even get us started on personalizing offers based on cart value—that usually means toggling between three different dashboards while praying your apps talk to each other.
Enter ZEPIC: This is where we come in. With ZEPIC's automated Flows, you can: Launch WhatsApp recovery messages (with 95% open rates!) Set up perfectly timed email sequences (or vice versa) Create personalized recovery offers not just on cart value but based on your customer’s behavior/preferences Track and optimize everything from one dashboard
Offering light at the end of the tunnel is Google’s Privacy Sandbox which seeks to ‘create a thriving web ecosystem that is respectful of users and private by default’. Like the name suggests, your Chrome browser will take the role of a ‘privacy sandbox’ that holds all your data (visits, interests, actions etc) disclosing these to other websites and platforms only with your explicit permission. If not yet, we recommend testing your websites, audience relevance and advertising attribution with Chrome’s trial of the Privacy Sandbox.
Top 3 impacts of the third-party cookie phase-out
Who’s impacted
How
What next
Digital advertising and acquisition teams
Lack of cookie data results in drastic fall in website traffic and conversion rate
Review all cookie-based audience acquisition. Sign up for Chrome’s trial of the Privacy Sandbox
Digital Customer Experience
Customers are not served relevant, personalised experiences: on the web, over social channels and communication media
Multiply efforts to collect first-party customer data. Implement a Customer Data Platform
Security, Privacy and Compliance teams
Increased scrutiny from regulators and questions from customers about data storage and usage
Review current cookie and communication consent management, ensure to align with latest privacy regulations
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