WhatsApp Business Account
A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) represents your business on WhatsApp. It belongs to your business portfolio in Meta Business Suite, and it holds your senders and message templates. Meta verifies your business before it lets you message customers at scale. Keep your business details in Meta Business Suite accurate and up to date. They affect approval and your messaging limits.Senders
A sender is a phone number registered to your WABA. Each sender has:- Display name: The business name customers see in WhatsApp. Meta reviews the display name, and it must relate to your business.
- Status: Whether the sender can send messages. For example, a sender can be connected, pending, flagged, or restricted.
- Quality rating: How customers have responded to your recent messages.
- Messaging limit: How many customers you can start conversations with in a rolling 24-hour period.
Message templates
A message template is a message format that Meta approves before you can use it. You must use an approved template to start a conversation with a customer. Each template has a name, a language, and a category. It can include placeholders for content that changes per message, such as a customer name or an order number. Templates can also include a header with text or media, a footer, and buttons.Template categories
| Category | Use it for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotions, offers, and announcements | Sales, product launches, re-engagement |
| Utility | Updates about a transaction or an account that the customer started | Order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders |
| Authentication | One-time passwords and verification codes | Sign-in codes, account recovery |
Template review
Meta reviews every template before you can use it. Most templates are reviewed within minutes. A template that needs manual review can take up to 48 hours. After review, a template is either approved or rejected. Meta can also pause or disable an approved template later if it receives negative customer feedback.Customer service window
When a customer sends you a message, a 24-hour customer service window opens. Each new message from the customer restarts the window.- Inside the window, businesses can reply with free-form messages.
- Outside the window, you can only reach the customer with an approved template.
Opt-in
Meta requires your customers to agree to receive WhatsApp messages from your business before you message them. Collect opt-in through your own channels, such as your website, app, or checkout flow. State clearly that the customer will receive messages on WhatsApp and from which business. Respect opt-out requests immediately. Messages that customers don’t expect lower your quality rating.Quality rating
Meta assigns a quality rating based on how customers respond to your messages over recent days. Blocks, reports, and negative feedback lower the rating.| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| High | Customers respond well to your messages. |
| Medium | Some customers report or block your messages. |
| Low | Many customers report or block your messages. Meta can restrict your sender if the rating stays low. |