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WhatsApp is used by over 2 billion people every day, making it an efficient platform for businesses to communicate with their customers. WhatsApp has a 99 percent open rate higher than any other marketing channel. Additionally, WhatsApp allows businesses to communicate with customers one-on-one. Given so many benefits and features that WhatsApp offers, more and more businesses are using it to get the best results for their marketing efforts.
If you want to use WhatsApp marketing for your online store, the first step is to create a WhatsApp Business profile.
However, businesses often make many common mistakes when starting with WhatsApp Business. These mistakes either lead to getting them blocked or driving zero results from their marketing campaigns. Thus, to make sure you get a solid start, here are some tips for setting up a good WhatsApp business profile.
What is a WhatsApp Business Profile?
When you install the WhatsApp Business app on your device, you will be prompted to create a WhatsApp Business profile. This business profile is a feature of the WhatsApp Business app that allows you to create a formal WhatsApp presence.
Like any other social media platform, setting up a WhatsApp Business profile is simple. However, you can provide crucial information about your company here, including its name, description, hours of operation, location, email, and category. Customers can see all of this information when they visit your profile.
Best Practices To Set Up a WhatsApp Business Profile
Pat yourself on the back once you've downloaded the WhatsApp Business app and successfully registered your phone number. You now have a WhatsApp Business account.
However, without vital information about your company, this account is incomplete. Creating a WhatsApp Business profile is the next step.Open the WhatsApp Business app to see your business profile. Then select More options > Business tools > Business profile from the drop-down menu.
Setting up a WhatsApp Business profile is simple, but there are a lot of fields to fill out. Pay great attention to these details. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
1. Profile Picture
The profile photo is the first thing your customer will notice about your WhatsApp Business profile. Use a professional image that is both clear and relevant. The greatest approach to help customers find your business is to include your logo.
A full logo as a profile image is a common mistake made by most businesses. Because the image will be visible to customers in a circle, make sure the logo size is adjusted. Use a square JPG or PNG image of at least 640x640 pixels in size to set your profile logo/photo. The backdrop of a PNG image with a transparent background will be displayed as black.
Follow the steps below to edit your profile photo:
- On your profile picture, select Edit
- To choose an existing photo, tap Gallery, or to take a new photo, tap Camera
- You can also remove your current profile picture by tapping Remove photo
- Crop or rotate the photo as needed after choosing a photo or taking a new one
- Click done
2. Category
After you've set your WhatsApp Business profile picture, you'll need to choose a category. The category option allows you to specify the industry in which your business operates. When you select WhatsApp Business as a category, it will give you a list of options to choose from, i.e., Apparel and Clothing, Arts and Entertainment, Education, and Finance. Choose the right category for your business so that people can know what your business is about.
The steps to change your business category are listed below.
- On the category field, tap Edit
- Choose up to three categories that are important to your company
3. Business Description
When creating a WhatsApp Business profile, it's important to provide a business description. You should clearly state the purpose of your business in the description, and customers should be encouraged to take action. Businesses frequently make the mistake of providing either too much or no detail. Make sure your WhatsApp Business has a clear description.
Writing a business description aims to enlighten customers about who you are and what they can expect from you. After a few phrases introducing your company, add a call-to-action (CTA) at the end.
For example: We can deliver your groceries straight from your favorite local store. Choose your products and the date for delivery. Contact us, and we will respond within 24 hours.
Here's how to update the name and description of your business:
- In settings, click on your profile
- Here you'll see a list of options such as Business name description
- Make the necessary changes
- Select OK or SAVE
4. Add Your Email Address
You can also add your email address to your WhatsApp Business account. Don't forget to provide your business email address so that customers have another way to contact you. Customers can contact you after work hours or when you're away on WhatsApp by adding a business email address.
To change or update your email address, follow the steps below:
- Go to settings and select your profile
- You’ll find a list of options, just click on the email address
- Now click edit
- Update your information
- Once done, click Save
5. Business Address
Customers are more likely to trust you if you have a business address. Make sure to include the entire business address when adding an address. This gives your WhatsApp company profile a more genuine appearance.
If you're having trouble changing your business address, follow these steps:
- On the address field, click Edit
- Enter your business address in the Address area
- By tapping SET LOCATION ON MAP or UPDATE LOCATION ON MAP, you may easily update your map location
- Then, on the map, change your business address or choose one of the following options:
1. UPDATE the map to reflect the address you put in the address field.
2. To return to the business address area and change your address, click EDIT ADDRESS.
- USE SET LOCATION to find a specific location on the map
- Click done
Note: This just changes your business's location on the map. The address you typed in the address form will remain unchanged.
6. Business Hours
People are more inclined to trust you for your services if your business hours are displayed on your WhatsApp Business profile. On the other hand, if your business profile does not include operation hours, you risk missing potential customers and leaving them disappointed.
Having your business hours listed on your profile makes it clear when people should contact you and when they can anticipate a response. Try mentioning your company hours now if you don't want to build unreasonable expectations when people contact you.
Here's how to change your working hours:
- On the business hours section, tap Edit
- Select Schedule
- Choose one of the schedule templates below:
1.Open for selected hours - Toggle between the days you're open, and the days you're not. You can also choose a specified set of working hours for each day.
2.Always available - Select which days of the week your business is open using the toggle.
3.By appointment only - Select which days of the week your business is available for appointments using the toggle.
- Save the changes
- To reset your business hours, go to More options > Clear
7. Update the Information
Imagine your clients trying to contact you at the phone number listed on your WhatsApp Business profile only to discover it is incorrect. Isn't it annoying? To avoid this, make sure you update your WhatsApp Business profile regularly.
Any changes to your phone number, email address, or location should be updated immediately so customers are also informed about the same.
8. Create Catalog
You can also create a catalog with WhatsApp Business to simply share your product and services with customers. Every product and service in the catalog can have its own title with details like price, description, product code, and website link.
You can add up to 500 products or services to your WhatsApp business catalog. Adding a business catalog allows customers to select a product and share it with others or text you back with their inquiries. You may also share the URL to this catalog with your existing customers or on social media channels.
Follow the steps below to make changes to your WhatsApp Business catalog:
- To update or create a new catalog, tap MANAGE
- As needed, add or edit items in your catalog
Pro tip: If you're new to WhatsApp Business, don't forget to set up welcome messages, quick replies, and away messages. However, when you use a free WhatsApp Business account, there's not much that you can automate.
Conclusion
You can reach customers directly on their preferred platform using the WhatsApp Business app. It enables you to streamline your conversations, personalize your marketing campaigns, and be readily available to your customers.
A WhatsApp business account gives you access to all of the essential capabilities you'll need to expand and grow your small business.
However, if you're a medium or large company trying to expand, you'll need to automate. A WhatsApp Business API would be more useful in this scenario. Because it enables you to automate messages, send personalized broadcast messages to thousands of clients, and track the results of your WhatsApp marketing initiatives.
If you want to go the extra mile and build customer trust, having WhatsApp Business API is useful because it allows you to get your number verified on WhatsApp Business. When your phone number is verified (green trick), the odds of it being blocked are reduced.
FAQ-
Q1. What guidelines apply to WhatsApp Business accounts?
Ans: The important guidelines for WhatsApp Business accounts are: Ensure that all information is current and accurate. You may not act as another company's representative or otherwise misrepresent your line of work to clients.
‍Q2. How do you introduce yourself on WhatsApp in a professional manner?
Ans: Hello, my name is (insert name) and I'm interested in joining this forum (or appropriate group). My area of expertise is in (insert your specialty). I have encounters with (insert appropriate information that would be beneficial to this group). I might be able to assist you.
Q3. What distinguishes WhatsApp from WhatsApp Business?
Ans: In essence, WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business are different in that the former is only for personal communication while the latter also offers marketing capabilities. Small local businesses can use WhatsApp Business for free as a method to take orders and respond to inquiries via chat.
Are you ready to explore WhatsApp Business API for your business?
Get started with QuickReply.ai today.
If you have an online store on Shopify, you can get the WhatsApp marketing app here.
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