WhatsApp Related Introduction
What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is a cross-platform encrypted instant messaging application for smartphones owned by Meta. The software enables voice and video calls over the internet and uses standard mobile phone numbers to send text messages, files, PDFs, images, videos, music, and user locations to other users.
It covers more than 2.5 billion users across over 180 countries/regions and holds leading positions in regions such as South America, Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and Europe, where it achieves higher message delivery rates and lower costs.
The only social app that allows proactively sending messages without needing to add friends or follow someone.
Types of WhatsApp accounts
WhatsApp Messenger
As the earliest basic version, it mainly serves daily social communication between individual users. It supports basic communication features such as text, voice, images, and video to meet instant communication needs among friends and family. This is the most widely used product form in the WhatsApp ecosystem.
WhatsApp Business
This is a standalone app aimed at merchants. The app primarily serves individual merchants, small and medium-sized enterprises, and local service providers. On top of basic communication functions it adds a business profile page (displaying address, business hours, website, etc.), quick replies, automated greetings, simple product catalog display, and basic label management and data statistics features. Merchants can manage customer communication directly through the mobile app without technical development capabilities.
WhatsApp Business Account (abbreviated as WABA)
This is the core identity for businesses within Meta's commercial ecosystem. WABA is an enterprise-level account created and managed in Meta Business Manager; it is not a directly usable application but a central console for managing one or more WhatsApp business phone numbers. To access the WhatsApp Business API you must first create a WABA. This account is the basis for company verification and the core reference Meta uses to assess a company's credibility.
WhatsApp Business API (business platform interface)
This is a programming interface service for enterprises; it does not provide an operational interface itself and must be used through technical integration or a Business Solution Provider (BSP) platform. The API service is suitable for companies or brands with development capabilities or supported by professional service providers, supporting high-concurrency message processing, deep integration with internal systems (such as CRM and customer service platforms), rich media messages, interactive buttons, and template messages among other advanced features. Using the API service requires a WABA account that has passed business verification.
Advantages of WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
Compared with traditional SMS/email, WABA significantly improves business outcomes through two core advantages: interactive experience and delivery efficiency.
1. High interactivity, improving conversion
Two-way conversations: Supports sending rich media (images, videos, documents) and interactive buttons, completing the full process from reach to service within a single chat interface. The experience is smooth and conversion rates are higher.
Seamless automation + human handoff: You can set automated reply flows to handle common inquiries and transfer to human agents at any time, balancing efficiency and personalization.
2. High delivery, ensuring critical processes
Higher arrival rate: Sent over the internet, not affected by carrier signal; message delivery and read rates (especially OTP verification codes) are significantly better than traditional SMS.
3. Low cost, proactive activation
Cost advantage: In many emerging markets (such as India, Indonesia, Brazil), sending costs are lower than international SMS.
Free interaction window: After a user replies, a 24-hour free conversation window opens, allowing unlimited free interactions.
Compliant proactive reach: With pre-approved templates, you can proactively initiate conversations outside the window to reactivate dialogues, shifting from passive responses to proactive nurturing.
In short, the WhatsApp Business Account is an efficient commercial communication platform that combines high-interaction experiences, reliable delivery, cost optimization, and proactive marketing capabilities.
What is BM?
Meta Business Manager (BM), is your central console for managing all Meta business assets (such as ads, pages, Instagram accounts, WhatsApp phone numbers).
Put simply, it is your company's central backend and organizational toolbox for connecting to and using the Meta ecosystem (including the WhatsApp Business API).
What is Sender?
"Sender" means "sending number". As your business solution provider, InnoPaaS uses this term to refer to each registered, independent phone number under your WABA account that is used to send messages.
Last updated