A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) lets your business use the WhatsApp Business Platform to communicate directly with your customers. To get started, you have two options:

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• Create a WABA by yourself  
• Create a WABA with a WhatsApp ISV such as Stitch

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Types of Business Accounts

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Business Account

By default, any account using the WhatsApp Business Platform or WhatsApp Business App is a business account.

WhatsApp verifies authenticity of a brand for every account on the WhatsApp Business Platform. If the account has completed Business Verification, the name of the business is visible even if the user hasn't added the business to their address book.

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Official Business Account

An official business account has a green checkmark badge in its profile and chat thread headers. See below for more information on this, and how you can apply.  

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If you have a Business Account (which will be the vast majority of accounts), a user would typically see this within their WhatsApp app. If they have stored your number in their contacts, then the number will be overwritten by whatever the contact name in their phone is for the number associated to your WABA.

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However, once you have verified your Meta Business Manager (click here to learn more), your WABA profile will look like this:

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Note, the company name is displayed, rather than just the number (associated to the WABA). Meta verification not only enhances how your appear in their WhatsApp, but it enables you to scale up and reach out to a larger audience.

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If your WABA is an official business account, then you’ll notice a green checkmark alongside the name, like this:

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How It Works and how to obtain a green checkmark

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WhatsApp has verified that an authentic, notable brand owns this account.

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The criteria for WhatsApp Official Business Accounts (OBA) is based on a number of factors and is different from policies on other platforms. In addition to following WhatsApp's Commerce and Business Policies, businesses need to be:

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• Notable: Represents a well-known business, often searched brand or entity
• Verified: Has gone through Business Verification, and
• 2FA: Has set up two-step verification within Meta Business Manager.

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If you want to apply for a green tick WABA, you can request this from your provider (assumes you are working with a WhatsApp solution partner).

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Stitch can help with your WhatsApp solution. Get in touch to find out more!

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