WhatsApp Business is free and turns the messaging app your customers already use into a proper business channel — with a business profile, product catalog, labels, and automated replies. Setup takes about 15 minutes.
Here’s every step, plus the settings most businesses skip and shouldn’t.
What You Need Before Starting
- A phone number for the business (it can be a mobile or landline number; dual-SIM phones can run WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business side by side with different numbers).
- The WhatsApp Business app (free, separate from regular WhatsApp — don’t try to convert your personal WhatsApp in place unless you want your chats migrated).
- Your business basics: name, category, address, hours, email, website.
Important: WhatsApp Business uses the same underlying system as WhatsApp — your customers don’t need a different app to message you.
Step 1: Download and Register
- 1. Install WhatsApp Business from the Play Store or App Store.
- 2. Open it and tap Agree & Continue.
- 3. Enter your business phone number and verify via SMS or call.
- 4. If migrating from regular WhatsApp on the same number, you’ll be offered to transfer chat history — say yes unless you want a clean start.
Step 2: Create Your Business Profile
This is your storefront — customers see it when they tap your name:
- 1. Go to Settings → Business tools → Profile (or tap your profile icon).
- 2. Add:
- Business name (choose carefully — changing it later is a hassle)
- Category (pick the closest match; it affects how you appear)
- Description (what you sell + who it’s for, in 1–2 lines)
- Address, hours, email, website
- 3. Add a profile photo — your logo, clear and centered.
A complete profile is the difference between looking like a business and looking like a random number. Fill every field.
Step 3: Set Up the Catalog
Your in-app product showcase:
- 1. Settings → Business tools → Catalog → Add item.
- 2. Add product name, price, description, and photos (up to 10 images per item).
- 3. Repeat for your core products — start with your 5–10 bestsellers, not everything.
Customers can browse and share items directly in chat — start with your 5–10 bestsellers and add clear photos and prices to each.
Step 4: Organize with Labels
Labels are color-coded tags for chats — “New customer,” “Pending payment,” “VIP,” etc. Create up to 20 under Business tools → Labels, then long-press any chat to assign one. Filter your inbox by label to find, say, all unpaid orders in one tap.
Step 5: Automate the Basics
Two automations every business should enable day one:
- Greeting message: auto-replies to first-time messagers (Settings → Business tools → Greeting message). Write something warm that sets expectations: “Hi! Thanks for messaging [Business]. We reply within 2 hours, 9am–6pm.”
- Away message: replies outside business hours with your hours and when you’ll respond.
Also set up quick replies (shortcuts for answers you type constantly: prices, location, hours) — type `/` in chat to insert them.
Step 6: Get Customers Messaging You
An empty inbox helps nobody. Drive chats with:
- Click-to-chat link: `wa.me/
` — put it on your website, Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, and packaging. - QR code: generate one in the app and print it for your storefront.
- Status updates: post offers and new arrivals to WhatsApp Status — it reaches your contacts like Stories.
If local discovery matters to you, pair this with your Google Business Profile setup so searchers find both.
The highest-converting placement is the post-purchase moment: print your QR code on receipts and packaging with ‘Questions about your order? Message us here.’ Customers with a fresh purchase and a direct line become repeat buyers at remarkable rates — they’ve already trusted you once.
WhatsApp Business App vs. Business API: Which Do You Need?
Two products share the name. Don’t confuse them:
- WhatsApp Business App (free): everything in this guide. For 1–2 people handling chats manually. Enough for most small businesses.
- WhatsApp Business Platform/API (paid): for teams and automation — chatbots, drip campaigns, CRM integration, bulk notifications. Pricing is per-message.
Rule of thumb: if you’re personally reading every message, the free app wins. When you’re missing messages because volume exceeds human capacity (roughly 50+ customer conversations daily), it’s API time. Until then, the app’s greeting messages, quick replies, and labels are plenty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WhatsApp Business free?
Yes — the app and all core features (profile, catalog, labels, automated messages) are free. There’s a separate paid WhatsApp Business Platform (API) for large companies; small businesses don’t need it.
Can I use WhatsApp Business and regular WhatsApp on the same phone?
Yes, with two different numbers (dual SIM or eSIM). The apps run side by side. You cannot run both on the same number.
What’s the difference between WhatsApp Business and the regular app?
The Business app adds: business profile, catalog, labels, greeting/away messages, quick replies, and message statistics. Messaging itself works identically.
Can I switch my existing number from WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business?
Yes — during registration on the same number, you’ll be offered chat migration. Your contacts won’t notice any difference except your new business profile.
Is there a limit on broadcast messages?
Yes — broadcast lists cap at 256 contacts per list, and recipients must have your number saved. For larger reach, combine multiple lists. Broadcasts are one-way announcements; groups are for discussion — pick based on whether you need replies.