What is WhatsApp
WhatsApp is one of the most popular social applications in the world, with more than 2 billion users across over 180 countries/regions.
WhatsApp allows you to send messages directly to anyone as long as you know their WhatsApp number, without the need to add them as a friend or follow them. For businesses going overseas that want to engage users quickly and efficiently, WhatsApp is undoubtedly a very good choice, especially in countries and regions with high WhatsApp penetration.
-
Regions: Southeast Asia, Middle East, South America, Africa, Europe, etc. all have high coverage.
-
Countries: India, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and others have particularly high usage rates.
Differences Between WhatsApp Versions
Currently, WhatsApp offers three versions: WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp Business, and WhatsApp Business API.
1. WhatsApp Messenger
Also referred to as a personal account, it is mainly designed for personal communication, allowing users to chat with family and friends. Like other messaging apps, WhatsApp offers one-on-one and group chats. Users can send unlimited messages for free, regardless of length, content type, or number of contacts. It also supports voice and video calls. However, WhatsApp is very strict about marketing messages sent from personal accounts, which makes them prone to being banned and leads to loss of accumulated customer assets.
2. WhatsApp Business
This is a type of business account mainly designed for small and micro enterprises, also called SMB or small business account.
The main difference between WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business is that the former is strictly for personal communication, while the latter provides marketing tools.
You can create a WhatsApp Business account using your mobile number or landline number through the WhatsApp Business App. Once registered, the app provides built-in tools to help you run your business effectively. Key tools include:
-
Catalog: Showcase and share your products and services in your business account. If you don’t sell products, you can use this section to highlight business information such as rewards, certifications, or customer testimonials.
-
Short Links: Allow new customers to easily contact you by sharing an auto-generated short link that lets them message you directly.
-
Messaging Tools: Use WhatsApp message templates to preset important conversations. You can (1) create automated greetings for new customers, (2) set away messages to automatically reply when unavailable, and (3) create quick replies for FAQs.
-
Labels: Categorize customer conversations into practical groups such as New Customer or Pending Orders. Up to 20 labels can be created, each with different colors for faster identification.
-
Broadcast Lists from Labels: Create broadcast lists using your labels, allowing you to send targeted messages to specific user groups.
3. WhatsApp Business API
This is another type of business account, mainly designed for medium to large enterprises, sometimes referred to as the enterprise account.
The WhatsApp Business API supports communication between enterprises and customers worldwide. Unlike the other two versions, the API has no interface of its own; instead, it integrates into your existing platform, such as a CRM or marketing platform. Essentially, it allows WhatsApp to work alongside other marketing tools. For example, you can use a live chat platform to manage both Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp conversations in one place.
Unlike WhatsApp Messenger or WhatsApp Business, the API supports unlimited users and devices. However, API accounts must first be applied for and approved. Messages must be replied to within 24 hours, and template messages require pre-approval from WhatsApp before being sent.
Advantages of WhatsApp API/Business Accounts
WhatsApp essentially functions as a communication channel, similar to SMS. When choosing a channel, enterprises typically care about whether it supports rich content, whether message status can be monitored in real time, ease of use, and whether large-scale actions are supported. The WhatsApp API meets all of these needs, making it ideal for providing enterprises with a comprehensive business communication solution.
Key advantages include:
-
Support for rich message formats: images, videos, files, emojis, and up to 1024 characters of text.
-
Messages can include buttons to give users clear calls to action.
-
Real-time delivery reports: including sent, delivered, read, and failed status.
-
Full openness: APIs are available for account management, template management, number management, and message sending/receiving, making it easy to integrate with internal systems.
The main “disadvantage” is cost — WhatsApp charges based on the number of conversations, with fees varying by country and type, similar to international SMS.
Overall, the advantages of WhatsApp far outweigh the disadvantages, especially in countries and regions with high WhatsApp penetration.