Businesses have already caught on with the importance of a credible social media, and the verification for authenticity is a big part of it. If one little badge or a tick mark beside the company name can increase customer trust, then let’s explore how to verify Whatsapp Business Account for a company or organisation. There are also some fundamental differences between a Business account and an Official Business account in WhatsApp.
What is a WhatsApp Business Account
A WhatsApp Business account is the standard name given to any account that is created on the WhatsApp Business App or WhatsApp Business API. This, of course, is available on default.
These accounts do not have an official green badge next to the business name. Such accounts do well to have all profile details such as the name, business category,contact details, a product catalog, location, and website.
Type of WhatsApp Business Account
Business Account
By default, any account using the WhatsApp Business API or WhatsApp Business App is called a business account. WhatsApp will self-verify the authenticity of a company or brand for every account that is listed on the WhatsApp Business API.
Official Business Account
An official business account on Whatsapp has a green checkmark badge in the profile section along with and chat thread headers. The name of the business is visible even if another user has not added the business to their contacts.
Depending on the type of business account, users can see different business names. If a business number is already saved in their address book, the name from the address book will be displayed along with the phone number.
Official Business Account (Verified)
For an Official Business Account that is verified, users can see a green checkmark beside the business name in the contacts on Whatsapp. Also visible will be the chat groups, chat screens, chat list, and contacts view instead of the contact number.
How to Verify a WhatsApp Business Account
In order to get an account verified, one needs to send a request to WhatsApp. Most businesses are now taking assistance from solution providers to create a WhatsApp Business API account. The official verification badge is only available for API accounts. Here are the steps to verify a Whatsapp Business Account
Step 1: Verification of Facebook Business Account A business can check the account status at business.facebook.com/settings/info. To verify the account:
- Go to the Security Center in Facebook Business Manager
- Click ‘start verification’ in the Business verification section
- Enter business details
- Select the business
- Confirm business details
- Get a verification code or verify the domain
- Enter verification code (not required for domain verification)
Step 2: Contacting a Business solution provider After verifying a Facebook Business Account, one can contact a WhatsApp Business solution provider who can then proceed to gather and transfer the required details to WhatsApp.
Step 3: Sending Information The following information needs to be shared with the WhatsApp Solution provider:
- Screenshot showing the verified status
- Business website address
- Facebook page URL
- Business name in languages other than English (if applicable)
Step 4: Application is submitted Once all the information has been provided, a ticket with WhatsApp shall be opened to verify the account.
Tips and Tricks
At the moment the exact list of criteria to get a green verification badge is still obscure.
In case of a rejection, a business may reapply after 3 months. There is, however, no possibility to appeal in case a rejection occurs. WhatsApp further has complete discretion in deciding which companies receive the verification.
Further, it is helpful to have already used a WhatsApp Business API account for a couple of months, along with some messaging and quality statistics to present along with the ticket. These can help strengthen a company’s chances of getting the application approved.
