WhatsApp is a super-convenient and instant messaging app with a massive user base. More than 2 billion users are effectively using this highly engaging messaging platform in their daily lives.  

But did you know that businesses can also leverage whatsapp commerce  to grow their business multifold. Well, it's not the same WhatsApp that you use for chatting or video sharing. It's the WhatsApp Business App!  

WhatsApp rolled out WhatsApp Business app in 2018 and many businesses are using it successfully to grow their business. If you are not one of them then you must read this blog.  

The blog underlines the difference between regular WhatsApp & WhatsApp Business, why you should change WhatsApp account to WhatsApp business account, the steps to convert personal WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business account, and much more.   

Difference between WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business account:  

Though normal WhatsApp (WhatsApp messenger) and WhatsApp Business are mainly used for instant messaging, there are some differences between the two. Let’s discuss about the difference between WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business: 

1. Icon: The icon for both these apps is same in color but WhatsApp has symbol of phone call in the logo whereas WhatsApp Business has symbol of B in its logo. 
    

2. Business profile: In a normal WhatsApp, you create a personal profile with personal info. Also, you need to send the product catalogue manually to the customers. 
   
   On the other hand, in WhatsApp business, you can create a business profile with details such as business name, phone number, address, description, timings, etc. You can add your product or service catalog to your business profile which can be catalog displayed to your customers right on WhatsApp.  
    

3. Automated messaging and quick replies: In a regular WhatsApp, you can’t automate messages or replies. Whereas, in WhatsApp Business, you can set automated greetings or away messages. 
    

4. Advanced search filters: A regular WhatsApp account doesn’t provide option for advanced search. WhatsApp Business has advanced search filter option which allows you to filter messages more accurately. You can search by using filters like contacts, non-contacts, or unread. 
    

5. Messaging analysis: In WhatsApp Business, you get statistics regarding your   messages such as number of messages received, sent, read, or delivered, etc. In normal WhatsApp, this feature is missing.
    

6. Chat labels: In WhatsApp Business, you can create chat labels such as new customers, new orders, and payment processing and customize them as per business needs. You don’t have such features in normal WhatsApp. 

Why do you need to change your regular WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business account?  

Small businesses can often implement marketing strategies with the help of whats app campaigns. For example, they use personal WhatsApp accounts to reach potential customers. However, when your business grows, this may not be a good strategy to go with. And you need to switch to a better solution. So, businesses should consider changing from personal WhatsApp account to WhatsApp Business account.   

WhatsApp Business app is the best whatsapp marketing tool   for businesses, and it comes with several features. It helps with better customer support, query resolution and sales.  

However, if you are using personal WhatsApp for business communications then you will miss out on many of the following key features. 

1. Present your business in a more professional way: 

On WhatsApp business app, your business looks more official to the users who are interested in your products and services. When customers are shopping online, they will surely take your products/services seriously if you are presenting yourself in a professional manner. 

A proper business name, address, working hours and description helps users to trust your brand. Giving proper details about your business makes customers feel that you are a real business, and you truly care about being open and honest with them.
 

2. Guide your customers with business details: Business details include all the important information about your business that helps your customers understand more about your products and ways to reach you. 
    

For example, a short description suggests what your business is all about. When you mention business hours, customers can know when you are open or when they can reach you. Providing address details helps them know about the location of your shop. 

You can also provide details of your eCommerce website (if you still don’t have one, you can reach out to WebMaxy now) so that customers learn more about your business.

These business details act as a clear road map for your customers which guides them on where to find you, when to reach out, and what to expect. In this way, providing business details is an important step to easily connect with your customers and inform them about your business.   
 

3. Welcome them with automated messages: When your customers reach you for the first time, you can send them an automated friendly message to welcome them on your WhatsApp shop. Such virtual greetings at the beginning make your customers feel special and enhance the first impression of your brand. 
   
   These welcome messages make your customers feel valued and more comfortable with your business. They ask you questions or discuss their needs without any hesitation. This small message makes a big difference in how your customers perceive your business.
    

4. Send automated away messages when you can’t respond immediately: Automated away messages act as virtual notes that help your customers know about your unavailability to respond for the time being. WhatsApp Business allows you to set these automated messages and help your brand in several ways. 
   
   For example, when customers try reaching you outside your business hours, just tell them that you are not available right now and mention the time when you will be available to chat with them. 

You can craft automated away messages like “Hi there, thanks for reaching out! We’re currently away from our desk but will get back to you as soon as possible.” 

Moreover, these away messages can also include other ways to reach you. This could be your alternate contact number; in case something is very urgent.  
These messages suggest that your customers are valuable to you, and they are not ignored. 
 

5. Reply quickly to commonly asked questions: Another benefit of changing from regular WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business is that you can set up quick replies to commonly asked questions. These pre-made answers help customers in getting instant replies to their common queries.
   
   It makes things faster as you don’t have to type the same response repeatedly and enhances business efficiency. This handy resource provides accurate and consistent answers that provide a clear response to the users without any extra typing. 
    

6. Arrange chats with labels and organizations: In WhatsApp Business, you can sort and arrange your chats with the help of labels and organization. These labels are helpful to tag or mark your chats based on different things. For example, your chat labels can be ‘Orders’, ‘Questions’, ‘Feedback’ or even specific customer names or special groups. 
   
   When there are lots of conversations going on, you can easily find the specific chats by using labels. It helps you stay organized just by keeping your chats in order which leads to smooth business operations. 
    

7. Send bulk messages with broadcasting: Broadcasting allows you to send the same message at the same time to a bunch of people. For example, if you have an important announcement related to your product, service or some event then you can use the broadcasting feature of WhatsApp Business to share with your users. 
   
   While using WhatsApp broadcasting, you don’t have to type the message again and again for each customer, rather it goes to many people at the same time. This is an efficient way to reach many people at once and inform them about important announcements.  
      

8. Get analytics of WhatsApp messages: WhatsApp Business provides you with reports that cover analysis of how your WhatsApp messages are performing.
   
   Businesses can get these analytics in several forms. For example, you can obtain the number of messages that are written and sent, the number of messages delivered, and the number of messages customers opened and read. 
   
   These numbers are nothing but the feedback of your WhatsApp messages and how well they are performing. By analyzing these numbers, you can figure out whether your WhatsApp communication is effective or not. If many of your messages are read by users, it's a good sign to continue with the same strategy. However, if there are many unread messages then you need to modify messages so that they are more interesting or helpful.
    

9. Display your authenticity with verified badge: When your WhatsApp Business account gets verified, you will see a green checkmark badge next to your business name. This verified badge is a mark of authenticity which tells your customers that your business is genuine and trustworthy.  
   
   When customers see this badge, they feel more confident while using your products or services. Hence, verified badge is an important element to build customer relationships which makes them choose your brand over the others. 
         

10. Integrate WhatsApp with other tools and software: WhatsApp Business makes it possible to connect with other tools and software that you are using in business operations. For this, you should have APIs, which are like special connectors that join WhatsApp to other tools such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Zoho etc.
    
    WhatsApp Business API provides a range of features that helps communicate with your customers in efficient way and scale your business to reach new heights.       

Hopefully the above section offers meaningful insights on the benefits offered by WhatsApp Business.