Meta Announced WhatsApp cloud API for all businesses

Powered by the engine that connects people globally, WhatsApp cloud API can help your brand grow and expand unchallenged

From connecting people to connecting businesses, WhatsApp has changed the way social media users used to interact with each other. People now want a secure, reliable, and quick way to converse, and WhatsApp is just the complete embodiment of that.

What is WhatsApp Business API?

WhatsApp Business API offers two-way communication between customers and small and medium-sized businesses. Utilizing manual and programmatic communication channels powered by agents or chatbots, businesses can fabricate an intricate and extensive system for customer interaction. 

Meta also allows easy integration and linking of API with multiple CRMs and platforms, letting you convey with convenience. 

Regarding the hosting option, you can choose to either have the API on the ground as in on premises, or you can go with the cloud option.

What is WhatsApp Cloud API?

The functioning mechanism of WhatsApp Cloud API revolves around Meta’s Graph API. A type of Remote Procedure Call expressed over HTTP; Graph API utilizes a combination of headers, request body, and URL parameters.

Calls are made via this Graph API from where Webhooks and messages are sent, and different events are received.

Compared to on-premises hosting, Graph API differs in latencies, error rates, Webhook setup process, and authentication mechanism.

Exciting features with a new promise

 With WhatsApp Cloud API, you get to enjoy the following:

• Business expansion

Expand your business beyond just a few blocks with the Chat management feature that allows chat acquisition and interaction on up to 10 devices.

• Customer acquisition

Attract new consumers and engage existing ones with customizable click-to-chat links that can be molded upon requirement. 

• Adjustable mps limit – More availability

Send up to 80 messages per second (mps) with a combined receiving and sending for media and messages. Upon request, mps can be increased to 350 by creating a direct support ticket.

• Detailed information

See how many messages you sent and how many were delivered, giving you power over important information and insights.

• Top-notch security

With foolproof security, messages that are sent from and to the user are protected with end-to-end encryption, and even WhatsApp can’t access these chats.

How much will it cost?

WhatsApp pricing is a bit different from what you might expect. 

WhatsApp offers a lot of features that are business specific and customizable to promote business-to-customer interaction across all scales. 

Now, as per Meta’s declaration at the release of WhatsApp Cloud API, businesses don’t have to pay for the hosting charges. However, as new features are being added, users, should they choose to use them, will have to pay accordingly.

Pricing mainly depends upon the initiation of the conversations, which can be:

• Customer-initiated conversations – When businesses respond to a message sent by the user.
• Business-initiated conversations – When businesses are the first ones to send a message to the customer.

Changing the digital landscape

From interactions to conversions and from conversations to engagement, everything is easy with WhatsApp cloud API. Experience no downtime with the everyday reliability that WhatsApp offers. 

Find your customers where they exist. Selling your products in a space with no audience isn’t going to help your business. 

That’s why you should set up your shop in a digital space like WhatsApp, where millennials and gen z exist and talk. With WhatsApp cloud API, you can conveniently enjoy higher opening rates and more sales. 

Encryption

Cocooned in Signal protocol encryption, WhatsApp messages in the Cloud API are safe right from the moment user presses the send button.

Because of end-to-end encryption, each business can securely send messages to destinations of their choice. Industry-standard encryption techniques protect the user data dynamically and statically within the Cloud API.

Which one should you choose?

It all boils down to what are your business requirements. 

Whether you want to deal with the headache of hosting the API on your servers and data centers, or do you want the Meta to take up hosting? Additionally, ask yourself if you wish to do the maintenance and upgrade software yourself or do you want someone to tackle the Cloud API.

From message throughput, API protocol, and costs to support and monitoring metrics, clearly, Cloud API is the better choice. 

Convex Interactive boasts a wonderful implementation and support team that will provide you with excellent product-wise and technical pre and post-sales support. 

If you have any queries on how to create your account and set up WhatsApp business API, drop a comment below or contact us. We’d be happy to help you out.