WhatsApp Business: The Complete Guide

Many businesses already receive requests on WhatsApp without ever having organized it: lost messages, slow replies, no follow-up. The free WhatsApp Business app structures all of that.

It builds on our guides to selling online in West Africa and social media strategy.

01 — Profile and catalog

A storefront inside the conversation

• Name, description, address, hours, website, email.
• Catalog with photo, price, description and link per product.
• A clean logo as the profile picture.

02 — Automating the greeting

Never leave a message unanswered

• A greeting message for new contacts.
• An away message outside business hours, stating an expected response time.
• Saved quick replies for recurring questions (price, delivery, availability).

03 — Tracking leads

Labels, your mini CRM

Sort conversations by label: "new," "quote sent," "awaiting payment," "customer." You know at a glance who to follow up with.

04 — Bringing people to WhatsApp

The click-to-chat link

A wa.me link with a pre-filled message, placed on your website, your Google profile, your social media bios and your ads. It removes all friction.

05 — Converting without pestering

The right pace

Reply quickly, be precise about price and timelines, and clearly propose the next step. Mass broadcasts should be used sparingly and only with contacts who expect them.

06 — Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

WhatsApp Business app or API?

The free app is enough for a small team. The API (paid, via a partner) comes in when volume is high, or you need multiple agents and an integration.

Can you take payments inside WhatsApp?

It depends on the country and available integrations. In practice, you share a payment link (see our mobile payment guide) and confirm the order in the conversation.

How do you avoid getting banned?

Don't send unsolicited bulk messages, honor opt-out requests, and keep usage conversational.

07 — Resources & links

Where to go, concretely