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Christian Strauch
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Managing Director & Co-Founder
With Mateo, you provide your customers with an outstanding customer experience and gain loyal fans.
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With more than 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is the most popular messenger. In Germany alone, over 60 million people use the messenger daily (source: Statista 2022). WhatsApp owner Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook) has also been offering companies the option of using the messenger for customer communication for several years with WhatsApp Business. But what are actually the main differences between the conventional WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business? What functions do the two variants offer and how can companies use WhatsApp Business? In this article, you will learn more about this.
What is WhatsApp Messenger?
WhatsApp Messenger is a widely used, free messaging app for Android and Apple smartphones. WhatsApp allows individuals to send text messages, pictures, videos, and audio files easily and quickly. Group chats and voice and video calls are also possible. The user interface is intuitively designed and the operation is therefore extremely user-friendly. A special feature is the end-to-end encryption, which provides additional security in communication. WhatsApp Messenger can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The setup is very simple and is explained step by step when using the app for the first time.
What is WhatsApp Business?
WhatsApp Business is a free app available for Android and Apple smartphones, designed specifically for small businesses. WhatsApp Business simplifies interaction with customers by providing tools to automate, sort, and quickly reply to messages. The user interface and many features are similar to those of the WhatsApp Messenger app for individuals, making WhatsApp Business very easy to use for most businesses.
WhatsApp Business can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play Store and the App Store. You can find all the setup info in our article"WhatsApp Business setup - detailed instructions".
WhatsApp Business features
Compared to the app for individuals, a WhatsApp corporate account offers many additional features. Here is an overview:
Company profile
WhatsApp Business allows the creation of a detailed company profile. In addition to name and picture, opening hours and company description can be added. Other important information, such as a company's address, email address, phone number and website can also be added.
Product catalogs
The WhatsApp Business App makes it possible to integrate product catalogs directly in the chat. Customers can thus explore products and services without having to leave the app.
Categorization of customers and chats
Chats and customers can be categorized for better organization. Labels such as "New customer", "Prospective customer", "Service request" or "Open invoice" help with sorting and make your chats clearer.
Messaging tools
WhatsApp Business offers useful messaging tools such as message templates, automatic out-of-office notes and text modules to optimize communication. As a result, you can save valuable working time in customer service and your customers stay informed thanks to the automated responses (e.g. outside business hours).
What is the difference between WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business?
To keep track of the many differences between the conventional WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business, all important information is summarized in the following table.
WhatsApp Business API enables even more professional communication
What is the WhatsApp Business API?
To provide larger businesses with a secure, scalable, and GDPR-compliant solution tailored to their needs, Facebook launched the WhatsApp Business API in August 2018. This application programming interface (API) enables businesses to receive and reply to WhatsApp messages from their customers.
Unlike the WhatsApp Business App, the API itself comes without a user interface. The API connects WhatsApp with a professional messaging tool, such as Mateo offers. Companies integrate the WhatsApp API endpoint into the software of an official WhatsApp Business Solution provider. Mateo offers enterprise customers the corresponding integration in a clear user interface with its in-house software.
The main peculiarities and functions of the WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API offers businesses significantly more features than the traditional WhatsApp Business app. There are also some important peculiarities that users need to keep in mind when using WhatsApp via the API interface.
WhatsApp newsletter
Companiescan send marketing newsletters via the API. In doing so, the so-called "Promotional Messages" must be approved by WhatsApp and recipients must agree via an opt-in.
Software integrations
TheAPI enables the integration of WhatsApp into other applications. With Mateo and Zapier, a simple connection to more than 6,000 applications is possible, for example, to send order confirmations automatically.
Unlimited users & devices
With the WhatsApp Business API, an unlimited number of users can use the same WhatsApp account. The number of linked devices is also not limited.
GDPR-compliant
The use of WhatsApp Business is generally not compatible with the GDPR . The WhatsApp Business API, on the other hand, is data protection compliant. This allows you to avoid the warnings, severe penalties and expensive legal costs that often occur in the event of non-compliance with the DSGVO (= use of the standard WhatsApp Business app).
The differences of WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API at a glance
We have also summarized the differences between the functions and features of WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp Business and the WhatsApp Business API in a clear table:
What are the advantages of the WhatsApp Business API in conjunction with Mateo?
Mateo's WhatsApp API interface offers many other benefits and improves your customer communication in dozens of aspects. Our customers particularly appreciate the following advantages:
- Centralizeduser interface: Mateo combines WhatsApp Business API, email, Instagram, SMS and Facebook Messenger in one central inbox. The intuitive user interface includes various tools for efficient customer communication and saves you valuable working time.
- Integrations: With Mateo you can integrate WhatsApp with over 6,000 software programs and send fully automated messages such as invitations, order confirmations, shipping information, invoices or reminders.
- Newsletter marketing: Send GDPR-compliant newsletters via WhatsApp or SMS and benefit from open rates of over 95%.
- Review management: Mateo can automatically request online reviews from your customers, boosting your Google ranking and trust in your business.
- Data protection: Mateo complies with all German and European data protection requirements and offers end-to-end encryption for secure customer communication.
- Scalability: Our software is suitable for companies of any size and can be expanded indefinitely depending on the package.
- Cost-effective provider: With an entry-level price of just 79 euros per month, Mateo offers excellent value for money.
Arrange a free and non-binding consultation and we will show you how MATEO can meet your communication needs! Simply book an appointment here or write to us via our web widget.
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