WhatsApp Business app: How to create an engaging business profile

The way people and businesses communicate is changing. Customers are less inclined to call or email a business they shop with, preferring to send messages instead.

The free WhatsApp Business app was designed and built with you, the small business owner, in mind. It lets you communicate easily with your customers, giving them the trust and confidence they need to buy from you.

In previous blogs, we covered how to reach your target audience, how to build an engagement plan and how to create content. In this blog, we look at how creating your business profile can help your business engage with its customers.

Why is creating a great business profile important?

Your WhatsApp business profile is the first impression customers will have of your business. By creating a profile, you set a strong digital presence for yourself and give your brand credibility. You're also helping to build trust and familiarity among your customers.

Think of your business profile as your chance to stand out. Because it's likely to be the first thing people see when engaging with your business, you must pay attention to detail and make sure all the information you upload is correct and represents your brand the way you want to be perceived.

It's helpful to complete as much information as possible, so customers can start engaging with your business in a positive way. Your WhatsApp business profile allows you to add information about your company, such as:

• your business name and address

• what category of business you are

• a description of what you offer

• your email and website addresses

• times when you're open and closed

People can see this information easily when they look at your profile. As a result, you'll avoid having to answer basic questions about your business. It'll also save your customers time.

How do I create a business profile?

Creating a business profile on the WhatsApp Business app will give you more presence and help you stand out from the crowd. Here's how you do it.

• Open the WhatsApp Business app

• Tap More options > Business tools > Business Profile

• Tap Edit

• Tap on the fields you want to update and save

Registering as a business will unlock features such as the following:

• Industry Information: People can now easily identify your business by its category or industry and learn more information (for example, your hours of operation, your website address, your location and so on).

• Send and Receive: Enable two-way high-value conversations with your customers.

Your business details

Get started by filling in your business information. Set yourself apart from your competitors by providing helpful information that makes it easy for customers to find and get to know your business.

• Your photo: Choose a photo that represents your business in the best possible way and makes it stand out. Remember that the image needs to be easy to view on a mobile phone, so avoid having too many details that people might not be able to see clearly.

• Description: Make sure this is clear and concise.

• Business type: Choose the most relevant one from the options available.

• Contact details: Include whatever contact details you want customers to have access to.

Your location

You can use your business profile to list important information, such as your company's address, email and website.

Obviously, what you include here depends on the type of business you run. If you have a physical location such as a store and want customers to visit, it makes sense to put its address here. If you're an online-only business, adding your website address or links to your online shop is crucial.

The key here is providing helpful information that customers can reach in just a few taps of the screen.

Your business hours

Adding your business hours to your profile is great for the simple reason that it lets customers know when your business is open. Keeping customers informed in this way improves their experience and means you're not missing out on any sales opportunities.

Again, though, what information you provide here will vary depending on your type of business. If you have a shop or other physical premises, you'll only want customers visiting when you're open. If you're an online shop, however, it's likely that customers can order from you whenever they like.

On the WhatsApp Business app, you can edit your business hours by day but also have options like 'by appointment only'. Importantly, this can help set expectations of when customers can expect to hear from you on WhatsApp as well.

Relevant resources

Use the WhatsApp Business app to:

• Build an engagement plan

• Connect with customers

• Create engaging content

• Reach your target audience

• Build a community