In the world of eCommerce, "WhatsApp Business Verification" is a crucial step towards establishing your brand's authenticity. This comprehensive guide walks you through the process of obtaining the coveted green tick mark on your WhatsApp Business profile, symbolizing your business's verified status. From understanding the prerequisites to the step-by-step verification process, this article equips you with the knowledge to enhance your brand's credibility and stand out in the crowded WhatsApp Business platform.
Everyday there is an increasing number of players entering the WhatsApp Business marketing platform. The flexibility and conversational nature inherent to WhatsApp offers a great way for businesses to grow organically and communicate effectively with customers. And because of this it isn’t very surprising how big the chat app has become among big and small businesses alike.
And when countless businesses are getting into WhatsApp for marketing, it is important that your business doesn’t get lost in the crowd and look mediocre. Â
After setting up your WhatsApp Business account and starting out with WhatsApp Business API, the next major concern for your business should be about asserting your legitimacy. Establishing yourself as a legitimate brand on WhatsApp is key when it comes to striking a chord with your potential customers. In this case, what you need is a Green Tick.
What is a WhatsApp Green Tick?
A WhatsApp green tick is the badge or a green tick mark on your WhatsApp Business API number’s profile. You will receive it when your business profile gets successfully verified on WhatsApp. In summation, beyond how cool it looks, it’s your mark of being a legit business on WhatsApp, or an Official Business Account to be exact. Hence you are marked as an authentic business.
WhatsApp has a simple verification process that one has to go through, in order for them to earn the badge and become a verified business, if you have the prerequisites to get verified.
Here's how it appears:
Why Do You Need a WhatsApp Green Tick?
A WhatsApp green tick means your brand is unique, dependable and legit. Â And by large, these are important aspects that customers look for in a business. There are a number of benefits that a green tick can offer you in your WhatsApp business marketing venture.
- Your brand name will be visible to your customers even without them having to save your business contact number. Now your brand and your messages will be noted instantly by customers.
‍ - One long term benefit is that the green tick can become a part of your overall branding, enhancing the brand's persona.
‍ - Having a green tick badge means that your brand is authentic, and this reduces the chances of customers blocking your WhatsApp contact. On the other hand, unverified business contacts get blocked by customers more often.
‍ - Having a green tick, projects you as a unique and interesting brand, so lower are the chances of your messages getting ignored. This potential for increased read-rate for your messages will result in higher ROI on the cost of messaging.
‍ - A WhatsApp green tick essentially makes your business look reliable and trustworthy. Since trust is key in any business this can subtly help in convincing customers to make an online purchase from you.
Is your Business Eligible for Green Tick?
There are a couple of prerequisites that are needed for getting a verified WhatsApp green tick.
- The first thing you need to get a WhatsApp green tick is a WhatsApp API Account
- You should have a verified Facebook Business Manager
- You will need to enable 2-step authentication
- You must be a reputed and legitimate brand
It’s important to note here that not all industries and brands can get a WhatsApp green tick.
There are certain industries who cannot apply for either - a WhatsApp green tick nor for WhatsApp Business API. Their application gets rejected by WhatsApp almost immediately.
These are some of the industries that are not eligible for the WhatsApp green tick verification:
- Alcohol Companies/Brands
- Adult Product/Services
- Dating Services
- Weapons and Ammo Business
- Drugs and Tobacco Businesses
- Gambling Services
- Cryptocurrencies
- Medical and Healthcare Products
You can find the complete list of ineligible industries in WhatsApp’s legal document.
How to Verify Your WhatsApp Account?
Now that we know what you need to get a green tick on WhatsApp, let’s get down to how you can get verified. You can request for verifying your Business account from Facebook Business Manager by following the instructions below.
Step 1:
After logging in to your Facebook Business Manager, click “Business Settings”
Step 2:
Select “WhatsApp Accounts” under accounts. People might have multiple accounts and if this is the case with you, select the account that you want to request verification for.
Step 3:
After that go to “Settings” and then click “Contact Support”.
Step 4:
On the top-right there will be an option saying “Ask a Question”. Click on it and then select “WABiz: Request official business account status”.
Step 5:
Fill in the information required for the verification process. Before you proceed to send your business details for the verification process make sure that you have set up 2-factor authentication.
Step 6:
You can find the status of the request under the “Direct Support” option in your Facebook Business Manager.
When your verification request is approved, your WhatsApp Business Account will get upgraded into an Official Business account automatically. After this a verified green tick badge will be visible right next to your profile. This officially means that your business is now a verified business on WhatsApp.
Having good PR with articles written about your brand can increase the chance of your business getting verified.
How Long Does It Take to Get a WhatsApp Green Tick Verification?
After applying for verifying your brand on WhatsApp, now you wait. Don’t worry! Usually, if a business is going to get verified, WhatsApp reverts within the span of 2-4 working days.
Those brands that did not get verified, or if their Green Tick application got rejected, they can still apply for verification. But they will have to wait for 30 days before they can send out an application again.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Green Tick for Your WhatsApp Business Account?
Like everything good, getting verified on WhatsApp seems like it would cost you, doesn’t it? Well not really! Applying for a Green Tick badge for your WhatsApp Business profile is free of cost.
There are businesses that may charge some fee for applying to WhatsApp for verification on your behalf.
Get Your Green Tick!
In order to get your business on a smooth growth track, you need to do a lot of things right. And getting your WhatsApp API verified for a Green Tick is one of the earliest steps you can take to get on that track. Having a verified tick adds credibility to your business which in turn helps you build trust with your customers on a long-term basis.
To make this simpler, use a WhatsApp Business API solution provider like QuickReply.ai to help you set up the right account on WhatsApp that stands a higher chance of getting qualified.
FAQ-
Q1. How can I become a WhatsApp business green badge holder?
Ans: To become a WhatsApp business green badge holder, you'll need to follow these steps:
1. Go to the WhatsApp Business website and register as an admin.
2. Add your company's phone number to your profile by clicking on the "Add Number" button.
3. Click "Save" at the bottom of the screen after you've added your phone number.
4. Wait for WhatsApp to send you a confirmation code via SMS once your number has been added successfully!
‍Q2. Why WhatsApp Green Tick Is Needed For Your Business?
Ans: The WhatsApp green tick is a sign that shows that your business is legitimate. Without this, your customers may think that you are a fraud and they will not trust you. In addition to this, when they see the green tick on the app, they know that they can chat with you in real time which makes them feel like they are talking to an actual person instead of just an automated system.
‍Q3. Does WhatsApp green tick verification impact your eCommerce business?
Ans: Due to customers being able to see your brand name without saving your contact information, the WhatsApp green tick increases your visibility. Gaining the trust of your audience will boost engagement, which frequently results in a higher return on investment for your marketing effort.