WhatsApp is by far the most widely used messaging app on the planet. Every day, 2 billion active everyday users send billions of messages.
The company’s drive into the commercial market continues today with the announcement that the WhatsApp Cloud API will be available to all organizations globally.
The new developer tool, which went into beta testing in November, is a cloud-based version of the WhatsApp Business API, WhatsApp’s first revenue-generating commercial product that is housed on Meta’s infrastructure.
Over the last many years, the popular messaging had been developing its Business API platform as one of the primary revenue streams for the otherwise free messaging service.
WhatsApp charges companies per message, with fees varying depending on the region and volume of messages sent.
Thousands of firms, including Vodafone, Coppel, Sears Mexico, BMW, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Iberia Airlines, Itau Brazil, iFood, Bank Mandiri, and others, were using the non-cloud edition of the Business API as of ending of last year. The API’s on-premise version is available to use and free.
The cloud-based version, on the other hand, is aimed at smaller enterprises and decreases integration time from weeks to minutes, according to the organization. It’s also completely free.
Companies connect the API with their back-end systems, with WhatsApp communication typically being just one component of their overall messaging and communication plan. They may also want to communicate via SMS, other messaging applications, emails, and other methods.
Businesses usually partner with a solution provider like Zendeks or Twilio to aid them with these integrations. During the cloud API beta tests, Zendesk in the United States, Take in Brazil, and MessageBird in the European Union were among the offerings.
Recently, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the worldwide, public accessibility of the cloud-based platform, now known as the WhatsApp Cloud API, during Meta’s messaging-focused “Conversations” live event.
The best business experiences, he said, meet people where they are. Every week, over 1 billion users across messaging services connect with a corporate account.
They’re looking for assistance, products, and services, and to purchase everything from high-ticket things to ordinary items.
He shared his delight at the news that the WhatsApp Cloud API will make WhatsApp available to any business of any size anywhere around the globe.
According to him, the company hopes the new API would allow businesses of all sizes to interact with more consumers.
Meta claims that the Cloud API will assist partners to remove expensive server costs and provide clients with immediate access to new features as they become available, in addition to enabling businesses and developers to get established quicker than with the on-premise edition.
Some companies may prefer to use the specific WhatsApp Business app rather than the API. The WhatsApp Business App, which was launched in 2018, is intended for smaller businesses that want to have an official presence on WhatsApp and communicate with clients.
It includes features such as support for automatic rapid replies, greeting messages, FAQs, away messaging, statistics, and more that are not available to users of the free WhatsApp messaging program.
Meta is also announcing new premium capabilities for its WhatsApp Business app today, including the capability to handle chats across up to ten devices.
The firm will also offer new customizable WhatsApp click-to-chat links to assist businesses to engage clients across their whole online presence, including Meta’s other apps like Facebook and Instagram.
These will be part of a premium offering for WhatsApp Business app subscribers coming soon. More information, including cost, will be released at a later time.
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