# WhatsApp Business

Connect your business to WhatsApp through the official WhatsApp Business API. This channel is the recommended choice for businesses that need reliable, high-volume WhatsApp messaging with pre-approved message templates and delivery tracking. You can also begin the WhatsApp Business API setup during the guided onboarding wizard.

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## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

* A **Meta Business account** (business.facebook.com)
* A **verified business** on Meta (business verification)
* A DM Champ account with sufficient credits
* A phone number that is **not** already registered with WhatsApp (personal or Business app)

> **Note:** The phone number you use for WhatsApp Business API cannot simultaneously be used with the regular WhatsApp app. If you want to keep using your personal WhatsApp, purchase a new number through DM Champ instead.

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## Step 1: Buy a Phone Number

DM Champ lets you purchase a phone number directly from the platform. This number is set up automatically and can be used for both WhatsApp and SMS.

1. Navigate to **Phone Numbers** in the left sidebar.
2. Click **Buy Number**.
3. Select the **country** where you want your number to be based.
4. Browse the list of available numbers and choose one that suits your needs.
5. Enter a **display name** for the number (this is for your internal reference).
6. Select a **category** for the number.
7. Click **Purchase**.

Credits will be deducted from your account for the purchase. You will also be charged a monthly maintenance fee of **50 credits** to keep the number active.

> **Tip:** Choose a number in the same country as the majority of your customers. This builds trust and can reduce messaging costs.

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## Step 2: Activate the Number for WhatsApp

After purchasing your number, you need to activate it for WhatsApp messaging:

1. Go to **Phone Numbers** in the left sidebar.
2. Find the number you just purchased.
3. Click the **WhatsApp activation icon** next to the number.
4. Follow the prompts to connect your number with the WhatsApp Business API.
5. Select **"Announce active"** to make the number live on WhatsApp.

During activation, you will be asked to log in to your Meta Business account and grant DM Champ the necessary permissions to send and receive WhatsApp messages on your behalf.

> **Important:** Activation may take a few minutes. Once completed, the number's WhatsApp status will update to reflect it is active.

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## Step 3: Set Up Your WhatsApp Business Profile

Your WhatsApp Business profile is what customers see when they interact with your business. A complete profile builds credibility and trust.

1. Go to **Phone Numbers** and select your WhatsApp-active number.
2. Open the **WhatsApp Profile** settings.
3. Fill in the following fields:

| Field               | Description                                                                                  |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Profile Picture** | Your business logo or photo (recommended: square, at least 640x640px)                        |
| **Category**        | Select the category that best describes your business (e.g., Restaurant, Retail, Healthcare) |
| **Description**     | A description of your business                                                               |
| **Address**         | Your business address                                                                        |
| **Email**           | Your business contact email                                                                  |
| **About**           | A short description of your business (max 139 characters)                                    |
| **Website**         | Your business website URL                                                                    |

4. Click **Save** to update your profile.

> **Tip:** Complete all profile fields. Customers are more likely to engage with businesses that have a professional, fully filled-out profile.

***

## Understanding Messaging Limits

WhatsApp imposes messaging limits to protect users from spam. These limits determine how many unique contacts you can message within a 24-hour rolling window.

> **Note:** Since October 2025, messaging limits are applied at the **business portfolio level**, not per phone number. All phone numbers in your portfolio share the same limit.

### Tier System

| Tier           | Unique Contacts per 24 Hours | How to Reach                           |
| -------------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Unverified** | 250                          | Default for new, unverified businesses |
| **Verified**   | 2,000                        | Complete business verification         |
| **Tier 2**     | 10,000                       | Maintain high-quality messaging        |
| **Tier 3**     | 100,000                      | Sustained high-quality at scale        |
| **Unlimited**  | No limit                     | Exceptional quality track record       |

### How to Increase Your Limits

* **Verify your business** on Meta Business Manager to move beyond the initial 250-contact limit to 2,000.
* **Maintain high message quality** - avoid getting reported or blocked by recipients.
* **Send messages consistently** - WhatsApp automatically increases your tier when you reach approximately half your current limit with good quality ratings. Tier upgrades now happen within 6 hours of meeting the criteria.

> **Important:** These limits apply to **business-initiated** conversations only (template messages). Customer-initiated conversations where the customer messages you first do not count toward your limit.

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## Message Types

WhatsApp Business API supports two categories of messages, each with different rules and use cases.

### Session Messages (Free-form)

Session messages are regular text, images, videos, documents, and other media that you can send within an active conversation window.

* Can include any content (text, images, video, audio, documents)
* Can only be sent within the **24-hour messaging window** (see below)
* No pre-approval required

### Template Messages

Template messages are pre-approved message formats that allow you to initiate conversations with customers outside the 24-hour window.

* Must be submitted to Meta for approval before use
* Support variables for personalization (e.g., customer name, order number)
* Required for initiating new conversations or re-engaging after 24 hours
* Available in multiple languages

To manage templates in DM Champ:

1. Navigate to your **Campaign** settings.
2. Go to the **Templates** section.
3. Create a new template with your desired content and variables.
4. Submit the template for approval.
5. Once approved, the template is available for use in campaigns and manual messaging.

> **Note:** Template approval typically takes a few minutes to a few hours but can take up to 24 hours in some cases.

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## The 24-Hour Messaging Window

WhatsApp enforces a 24-hour conversation window to protect users:

* **When a customer messages you**, a 24-hour window opens. During this window, you can send any type of message (session messages) freely.
* **After 24 hours of inactivity** (no message from the customer), the window closes. You can only re-engage the customer using an approved **template message**.
* **When you send a template message**, a new 24-hour window opens once the customer responds.

### How This Affects Your Workflow

| Scenario                                         | What You Can Send                                |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Customer just messaged you (within 24 hours)     | Any message type - text, images, documents, etc. |
| More than 24 hours since customer's last message | Only approved template messages                  |
| Customer replied to your template                | Any message type (new 24-hour window opened)     |

> **Tip:** If your AI bot is active on a campaign, it will automatically handle responses within the 24-hour window. For re-engagement after the window closes, set up follow-up template messages in your campaign settings.

***

## Testing Your Setup

Before going live with customers, verify everything is working correctly:

1. **Send a test message:**
   * Go to your campaign and click **Send Test Message**.
   * Enter your own phone number (a number with WhatsApp installed).
   * Send a test message and confirm it arrives on WhatsApp.
2. **Test incoming messages:**
   * Send a WhatsApp message from your personal phone to your business number.
   * Verify the message appears in the DM Champ inbox.
3. **Test AI bot responses (if enabled):**
   * Send a message to your business number.
   * Verify the AI bot responds within the expected timeframe.
   * Check that the bot's responses align with your campaign instructions and FAQ.
4. **Test template messages:**
   * Create and approve a simple template.
   * Send the template to your test number.
   * Confirm the template arrives correctly with all variables filled in.

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## Troubleshooting

### Number Not Appearing as Active

* Ensure you completed the full activation process, including logging into your Meta Business account and granting permissions.
* Check that your Meta Business account is in good standing.
* Wait a few minutes and refresh the page - activation can take time.

### Messages Not Sending

* Verify you have sufficient credits in your account.
* Check if you have reached your messaging limit tier.
* Ensure the recipient's phone number is in the correct international format (e.g., +1234567890).
* If sending outside the 24-hour window, make sure you are using an approved template.

### Template Rejected

* Review Meta's template guidelines - templates cannot contain promotional content in certain categories.
* Ensure your template does not violate WhatsApp's Commerce Policy or Business Policy.
* Check for formatting issues, such as mismatched placeholders (the `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` fields where personalized data goes).
* Read the rejection reason that Meta provided, make changes to address it, and resubmit.

### Poor Message Quality Rating

* Review your message content for relevance and value to recipients.
* Avoid sending messages to contacts who have not opted in.
* Reduce message frequency if recipients are reporting or blocking you.
* Check your campaign targeting to ensure you are reaching the right audience.

### "Phone Number Not Found" Error

* The phone number may not be properly linked to your Meta Business Account.
* Try re-activating the phone number through the WhatsApp activation flow.
* Contact DM Champ support if the issue persists.

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## Best Practices

* **Always get consent** before messaging customers on WhatsApp. This is both a Meta requirement and good practice.
* **Respond quickly** to customer messages to make the most of the 24-hour window.
* **Keep templates concise and valuable** - high-quality templates get approved faster and perform better.
* **Monitor your quality rating** in Meta Business Manager to avoid tier downgrades.
* **Use the AI bot** to ensure 24/7 responsiveness within the messaging window.