Summary

This guide outlines the steps to set up your WATI account, including prerequisites such as a WhatsApp phone number, a business display name, a Facebook Business Manager ID, and a functional business website. It explains how to purchase a WATI plan, set up your account, and navigate Facebook Business verification. The guide also addresses limitations for unverified businesses, offers solutions to increase messaging limits, and includes an FAQs section to clarify common questions about the process.

Steps you can follow to set up your WATI account:

Step 1: Purchasing a Plan and Setting Up Your Account

Once your prerequisites are ready:

Visit WATI Pricing to purchase a plan.
Complete the payment process.
You will receive login credentials to continue setting up your account.

Step 2: Prerequisites

Before you can set up your WATI account, ensure you have the following ready:

WhatsApp Phone Number
- Your phone number must NOT already have an active WhatsApp account.
- If you already have a WhatsApp account, delete it before you start onboarding.
Business Display Name
- The display name should relate to your business.
- The display name should follow WhatsApp’s Display Name guidelines.
Facebook Business Manager ID
- If you do not have a Facebook Business Manager account: Create one here.
Working Business Website
- Meta requires a public, active website to verify your business's products or services.

If you don’t have a website, you can use any free website builder to create a basic one-page website that:

Clearly mentions your business display name.
Lists the products or services you offer.
Includes your organization's contact details and address (preferable).
The website must be hosted and accessible for Meta's review. Free hosting or blogs are acceptable options.

Step 3: Business Verification and Limitations

What Happens If Your Business Is Not Verified?
- You can still use WATI and the WhatsApp Business API with limited access: Messaging Limit: You can send business-initiated messages to up to 250 contacts per 24 hours.
What is the Facebook Business Verification Process?
- Facebook’s official team reviews your business for verification. This process typically takes about 1 week. Once verified, your WATI account will have no limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General questions

1. What do I need before setting up my Wati account?

→ You’ll need a WhatsApp phone number that’s not already linked to an active WhatsApp account, a business display name that follows WhatsApp’s guidelines, a Facebook Business Manager ID, and a working business website.

2. Can I use a phone number that already has a WhatsApp account?

→ No. If your phone number is already connected to a WhatsApp account, you must delete the existing account before starting onboarding with Wati.

3. Do I need a Facebook Business Manager ID?

→ Yes. If you don’t have one, you can create it here.

4. Does my business website have to be complex?

→ No. It just needs to be public, active, and clearly display your business name, products or services, and preferably your contact details and address. Even a simple one-page site using free hosting or a blog will work.

Business verification and limits

5. Can I use Wati without Facebook Business Verification?

→ Yes. You can still use Wati and the WhatsApp Business API, but you’ll be limited to sending business-initiated messages to up to 250 contacts every 24 hours.