WhatsApp Releases New App Specifically Designed For Small Business Owners

WhatsApp has launched a brand new app that’s specifically made for small businesses. Simply called WhatsApp Business, the app is designed to help make it easier for businesses to communicate with customers and establish an online presence.

“So today we're launching WhatsApp Business — a free-to-download Android app for small businesses,” the company said on its blog. “Our new app will make it easier for companies to connect with customers, and more convenient for our 1.3 billion users to chat with businesses that matter to them.”

The WhatsApp Business app lets small business owners create profiles that will make it easier for their customers to find useful information about them. WhatsApp users will know if they’re talking to a business when they see that it’s listed as a Business Account. The company says that some Business Accounts will have Confirmed Accounts over time once it’s been confirmed that their account phone number matches the business phone number. Accounts should also include a business description, email or store addresses and website.

The app also comes with messaging tools, including “quick replies” that can send fast answers to frequently asked questions. There’s also “greeting messages,” to quickly introduce customers to the user’s business, and “away messages” to quickly inform customers that they’re busy. The WhatsApp Business app also has Messaging Statistics to help users review simple metrics like number of messages read.

The new app is compatible with WhatsApp Web, the app’s desktop browser client. This will let users continue to send and receive messages when they’re using a desktop computer.

Business owners who decide to use the new app won’t have to worry about their personal account. Both the WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business apps can be used on the same device, according to The Verge. For regular WhatsApp Messenger users, they won’t have to download anything else to start talking to businesses. All of the same features will remain, including blocking any numbers.

“Over 80% of small businesses in India and Brazil say WhatsApp helps them both communicate with customers and grow their business today,” the company said. “And WhatsApp Business will make it easier for people to connect with them, and vice versa, in a fast and simple way.”

WhatsApp Business is available to download now from the Google Play Store for users who live in the United States, the U.K., Indonesia, Italy and Mexico. The company says that it plans to roll out the new app worldwide “in the coming weeks.” However, the company didn't mention anything about an iOS version of the app.