Product updates
30 Mar 2023: Integrate with Huggingface.co
28 Mar 2023: Important changes to template categories
23 Mar 2023: Answer conversations on mobile
20 Mar 2023: Act on the user's last interaction
17 Mar 2023: Scan the list for unassigned chats
10 Mar 2023: Template with buttons in stacks
9 March 2023: More data in BigQuery!
16 Feb 2023: More possibilities for scheduling stacks
13 Feb 2023: Automatically mark messages as DONE
3 Feb 2023: Search with quick picks or date&time filters
17 Jan 2023: Add hyperlinks to Playbooks
11 Jan 2023: Export specific responses from Stacks
21 Nov 2022: A new look user interface!
18 Nov 2022: Build with feedback
13 Oct 2022: Reminders are in Beta!
11 Oct 2022: Building blocks
10 Oct 2022: New Turn.io Developer Docs
19 Sept 2022: More fields available in the Data Export API
15 Sept 2022: Shorter messages are better
13 Sept: Changes to the contact details API endpoint
7 Sept 2022: Stack improvements
1 Sept 2022: Learn to Build with Stacks.
19 Aug 2022: Better human support with Message Collections
18 Aug 2022: Deprecating Goals
17 Aug 2022: Build for your audience
16 Aug: Pick a date range
28 July 2022: Custom voice notes
14 July 2022: Get Stacking! Build more complex services.
4 July 2022: Faster insights
29 Jun 2022: Reminders are live!
8 Jun 2022: Track your conversations
3 May 2022: Reach out with Reminders
21 Apr 2022: Payments made easy!
3 Apr 2022: Follow up at an exact local time
20 Mar 2022: Small changes, big wins!
8 Mar 2022: Security enhancements
16 Feb 2022: Add resources to Playbooks and export Contacts
26 Jan 2022: Try out emojis in buttons, but no more 'templates' in sandboxes
5 Jan 2022: Use buttons in threads
23 Nov 2021: Button messages
2 Nov 2021: Playbooks Launch
20 Sept 2021: The end of Chatbase
9 Sept 2021: Data Export API
9 August 2021: Thread data export
22 June 2021: You know best!
21 June 2021: Sample content for templates
17 June 2021: Important security improvements
8 June 2021: Community Playbooks (Alpha)
18 March 2021: Improved billing transparency
17 March 2021: Share the amazing work you do
8 March 2021: Contextual replies and profile settings that suit you
22 Feb 2021: Button automation
18 Feb 2021: Updates to the fallback channel
17 Feb 2021: Contacts and labels data added to BQ
10 Feb 2021: Temporary limitations while we do a Search infrastructure upgrade
5 Feb 2021: Snappier and easier-to-use modals
3 Feb 2021: Add media to templates
27 Jan 2021: Add media or stickers to custom replies
21 Dec 2020: A last big release to celebrate the year
2 Dec 2020: Delete a template, get more insights and send stickers via the API
17 Nov 2020: Delete a user message
23 October 2020: Insights
19 October 2020: Hidden numbers by default
8 September 2020: Contact Profile
11 August 2020: Learn in Turn
3 August 2020: Add a list to your Exact match automations
30 July 2020: Manage your message template spend
15 July 2020: Data storage and rejection reasons
10 July 2020: WhatsApp profile and Login
FAQs
General FAQs
What is an MAU (Monthly Active User)?
Can I use Turn.io in my country?
What is Turn.io?
Can I get a free trial?
What is Google-backed?
Product FAQs
Can I format content with bold, italics etc?
How to change our chat service display name?
My sandbox isn't working? How do I connect?
Can I attach more than one image, audio clip, video or document to a message?
My emoji trigger isn't working?
How do I extract data out of Turn.io?
Can I edit and/or delete a custom profile field?
What are 'goals'?
What are 'collections'?
How to work as a team
What media can I use in messages?
Why is my video not sending?
How to setup subscription billing
What is the difference between a member and an admin?
How do I add other contact fields?
I found a bug..
WhatsApp FAQs
Can I use WhatsApp Groups on the API?
Can you give me examples of approved message templates?
What languages are allowed for message templates?
Why has my template(s) been rejected?
How are conversations charged?
Example of user-initiated vs business-initiated conversations
Can I send a free-form message?
Are all conversations paid?
Developer FAQs
Get started!
Get a WhatsApp line: Step-by-step instructions, with a video
Your WABA application checklist
Display name guidelines
What is Business Verification?
Your Business Verification checklist
Help! I got an error whilst doing embedded sign-up?
Help! I'm struggling to get my business verified?
Help! I uploaded the wrong document for Business Verification?
Help! The "Start Verification" button is greyed-out?
Help! Why hasn't my display name been approved?
Help! Our display name got rejected?
Help! What happens if we're not verified within 30 days?
Help! I can see my number in Turn but it's not working?
Help! Can I have a WhatsApp number for a different country than my business registration?
Help! We are a government entity, how do we do Facebook business verification?
Help! What is a Facebook Business Manager Account?
Help! What number can I use on WhatsApp?
Help! What is a BSP?
What number do I need for my service?
Help! What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?
How to use Turn.io
Content
How to load content
How users engage with content
Structure and plan your content
Create your first menu
How to send custom replies
How to send custom voice notes?
How to add a button message
How to upload stickers
How to delete a message that a user sent?
Threads
The ABC of threads
How to create a thread
Different thread card types
How to add skip logic to your thread
How to use personalisation in threads
Start a thread when a user reply with a button.
Export your thread data
Create a sequential learning experience with Threads
Build and Stacks
What is Build? What are Stacks?
What can I do with the Alpha version of Build?
Where do I start with Build and Stacks?
Where do I find Stacks documentation?
Build for your audience
What to expect of Build while it is in Alpha?
Automation
How to set up basic automations
The available trigger types
The available action types
How to set up advanced automations
How to set up multiple language automation
How to set up a follow-up timer
Automation tips & tricks
Triggers explained: Message received STARTS WITH...
Triggers explained: Message received EXACTLY matches...
Triggers explained: Message received does NOT exactly match...
Triggers explained: Message received is a BUTTON PRESSED...
Triggers explained: Message received is from a specific COUNTRY...
Triggers explained: Message received is AUTOMATICALLY labelled...
Triggers explained: Message received from a specific CONTACT PROFILE......
How to send stickers in automation
How to set up a sequential content delivery experience using Automation and Custom Profile Fields
How to send 'Welcome back' message to returning users
Use a follow up timer based on local time
Reminders
How to send or schedule a reminder?
How many people can I send Reminders to?
Contact search examples (alpha feature)
Understanding Reminders' statuses and stats
Message templates
How to re-connect with users using message templates
Create and submit your template(s) for approval
Send message templates to users
How to add buttons to a template
How to add media to a template
Delete or copy a template
Contacts
Search and Label
Collections, Assign and Roles
How to create and use collections
How to assign or share a conversation
Team roles
Search for sent or received or all messages
How to add team members?
How to log in to your account
Overview of the Turn.io user interface
What is chat for impact?
The WhatsApp Business Platform
Three key rules of engagement
A closer look at the WhatsApp Business API
Understanding conversation-based pricing
Message types: Session vs. Template messages
Message template rules
Message template troubleshooting
Reasons why your template(s) gets rejected
You need opt-in to initiate messages
Human escalation path required
WhatsApp Terms & Privacy Policy updates
WhatsApp's quality rating and messaging limits
Examples of how to upgrade to the next tier
Important updates to template categories
Connect with your users on chat
Great ways of marketing your chat service
Use a ‘wa.me’ link and QR code to market your service
Get user consent in a WhatsApp conversation
Use automation to collect opt-in
Use the opt-in webform to collect user consent
Manage your online presence by updating your WhatsApp profile
Design an impactful solution
Create good chat service content
Varying interpretations of emoji
Changing behaviour is difficult. Here's some help!
Guiding and tracking
Set up a data connection to BigQuery
Understand your BigQuery data and queries
Conversation billing
How to top up your 'available amount' for conversations?
Example queries for your data
Insights
For developers
Turn.io API documentation
Integrations
Where do I find my credentials for the Message Template API?
How do I create message templates via the API?
Upload and send a sticker via the API
Replacing the Contact Export API
New to webhooks?
Custom Integrations
How to set up a RapidPro integration
Notify your team over email when someone needs urgent help
Getting data from the Contacts API endpoint
Spanish Articles
Una introducción a la WhatsApp Business API
Echar un vistazo más de cerca a la WhatsApp Business API
Tres reglas clave de participación
Tipos de mensajes: Mensajes de sesión versus plantilla
Necesita de adhesión para iniciar mensajes
Se requiere un proceso humano de escalamiento
Calificación de calidad y límites de mensajería de WhatsApp
Actualizaciones de los Términos de Servicio y la Política de Privacidad de WhatsApp
- All Resources
- What is chat for impact?
- An introduction to the WhatsApp Business Platform
An introduction to the WhatsApp Business Platform
Updated
by Pippa
Find out what the WhatsApp Business Platform is and why it’s become a valuable customer-engagement tool.
By now, you’re convinced to use WhatsApp as a communication channel, but you still need to determine which application within the WhatsApp eco-system is most suitable for your organisation.
Let’s start by looking at some of the differences between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform:
WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform | |
Target market | A standalone app for small businesses with local audiences. | Best suited to large organisations that want to communicate at a global scale. |
Account setup | Purchase a new sim card and download the app to get started. | You’ll need the assistance of a business service provider (BSP) like Turn to help with integration and set-up. |
Costs | The app is free to use. | Some types of messages are free; others come at a price. |
Permitted content | You can message any of your contacts whenever it suits you. | You can only respond within 24 hours if a user gets in touch with you. Alternatively, you can send paid-for, highly structured message templates. |
Team | Only one person or agent can access the app. | An unlimited number of agents can access the Platform. |
Accessibility | Use the service via a dedicated app. | Use a user interface such as Turn.io to chat. |
Calls | App can make voice and video calls. | Voice and video calls are not possible. |
Automation | Use quick replies for frequently asked questions. | Use automation to manage replies at scale. |
Contacts | Built-in phone book. | No built-in customer relationship management (CRM), but integration with external systems possible. |
In short, if you’re a small business engaging with around 1,000 unique users per month and need a simple way to set up a few basic responses and use features like quick replies, you can get going by downloading the free WhatsApp Business app from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
However, if you’re a large organisation with a potential global audience – and you require more sophisticated automation functionality or artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions to serve your end-users – the API is a better fit.
What is an API?
Once you’ve established that the WhatsApp Business Plathorm offers the perfect chat solution for your organisation, you might still be wondering what an API actually is.
Let’s explain the concept of an “Application Programming Interface” (API) by using a simple comparison:
Imagine for a moment that you're staying at a hotel. An API can be compared to the reception desk. The staff at reception makes it easy for you, the hotel guest, to tap into a variety of services – from getting your clothes ironed and your calls put through to your room to ordering breakfast. You don’t have to worry about what goes on behind the scenes. You simply pick up the phone or walk to the desk, and the staff acts as the “interface” that connects you to all the other hotel services.
In the same way, an API allows applications to communicate with each other, exchange information, and shield users from all the complexities that go on behind the scenes.

The WhatsApp Business Platform
When it comes to the business of chatting for impact, we’re specifically interested in the WhatsApp Business Platform, as it’s a fast, secure, reliable way for organisations to reach a global audience.
The WhatsApp Business Platform supports many of the features you’ve been using on WhatsApp all along, including the fact that your messages and other information are secured from falling into the wrong hands. The key difference is that the application can be deployed on a server, providing a local API that allows you to send and receive messages programmatically. The API can also integrate with your existing systems.
It’s important to note that WhatsApp offers no user interface for the WhatsApp Business API. You cannot download an app like you can for the personal or business solution, and neither is the API open and available to all organisations. You can only access the API via official business solution providers (BSPs) such as Turn.io.
The API is subject to a set of rules, which we will explore in subsequent articles. For now, the key points to remember are:
- You can only access the Platform via official business solution providers (BSPs) such as Turn.io.
- The application process takes time but provides the benefit that users can trust your business profile on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp doesn’t allow marketing and promotional notifications. If you’re used to push-based communication strategies, you’ll need to re-wire your thinking to design a pull-based service. With this type of service, the end-user is in charge of the conversation.
- An unlimited number of people and devices can access your account via the Platform. This means that a whole team can work together to give your users the best experience possible.
- You can integrate the Platform with your internal systems. You can connect your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools to it, or integrate it with your preferred analytics tools.
- There are different message types that can be utilised with the API. Some message types are free, while you’ll need to pay for others.
Help is at hand
Turn.io provides access to the WhatsApp Business Platform, giving social-impact organisations the building tools they need to amplify the remarkable work they do.
The Turn.io product is a web-based application that provides both a user interface for non-technical team members and API endpoints for developers. We love this technology because it allows our clients to automate repetitive tasks and free up their creativity to focus on the tasks machines cannot do: solving challenging problems that require empathy. 💛