Official WhatsApp Business API FAQ | Sangamam Online Kerala

WABA & Green Tick
1. What is the Meta Official WhatsApp Business API (WABA)?

The Official WhatsApp Business API (WABA) is Meta's enterprise-grade communication solution designed for businesses to message customers at scale securely. Unlike the free personal WhatsApp app or WhatsApp Business app, WABA operates through official Meta Cloud API infrastructure, allowing multi-user agent logins, automated chatbots, interactive button templates, official business branding, and bulk broadcast messaging with zero risk of number blocking.

WABA & Green Tick
2. How is Official WhatsApp API different from personal WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App?

Key advantages of Official WhatsApp API include:

Verified Brand Identity: Displays your official business name and optional Green Tick badge instead of an unknown mobile number.
Multi-Agent Portal: Multiple team members can log in simultaneously to respond to chats from a single official number.
No Phone/App Required: Runs 24/7 on Meta Cloud servers without needing a mobile phone connected to Wi-Fi.
Automated Chatbots & Integrations: Connect with website, CRM, Tally, WooCommerce, or billing software.
Bulk Broadcast Messaging: Send thousands of promotional or transactional messages without getting banned.

WABA & Green Tick
3. What are the requirements to apply for an Official WhatsApp Business Profile?

To set up your Official WABA Profile, you require:

Business Registration Document: GST Certificate, Udyam Aadhar, Trade License, or Incorporation Certificate.
Active Website or Facebook Page: Verifiable website domain matching your business name.
Dedicated Phone Number: A phone number capable of receiving OTP via SMS or Voice Call (must not be active on personal WhatsApp; if active, we help you migrate).
Meta Business Suite Account: A verified Meta (Facebook) Business Manager account.

WABA & Green Tick
4. How do I get the Green Tick (Verified Badge) on my WhatsApp Profile?

The Green Tick (Official Business Account Badge) is directly evaluated and granted by Meta based on business authenticity and brand reputation. Requirements include a verified Meta Business Manager, 2-factor authentication enabled, and notable brand media presence (press releases, news publications).

Note: Sangamam Online assists you end-to-end in preparing and submitting your Green Tick application to Meta for approval.

Templates & Categories
5. What are Meta WhatsApp Message Template Categories?

Meta classifies outbound business messages into 3 official categories:

Marketing: Promotional broadcasts, festival offers, product announcements, discount vouchers, and re-engagement campaigns.
Utility: Transactional updates, order confirmations, shipping updates, payment receipts, appointment reminders, and billing alerts.
Authentication: One-Time Passwords (OTPs) and account security verification codes.

Templates & Categories
6. How fast are message templates approved by Meta?

Most standard message templates submitted through the Sangamam Online portal are automatically reviewed and approved by Meta AI within a few seconds to 1 minute. Custom or complex templates may take up to 24 hours maximum for manual review.

Templates & Categories
7. What are Quick Reply and Call-To-Action (CTA) Interactive Buttons?

Interactive templates make your messages highly engaging by attaching clickable buttons:

Quick Reply Buttons: Pre-configured buttons like "Interested", "Book Now", or "Talk to Sales". Customers tap once to send an instant reply.
Call to Action (CTA) Buttons: Direct clickable website URL links (e.g., "Visit Website") or telephone dial buttons (e.g., "Call Support").

Sangamam Portal & Features
8. What key features are included in the Sangamam Online WABA Portal?

Our state-of-the-art Web Portal provides:

Bulk Broadcast Sender: Upload Excel/CSV contacts and send personalized messages (`{{Name}}`, `{{InvoiceNo}}`, etc.).
Multi-Agent Live Chat Inbox: Centralized inbox for team members to manage incoming customer inquiries.
Real-time Analytics & Delivery Reports: Detailed metrics for Sent, Delivered, Read, and Failed messages.
Campaign Scheduler: Schedule promotional broadcasts for specific dates and times.
No-Code Chatbot Builder: Create interactive auto-reply bots without programming knowledge.

Sangamam Portal & Features
9. Can I integrate Sangamam WhatsApp API with my Website, Billing, or CRM Software?

Yes! We provide developer-friendly HTTP REST APIs, Webhooks, and code snippets in PHP, Python, JavaScript, cURL, etc. You can easily integrate WhatsApp messaging with:

E-Commerce: WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, Custom PHP/React sites for order updates & OTP.
Billing/ERP: Tally, Zoho Books, Marg ERP, QuickBooks to auto-send PDF bills & payment links.
CRM: Zoho CRM, Salesforce, LeadSquared, HubSpot for instant lead alerts to sales teams.

Sangamam Portal & Features
10. Can multiple team members manage customer chats simultaneously?

Yes! Sangamam WABA Portal supports Multi-Agent Team Login. You can create staff accounts, assign conversations to specific sales/support agents, add internal notes, and track team response times—all operating under a single official WhatsApp number.

Pricing & Billing
11. How does Meta WhatsApp 24-Hour Conversation Pricing work?

Meta charges based on a 24-Hour Conversation Window model per category:

Template Message Charging (Marketing & Authentication): When a Marketing or Authentication template is sent to a user, a 24-hour conversation window opens for that category and Meta charges for that template initiation. Any further template messages sent within that active 24-hour window for the same category incur no additional charge.
User-Initiated (Service) Conversation: When a customer messages your business first, a 24-hour customer service window opens, allowing unlimited free-form replies during those 24 hours.
Direct Billing Option (Meta Business Manager): Clients have the flexibility to link their own Credit/Debit card directly in Meta (Facebook) Business Manager for direct Meta billing, OR recharge conveniently through the Sangamam Online prepaid wallet.

Pricing & Billing
12. Are there any hidden setup fees or monthly maintenance charges?

No hidden fees! Sangamam Online maintains 100% pricing transparency. There are only the exact charges shown on our website—no hidden setup fees, no surprise maintenance costs, or additional hidden charges.

Chatbots & Compliance
13. How does the WhatsApp Automated Chatbot work?

The WhatsApp Chatbot automatically greets incoming users and offers menu-driven choices (e.g. "Press 1 for Services, Press 2 for Pricing") or responds intelligently to keywords. It operates 24/7, collects customer details, and can automatically hand off complex queries to a live human agent on your team.

Chatbots & Compliance
14. Is DLT (TRAI Telecom) Registration required for WhatsApp API in India?

No! DLT registration is mandatory only for traditional SMS services regulated by TRAI in India. Official WhatsApp API is managed directly through Meta's global infrastructure and does NOT require DLT registration or SMS entity headers.

Chatbots & Compliance
15. How do I migrate my existing phone number to Official WhatsApp API?

If your desired phone number is currently active on personal WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App:

Back up your chat history if needed.
Go to WhatsApp App Settings > Account > Delete My Account.
Provide the unlinked phone number to Sangamam Online.
Our team will complete the Meta Cloud API onboarding and link the number to your WABA portal within minutes!

FB & Insta Lead Generation
16. How does Facebook & Instagram Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) Lead Generation work?

Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) Ads run across Facebook & Instagram Feeds, Stories, and Reels. When a prospective customer clicks the "Send Message" button on your FB or Instagram ad, WhatsApp opens instantly on their phone with a pre-filled greeting message. The lead lands directly into your official WhatsApp chat, eliminating traditional website form friction and boosting lead conversion rates by up to 5X compared to standard landing pages.

FB & Insta Lead Generation
17. How do I connect Facebook & Instagram Ads to our Sangamam Panel (https://waba.sangamamonline.in/)?

Connecting your Meta Ads Manager to the Sangamam Panel is straightforward:

In Meta Ads Manager, set your campaign destination to "Messaging Apps" and select WhatsApp.
Link your verified WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) ID registered with Sangamam Online.
All incoming ad leads are automatically routed in real-time into the Sangamam Messaging Platform Panel with full campaign attribution tags.

FB & Insta Lead Generation
18. How can our Sangamam Panel automatically capture and respond to FB & Instagram leads 24/7?

Through our panel's Automated Lead Responder & Chatbot Engine:

Instant Welcome Greeting: The moment a lead clicks your Facebook/Instagram ad, the panel instantly sends an automated interactive greeting with quick reply choices.
Automated Qualification Bot: Collects customer details (Name, Location, Service Requirement) automatically 24/7 without waiting for a staff member.
Instant Agent Assignment: Notifications are immediately triggered to your sales team inbox for high-priority response.

Automation & Follow-ups
19. What is Drip Automation & Follow-up Campaigning in our WhatsApp Panel?

Drip Automation allows you to automate a series of scheduled follow-up messages for leads acquired from Facebook & Instagram ads:

Day 1 (Immediate): Instant Welcome + Product Catalog / PDF Brochure download link.
Day 2: Video case study or customer review testimonial.
Day 5: Limited-time special discount coupon code or free consultation booking link.

Drip sequences run on autopilot in our panel, turning cold ad clicks into paying clients!

Ad Tracking & Analytics
20. Can we track which specific Facebook or Instagram Ad campaign generated a lead?

Yes! The Sangamam Messaging Platform automatically captures Meta Ad metadata. When a customer initiates a chat from an ad, your team can see the Ad Headline, Campaign Name, Ad Image preview, and Referral ID right inside the Live Chat Inbox window. This helps your sales team personalize their response based on the exact ad the user clicked!

Sangamam Panel Features
21. How do I send Bulk Broadcast Campaigns to Facebook & Instagram Leads in the Panel?

Inside the Sangamam Messaging Platform Panel (https://waba.sangamamonline.in/):

Go to Contacts & Segmentation -> Filter leads by campaign tags (e.g., Tag: FB-Insta-Ad-Leads).
Go to Broadcast Campaigns -> Choose your approved Meta Marketing Template.
Select your target lead segment and add custom placeholders (e.g. {{Name}}, {{Product}}).
Click Send Now or schedule for peak engagement hours.
Monitor real-time Sent, Delivered, Read, and Link Click-Through rates on your Dashboard.

Sangamam Panel Features
22. How does Multi-Agent Team Inbox help in converting Facebook & Instagram leads faster?

Speed-to-lead is critical for Meta ads! Our Multi-Agent Team Inbox enables:

Automated Round-Robin Assignment: Distributes incoming ad leads evenly among your sales agents.
Real-time Desktop & Mobile Alerts: Notifies agents immediately when a new ad lead arrives.
Lead Stage Tagging: Mark lead status (e.g., Hot Lead, Follow-up Required, Closed Sale).
Internal Team Collaboration: Staff can leave private internal notes (`@mention`) inside the chat thread visible only to team members.

Interactive Catalogs
23. Can we send Interactive Product Catalogs to Facebook & Instagram ad viewers?

Yes! You can sync your product catalog with Meta and send Multi-Product Interactive Messages directly inside WhatsApp. When a Facebook or Instagram user sends a message, your automated bot can present a scrollable product catalog with photos, descriptions, and "Add to Cart / Order Now" buttons—completing sales directly within WhatsApp!

Official WhatsApp Business API (WABA) FAQ

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