Gaining the Official Business Account (OBA), also known as green tick verification on WhatsApp can be a significant milestone for any business. It not only enhances your brand’s credibility but also assures customers of your authenticity.
This article will guide you through the process of obtaining the green tick verification on WhatsApp for your business.
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Why Get a Green Tick?
The green tick on WhatsApp is more than just a symbol; it’s a mark of credibility and authenticity. It appears next to your display name, ensuring customers that your business is recognized and verified by WhatsApp.
Having a green tick next to your business name on WhatsApp can significantly enhance your brand’s perception. It instills a sense of trust and reliability among customers, making them more comfortable to engage and transact with your business.
Must Have Requirements to Get Green Tick
Before diving into the application process to get the green tick, let’s look at the must have requirements and eligibility criteria to get it:
- WhatsApp API Setup – Your business must have completed the setup of the WhatsApp API with your phone number. This step is crucial as it forms the foundation of your application for the green tick. Note that it’s not possible to get green tick for the free WhatsApp Business mobile app.
- Meta Business Account Verification – You need you have your Meta business account is verified. This verification is a required to show the legitimacy of your business on Meta’s platforms.
- Display Name Approval – Your display name on WhatsApp must be approved. This name is the identity of your business on WhatsApp and should be recognizable and relevant to your brand.
- Two-step Verification – You should also have two-step verification enabled for your phone number from Phone Numbers > Settings > Two-step Verification tab.
- Media Presence – Your should must have presence online and have at least 3 pieces of organic content like PR articles, blog post on major publications, covered by news/media outlets etc. Paid PR articles do not count.
Once you have these things ready, you can move ahead with the application process.
Steps to Get Green Tick Verification for Free
Process for applying for green tick verification is quite simple. Just follow the steps below and you’re good to go:
Step 1 – Go to Phone Numbers page
Open Phone Numbers page on your WhatsApp Manager. It might ask you to select your Meta Business account. Make sure to choose the correct one to proceed to the Phone Numbers page.
Once on this page, it should look like the following. Click on the Settings icon next to your phone number.
Step 2 – Navigate to Profile page
Once on the Phone number settings page, click on the Profile tab. It should look something like the following. Once on this page, click on Submit request button.
If the button shows disabled, there might still be a few steps left to complete from the requirements shared above. Complete those first and come back to this page to continue the application process.
Step 3 – Submit Request for Green Tick Verification
On clicking the Submit request button a popup will open with various fields.
- Business website – This should show your business website URL that you added earlier during API setup. Note that this URL must be your business’ website and not any random URL from Instagram, Facebook or any such 3rd party website. You will not be able to edit this website here. You will be able to do that from Business info settings page.
- Country of operation – Enter the country where your business is registered and from where you operate primarily.
- Primary language – Enter the primary language that you’ll be using to communicate with your customers.
- Parent company – If name of your company is different from your brand name, put the name of company here. For example our brand name is WANotfier and parent company name is Fantastech Solutions, so we put the display name as WANotifier and the parent company name in this field.
- Support links – In this field add 3 – 4 links to articles, blog posts, or independent reviews that talks about your brand and shows that it is well-known and recognized by customers. Your website, Facebook or Instagram page, self-published, paid or promotional content are not allowed.
Fill in all the details and click on the Submit button to submit your application.
After submission, your application undergoes a review process by WhatsApp. The approval is subject to WhatsApp’s discretion, primarily based on your brand’s popularity and media presence.
IMPORTANT NOTE – One important thing to note before you submit your application is that if your application gets rejected for any reason, you can re-apply only after 30 days. So make sure you have followed the instructions above and everything in place before you hit that Submit button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about green tick verification.
1. What are the benefits of green tick verification?
The green tick verification on WhatsApp enhances your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. It ensures that contacts see your business name with a green tick badge instead of just a number, even if they haven’t added you to their contacts.
This verification can increase customer confidence, improve brand perception, and potentially lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
2. Is it required to apply for green tick to use WhatsApp API?
No, it’s not mandatory to have a green tick to use the WhatsApp API. All features of the WhatsApp Business API are accessible without the green tick. The green tick is an additional feature that adds a layer of trust and authenticity to your brand but does not impact the functionalities and benefits of the API.
3. How long does it take to get the green tick?
The time frame for receiving a response from WhatsApp regarding green tick verification can vary. Typically, it takes about 7-10 days to receive a response from Meta after submitting your application. However, this duration can vary based on individual cases and the volume of applications being processed.
4. Are there any business categories that are prohibited from getting green tick?
Yes, certain business categories are restricted from using the WhatsApp API which also translates to restriction in obtaining the official WhatsApp Business Badge. These include businesses dealing with:
- Drugs
- Tobacco Items
- Gambling Businesses
- Alcohol Brands
- Weapons & Ammunition Businesses
- Live Animals
- Adult Product/Services
- Medical & Healthcare Products
- Dating Services
- Cryptocurrencies
As you can not get access to WhatsApp API for these business categories, you can also not get green tick if your business falls in any of these categories.
5. My application got rejected, what to do next?
If your green tick application is rejected, focus on strengthening your brand’s online presence and media coverage. Ensure your display name is relevant to your branding and gather more organic PR. There are many PR agencies online that can help with this.
You can reapply for the green tick after making these improvements after a waiting period of about 30 days. If you want more details on rejection reason, appeal the decision or just speed up the process, you can reach out to WhatsApp via their Direct Support channel.
6. Can I use my phone number without a green tick?
Yes, you can use your WhatsApp Business API account with your phone number without the green tick. The absence of a green tick does not affect the functionality of your WhatsApp Business API account.
The only downside is that the end user will see your phone number instead of a display name and there will be no green tick. Rest everything else is same.
7. Is there any fees involved to get the green tick?
No. As you can see from the instructions shown above, applying for the green tick on WhatsApp does not have any direct costs involved. If you’re already a registered business, meet the above mentioned requirements and have some online brand presence, then you do not need to spend anything to get the green tick.
8. Can I apply green tick for the free WhatsApp Business mobile app?
The green tick verification is specifically for WhatsApp API accounts and is not applicable to the free WhatsApp Business mobile app users. The verification process and criteria are tailored for businesses using the API service as described earlier in this article above.
Wrapping Up
Obtaining the green tick on WhatsApp is a testament to your business’s credibility and trustworthiness. By understanding the requirements, submitting the application and leveraging the verification for business growth, you can significantly enhance your brand’s presence and customer trust.
Remember, the green tick is more than just a symbol; it’s a powerful tool that can open new avenues for customer engagement and business growth.
