Official Business Account (OBA)
Official Business Account applications rarely get approved. Only businesses with a large following and a very notable presence in social media and news get considered for a "green check-mark". Apply for an OBA only if you're sure that your business is notorious and impactful enough for Facebook's requirements.
If you want to apply for an Official Business Account you will need:
2-factor verification enabled on the WhatsApp Client (For 360dialog hosted clients, we take care of this step)
Valid Facebook Business ID with verified business
Brand that doesn't violate WhatsApp's policies, especially its Commerce Policy
Reach Quality Tier 2.
There might be other internal criteria or standards which is not publicly shared by WhatsApp.
We also recommend the following to increase the chance of getting promoted:
It's always good if there is some ad spend on Facebook.
You should have a large following on Facebook (and Instagram) which indicates brand awareness. Example: 10K+ likes/followers on your Facebook or Instagram pages.
You can find more information on the Official Facebook Documentation.
A WhatsApp Business Account is your company’s way to communicate directly with customers. There are two types of WhatsApp Enterprise Accounts. The Business Account and the Official Business Account. They often get confused, because of course the simple Business Account also has to be verified by WhatsApp, therefore is it still is somehow official. However, the term "official" here is reserved for a certain amount of Business Accounts that meet certain criteria.
Any account using the WhatsApp Business API or the WhatsApp enterprise app will automatically be listed as a Business Account. WhatsApp verifies the authenticity of a brand for each account in the WhatsApp Business API.
If your WhatsApp Account is a Business Account, the Display Name is only shown in the Contacts view (in a smaller font size). In all other views, the phone number is displayed. As long as the number is not saved to contacts only the number is shown. But WhatsApp made it easier to save Business Accounts. The user just has to click on the number, the WhatsApp profile information opens up and when clicking on "adding contact" all the details are pre-filled automatically.
In contrast to the regular Business Account, the Official Business Account will receive a green checkmark badge in its profile and the name of the business is visible in the chat list, chat screens and contacts view instead of the phone number, even if the user hasn't added the business to their address book.
This is WhatsApp's way of confirming that an authentic, reputable brand is the owner of this account. Only a few companies will have an official company account. The decision is based on a variety of factors, such as whether the brand is notable. It is not possible to pay to turn a Business account into an Official business account.
Tip: Businesses with the legal entity UG have a high probability to be rejected. For businesses with a detailed Wikipedia article, we have seen a higher success rate for the promotion, since it is one factor that proves that the business is well known. Operating internationally can increase the chances as well.
360dialog does not guarantee that any account will be promoted to an Official Business Account. The review process is conducted by the WhatsApp API Support Team and can take up to 7 days.
If your application is successful, the account will be upgraded automatically so there will be no further action required.
If your account is rejected, you may apply again in 3 months (this timeout is set by WhatsApp). WhatsApp do not give reasons for rejection so please do not ask 360dialog for this information. You can assume your account did not meet the criteria. You can attempt to improve your chances by adhering to the recommendations above and try again in the future.
The cost of an Official Business Account is outlined in the referral partner contract.
Application Form If you want to apply for an Official Business Account you can make an application here.
