What Is WhatsApp Business? Understanding Its Key Features and Benefits

If you run a business, you’ve probably heard of WhatsApp Business. But what is WhatsApp Business, and how is it different from the WhatsApp you use with friends and family? At Cude Design, we work with a range of clients from eCommerce stores to local service providers and we’ve seen firsthand how WhatsApp Business changes the way companies communicate with customers.

It’s fast, it’s personal, and it’s becoming an essential channel for modern business communication.

In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about WhatsApp Business, including the difference between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform, what kind of businesses benefit most, and how it can integrate into your WordPress website using a WhatsApp plugin.

What Is WhatsApp Business?

WhatsApp Business is an official messaging tool built by Meta to help businesses communicate with customers on the world’s most popular messaging platform. Instead of using your personal WhatsApp account, the WhatsApp Business app provides access to features specifically designed to support customer inquiries, manage conversations, and present a professional image.

It’s available as a free-to-download app, separate from WhatsApp Messenger, and includes additional business features like automated replies, product listings, and analytics.

For small business owners, it’s a smart way to handle customer messages, send updates, and provide customer support without needing a call centre or live chat team.

For larger businesses, there’s also the WhatsApp Business Platform, a more scalable, API-based system that supports automation, multiple agents, and deeper integrations with CRM tools.

Key Features of the WhatsApp Business App

The WhatsApp Business app is ideal for smaller operations or companies getting started with messaging as a business channel. It’s simple to use and includes a range of built-in tools:

• Business Profile: Add your address, description, hours, website, and WhatsApp phone number.
• Quick Replies: Save and reuse messages to answer common customer inquiries.
• Automated Messages: Set away messages or a welcome message when you’re offline or during non-working hours.
• Labels: Organise conversations with tags like “new customers” or “pending payment”.
• Product Catalogue: Showcase your products with images, prices, and links for a seamless shopping experience.
• Chat Statistics: See basic metrics like messages sent, delivered, and read.

These features are great for enhancing customer satisfaction, expediting responses, and maintaining professional and efficient communication.

Introducing the WhatsApp Business Platform

The WhatsApp Business Platform (also referred to as the WhatsApp API) is designed for businesses that need more than a mobile app can offer. Think banks, airlines, or national retailers. It’s not free, but it unlocks features for automation, team access, and system integrations.

Key features of the WhatsApp Business Platform:

• Multiple Agent Access: Let teams handle customer support without sharing one device.
• Chatbots & Automations: Use workflows to answer FAQs or route messages.
• CRM Integration: Connect to tools like HubSpot or Salesforce.
• Advanced Reporting: See open rates, response times, and more detailed analytics.
• API Access: Send WhatsApp messages programmatically using customer data.

This platform works with official WhatsApp partners and often integrates with ticketing systems or customer support platforms to centralise conversations.

The WhatsApp Button & Website Integration

One of the easiest ways to boost interaction on your website is to add a WhatsApp button. This small floating widget or clickable icon appears in the corner of your site and opens a chat directly in WhatsApp (mobile) or WhatsApp Web (desktop).

Common WhatsApp integration tools for WordPress:

• WhatsApp Widget: Adds a floating widget for direct messaging.
• WhatsApp Plugin: Plugins like Click to Chat or WP Social Chat make it easy to add a WhatsApp button.
• WooCommerce WhatsApp Button: Let customers ask questions from individual WooCommerce product pages.

These tools allow you to:

• Start chats with a preset message (e.g. “Hi, I have a question about this product.”)
• Display working hours, agent photos, or a header and footer message
• Connect different departments using multiple agent accounts

Adding WhatsApp directly to your website makes communication frictionless and boosts customer engagement.

WhatsApp WordPress Plugins

There are two standout WhatsApp plugins we recommend when integrating chat functionality into your website.

1. Elfsight WhatsApp Chat Widget

This plugin is renowned for its elegant design and intuitive ease of use. It allows you to place a WhatsApp chat button anywhere on your WordPress site with no coding required. You can:

• Enable a floating button on all pages or limit it to specific sections
• Display multiple support agents with photos and labels
• Use auto-display triggers based on time, user behaviour, or scroll position
• Customise colours, text, and behaviour to match your brand

Elfsight also supports integration with WooCommerce, making it ideal for e-commerce stores that want to provide answers to product page questions.

2. WhatsApp Chat WordPress (CodeCanyon)

Available as a premium plugin on CodeCanyon, this powerful plugin allows deeper integration and features, including:

• Unlimited agent profiles with availability schedules
• GDPR consent checkbox
• Support for custom messages per page or post
• Shortcode and widget support
• Quick response templates

Ideal for teams or businesses managing support across regions, the plugin also provides analytics on engagement.

Manual Integration Option

You can also add a basic WhatsApp button manually using a direct link (e.g., https://wa.me/<number>). This method requires no plugin and can be embedded as a simple anchor link or button in your site’s HTML. For advanced tracking or customisation, however, a plugin is usually more efficient and scalable.

Whether you use a plugin or a manual link, adding WhatsApp chat to your website is one of the quickest ways to connect with customers and respond instantly.

WhatsApp for Customer Support

The most obvious use case for WhatsApp Business is handling customer support requests. The ease of sending a quick message is often preferred over email or filling out a form.

Benefits for support teams:

• Faster resolution times
• Lower volume of phone calls
• Higher customer satisfaction from real-time answers
• Easy access to chat history and past interactions

You can also send automated updates about order status, delays, or appointment reminders. Customers receive the information they need, without needing to log into portals or call a helpline.

Using WhatsApp for Sales and Marketing

WhatsApp isn’t just for support; it’s also a direct marketing channel. With the right setup, you can:

• Send broadcast messages to opted-in customers
• Create ads on Facebook/Instagram that open in WhatsApp
• Share links to specific products or your landing page
• Build rapport with personalised messages

Be aware that WhatsApp is strict about spam. All business-initiated messages must follow template guidelines, and customers must opt in to receive them.

Done right, it’s a powerful way to boost sales and build stronger relationships.

WhatsApp Business for WordPress

At Cude Design, we frequently add WhatsApp plugins to WordPress sites. Whether it’s a simple WhatsApp button, a custom chat plugin, or WooCommerce-specific features, integration is straightforward and effective.

We support:

• WooCommerce WhatsApp Button setups
• Custom styles for your floating widget
• Multi-language compatibility via translation plugins
• Adding buttons to blogs, custom post types, and headers

We can also help configure shortcode attributes, working hours, and GDPR-compliant opt-ins.

What’s the Difference? WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business

To make it clear:

While you can technically use a personal WhatsApp account for business, it lacks the professionalism and business solutions of the official options.

Free vs Premium: What to Expect

• The free version of the WhatsApp Business app includes all core features, such as the catalogue, quick replies, and welcome messages.
• The premium version (the WhatsApp Business Platform) requires setup with a WhatsApp API provider. This may involve monthly fees and costs per message.

For most small businesses, the free app is more than enough. Larger businesses benefit from the cutting-edge features and scalability of the business platform.

Integration with other Tools

WhatsApp Business doesn’t operate in a silo; it’s often most effective when connected with other live chat tools, especially if your customer support setup spans different channels. Many of our clients at Cude Design utilise platforms like Tidio, LiveChat, or Zendesk, in addition to WhatsApp, to provide seamless communication across the board.

These tools typically integrate directly with the WhatsApp Business Platform via third-party providers or official API access. The result is a unified dashboard that allows you to manage WhatsApp chats, email queries, and live chat messages all in one place.

For example:

• Tidio offers direct integration with WhatsApp, enabling your support agents to respond to WhatsApp messages directly from within the Tidio interface.
• LiveChat integrates WhatsApp as a communication channel via add-ons, so your team doesn’t need to switch between platforms.
• Zendesk enables WhatsApp ticket creation, allowing incoming WhatsApp chats to be logged and assigned to your support team.

This type of integration helps reduce response time, enhances context during chats, and maintains a consistent customer experience regardless of where the conversation begins. If you’re using WhatsApp alongside other live chat platforms, we can advise on the most effective way to connect and configure these tools for your business.

Summary: Should You Use WhatsApp Business?

If your customers are already using WhatsApp, then meeting them there just makes sense. It’s quick, it’s familiar, and it makes interaction easy.

Benefits recap:

• Handle customer support without expensive systems
• Increase engagement with a floating widget
• Sell more with product catalogues and call-to-action messages
• Integrate into your WordPress website with ease
• Use advanced tools on the WhatsApp Business Platform for larger operations

At Cude Design, we can help integrate WhatsApp directly into your website, whether you need a simple chat plugin or a more advanced setup for handling multiple agents.

If you’re interested in setting up WhatsApp Business for your website or eCommerce store, get in touch with us here.