Use WhatsApp Business privately - Here's how

WhatsApp Business has established itself as a powerful communication platform for businesses. But did you know that you can also use WhatsApp Business for private purposes? In this article, you will learn how you can effectively use WhatsApp Business for individual communication and benefit from the additional features.

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WhatsApp Business can also be used for private purposes

WhatsApp Business offers various functions that can be beneficial not only for companies, but also for private users. Access to WhatsApp Business is not restricted, i.e. private individuals can also easily download the WhatsApp Business app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, set it up, use it and benefit from the additional functions. It is even possible to use WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp for private individuals on the same smartphone at the same time. However, the two apps must not be set up with the same number. However, since the setup even works with a landline number, this should not be a problem as a rule. Of course, WhatsApp Business users can also chat with "normal" WhatsApp users.

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Tip: You can even use the backup of all your chats from the previous WhatsApp version when switching from WhatsApp to WhatsApp Business for personal use. Be sure to create a backup before uninstalling the default WhatsApp application. You can find more info on the WhatsApp help page about backups.

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Setting up WhatsApp Business for private use

Download and install WhatsApp Business App

To use WhatsApp Business for private purposes, you must first download and install the WhatsApp Business app. Go to the App Store (for iOS) or the Google Play Store (for Android) and search for "WhatsApp Business". Download the app and install it on your smartphone.

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Register with private phone number

After installing the app, you need to register WhatsApp Business with your personal phone number. Enter your phone number and follow the on-screen instructions. You will receive an SMS with a confirmation code that you need to enter to verify your phone number.

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Configure your WhatsApp Business profile

After registration, you can configure your WhatsApp Business profile. Add a profile picture that represents you and enter a name that other users can use to find you. You can also add other information, such as a description or opening hours, depending on how you want to use WhatsApp Business.

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Enable WhatsApp Business features

The additional WhatsApp Business features only become visible when you click on "Business settings" in the settings in the WhatsApp Business app. By the way: You can also deactivate each of the presented functions.

Make sure that you adjust all the settings according to your needs. For example, you can specify who can see your profile information and whether you want to enable read receipts.

Once your profile is set up, you can use WhatsApp Business for private purposes and benefit from its many features.

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Reading tip: We also have articles on the topics "Using WhatsApp Business on multiple devices" and on "Using WhatsApp Business with two phones" have been written.

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Advantages of WhatsApp Business for private users

The use of WhatsApp Business offers private users a variety of advantages:

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1. Automatic welcome and absence messages

WhatsApp Business allows you to set up automatic welcome and away messages. Customized welcome messages let you share important information with new contacts, such as your availability or preferred communication times. Likewise, you can set up out-of-office messages to inform your contacts about temporary unavailabilities, for example during a vacation or important tasks.

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2. Efficient organization with labels

Another useful feature of WhatsApp Business is the use of labels. Labels allow you to divide your chats into different categories, for example for family, friends, work colleagues or hobbies. By naming and assigning labels individually, you can keep track of your various contacts and conversations, which makes organizing your chats much easier.

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3. Sale of personal items with product catalogs.

WhatsApp Business offers the possibility to create product catalogs and sell personal items. You can create a catalog with your offers, add product images, prices and descriptions and share this catalog with your contacts. This feature allows you to clearly present your sales offers and reach potential buyers directly via WhatsApp.

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4. Evaluation of messages with statistics functions

WhatsApp Business's statistics features let you analyze the success of your messages. You get information about how many messages were delivered, read, or replied to. This data allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your communication and make adjustments if necessary.

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5. Other useful functions

In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, WhatsApp Business offers other practical features for private users:

You can add opening hours to let your friends or acquaintances know when you are available.
You can select any location or specify an email address to facilitate communication with your contacts.
You can connect internet addresses to showcase your own website, YouTube channel or Instagram account.
By setting up a built-in bot, you can automatically reply to messages when you are not online, for example. This can be set under "Out of office or welcome message".
Quick replies: If you write something very often, just set it under "Quick replies". Then you can create pre-written messages.
Own URL: If you share your URL under "Short Link", you can be contacted even easier.

Note: WhatsApp Business was originally developed for businesses, so not all features can be tailored specifically to the needs of private users.

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Even more benefits & features with Mateo and the WhatsApp Business API

The functions of WhatsApp Business open up numerous possibilities for private users to customize their communication and organize it more efficiently. But did you know that there is even an enhancement to WhatsApp Business for companies? This is called the WhatsApp Business API interface and is integrated into Mateo's professional messaging software. With the WhatsApp Business API and Mateo, you benefit from quite a few additional features - and the usage is 100% GDPR compliant, unlike the normal version of WhatsApp Business. Our customers appreciate the following features and benefits the most:

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Central user interface

In addition to WhatsApp Business API, Mateo bundles many other communication channels such as email, Instagram, SMS or Facebook Messenger in a central inbox. On the intuitive and clear user interface, you will find various helpful tools for particularly efficient customer communication. A web widget with the messaging channels you support is available for your customers for particularly easy contact.

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With Mateo's WhatsApp API solution, newsletters can be sent in a GDPR-compliant manner. Due to the first-class open rate of 98% for WhatsApp messages, marketing can thus be carried out significantly better than via email or other channels.

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Custom Message Templates

Thanks to various message templates that can be created individually, the amount of paperwork is minimized and the efficiency of customer communication is increased. This means that personnel resources in the service area can be deployed elsewhere.

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More positive Google reviews

With Mateo, you create an outstanding customer experience. Mateo can automatically request online reviews from your customers. The more reviews you have, the better you will be found on Google, for example. Reviews also create trust in your company.

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Privacy

Mateo's messaging tool is compatible with all German and European legally binding data protection requirements. If the law changes, the software will be revised accordingly. For absolutely secure customer communication, all messages are encrypted end-to-end. You can read all the info about the GDPR when using WhatsApp in our article"WhatsApp Business and GDPR". This will help you avoid the warnings, severe penalties and expensive legal costs that often occur in the event of non-compliance with the GDPR (= use of the standard WhatsApp Business app).

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Scalability for all company sizes

The scalability of the messaging tool has been confirmed by the large number of companies already using Mateo with a high level of satisfaction. Whether customers have just a few employees or many hundreds, the software works smoothly and, depending on the package, with an unlimited number of end devices, users and phone numbers. The fact that Mateo significantly reduces the workload in the customer service area opens up new growth opportunities for many companies.

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Low cost provider for WhatsApp Business API

With an entry-level price of just 79 euros per month, Mateo is a cost-effective provider for WhatsApp Business API solutions on the German market. Combined with the integration of additional communication channels and various helpful tools, Mateo offers excellent value for money. Mateo's personal customer support assists companies with every step of the integration, ensuring very low barriers to entry.

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Use WhatsApp Business privately - instructions and all the advantages