So someone on your team says “can we just add WhatsApp to the product?” and you say sure, how hard can it be. I said the same thing. It’s not hard, but there’s more to it than sending a POST request.
First question: build directly on Meta’s API or use a platform on top of it? Hold that thought, a few basics first.
The basics
The WhatsApp Business API lets software send and receive messages for a business. The regular Business app is meant for one person on one phone, while the API is for teams, automation and integrations.
Stuff that will bite you
Opt-in. You can only message people who agreed to hear from you. No shortcuts here.
Templates. Business-initiated messages usually need pre-approved templates, and approval can take a while, so don’t leave it for launch week.
The 24-hour window. After a customer messages you, you can reply more freely for a limited time. Outside that, it’s templates again.
Webhooks. Incoming messages and delivery status come in as webhook events. Your endpoint needs to be reliable, and yes, you’ll get duplicates.
The inbox problem. If humans reply too, you need a UI so two agents don’t answer the same chat. This one is easy to underestimate.
Build or buy?
Building directly gives you full control. It also means you own the inbox UI, campaign tools, retries, template management and chatbot flows. That’s a lot of work that isn’t your actual product.
A platform covers most of it. Trafficaro is one example, with campaigns, a shared inbox, chatbots and an AI voice agent on Meta’s official API, plus rupee plans and a free plan. I’d compare a few before picking: pricing, markup on Meta’s charges, and how good the docs and support really are.
Quick checklist
Confirm opt-in for every contact
Get templates approved early
Make webhook handling idempotent
Plan a human handoff for the chatbot
Don’t use unofficial libraries on a production number (you can lose the number)
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