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Marketers in almost any industry market consider WhatsApp one of the most effective marketing channels. Over 2 billion people use WhatsApp and send around 100 billion messages daily. People have become increasingly confident with using the messaging app to interact with their favorite brands, ask questions, and inquire about customer support. Fifty million brands leverage WhatsApp’s ability to help them build and nurture relationships with their customers.
However, none of this would matter to you if your WhatsApp number gets blocked. According to WhatsApp’s Business Messaging Policy, violations and repeated incorrect behavior within the platform can lead to limiting or removing your access to WhatsApp’s services. If WhatsApp terminates your account for violations of WhatsApp Business terms or policies, you may be prohibited from all future use of WhatsApp products and services.
So, how do you avoid that?
Why might customers block your WhatsApp number?
First, let’s talk about the risk of being blocked by your customers. If people block or report your business, WhatsApp’s systems may rate your business’s quality as low for a sustained period. To flag policy violations, WhatsApp may also reactively evaluate your opt-in flows, including a review of user feedback.
So, it’s smart to add an opt-out option to your promotional messages, so that customers can easily unsubscribe from your broadcast list if they think your messages are irrelevant to them. Another reason why your customers may report your WhatsApp number is if you send them promotional messages too often.
There are a couple of indicators that you may be blocked:
- You can no longer see a contact’s last seen or online in the chat window. Learn more here.
- You do not see updates to a contact’s profile photo.
- Any messages sent to a contact who has blocked you will always show one check mark (message sent) and never a second check mark (message delivered).
If you see all of the indicators above for a contact, it could mean that the user has blocked you.
However, there is no way to be 100% sure if a contact has blocked you or is just dealing with a connectivity issue. WhatsApp makes this ambiguous on purpose, to protect the user’s privacy when they block someone, and will never inform a contact that they have been blocked.
Why might WhatsApp block or suspend your number?
WhatsApp may block or suspend your account for many reasons, such as
- Using unauthorized third-party tools for messaging
- Violation of WhatsApp policies
- Copyright infringement
- Sharing of content deemed illegal, obscene, defamatory, threatening, racist, or promoting or encouraging illegal or inappropriate behavior, including encouraging violent crime.
In case you do any of these, and WhatsApp blocks your account, you won’t be able to send or receive messages for the duration of the suspension. This can become a severe problem for your business, as it would break all your efforts to communicate with your customers and prospects.
In case your account is suspended, the suspension may be for a limited time, typically 24 hours, or permanently in extreme cases.
Be careful and respect the rules imposed by WhatsApp.
What if your account was banned by mistake?
“This account is not allowed to use WhatsApp.” If you see this message, it means that WhatsApp thinks you violated the Terms of Service, and your account is banned. If you believe your account was banned by mistake, email WhatsApp or click “request a review” in the app.
WhatsApp will look into your case and get back to you as soon as they complete their assessment. When you request a review in the app, you’ll be asked to enter a 6-digit registration code that you’ll receive via SMS. Once you’ve entered it, you’ll be able to submit your request for a review and add details to support your case.
I recommend carefully reviewing the “Acceptable Use of WhatsApp Services” section of the Terms of Service to learn more about the appropriate uses of WhatsApp.
Аuthorized vs. Unauthorized WhatsApp bulk messaging methods
Businesses that want to use WhatsApp to interact with their customers must create a WhatsApp Business account. They can either use the WhatsApp Business app or, if they want to scale their communications, they can use WhatsApp Business Platform/API or WhatsApp Cloud API.
The API allows businesses to connect their WhatsApp Business account to a CRM or a customer communication platform like Rasayel. They can use features like a shared team inbox, deploy WhatsApp bots, create broadcast campaigns, track campaign results, and more. These advanced features and possibilities are not available with the WhatsApp Business app.
To use WhatsApp Business API, you must have an account with one of the authorized Business Solution Providers. In May 2022 Metta announced the release of WhatsApp Cloud API, which has similar features and functionalities as WhatsApp Business API with one big difference - Meta hosts WhatsApp Cloud API itself and businesses can access it for free and directly from Meta.
Unofficial bulk messaging tools are still available, many of them for free. However, you should avoid these at all costs. They may get the job done (for a while) but present a constant risk of getting your account banned. Plus, WhatsApp constantly updates and upgrades its services, so the unauthorized API will inevitably experience functionality issues.
Here’s a clear overview of the pros and cons of using official and unofficial WhatsApp bulk messaging software:
Conclusion
WhatsApp is a powerful tool for managing customer relationships, promotions, and sales. Leveraging WhatsApp as a marketing channel can reduce costs and increase engagement and customer retention.
Understandably, using the platform the wrong way can do the opposite. You will experience constant issues, and WhatsApp may suspend your business account.
On the other hand, working with official WhatsApp Platform/APIs will help you remain compliant with WhatsApp policies, scale your communications and reach your full potential.
If you’d like to learn more about how WhatsApp can help you grow your business, please reach out to us on WhatsApp at +13024070488.
We also offer a free consultation session where we go through your use case, answer any questions about WhatsApp, and help you build a strategy to make the best out of the platform. Book a call with us below. We’d love to speak with you:
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