WhatsApp Business: Verification, and Pix for Companies

O WhatsApp held a global event called “Conversations” in São Paulo and announced several new features for the messaging platform. All news is focused on companies and brings Artificial Intelligence toolso Meta Verified and payments for Pix.

Now, anyone who has a company can use Meta’s AI on WhatsApp Business. This allows the user to receive automatic responses and create advertisements using this technology. Ads can appear on Instagram or Facebook. In the next paragraphs I will detail in more depth the news for WhatsApp Business.

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Verified badge also on WhatsApp

WhatsApp started offering verified profiles for companies this Thursday (06/06). Companies can obtain this service by R$55/month. The verification badge will be blue instead of green.

A Meta reported that prices vary depending on the plan and features chosen. Guilherme Horn, director of strategic markets, said that this strategy is similar to other services for companies, such as website hosting and billing tools.

This new feature is gradually reaching users in Brazil, Colombia, India and Indonesia. The executive also explained that small companies, influencers and self-employed professionals who use MEI will also benefit from the new feature. In other words, any business with a CNPJ can use Meta Verified. In addition to WhatsApp, paid verification is also available on Instagram and Facebook since June 2023.

The company says Meta Verified helps prevent impersonation. This way, consumers will know they are talking to the right company.

Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s CEO, said in a statement that this will help small businesses gain customer trust and strengthen their brands. This makes customers feel safer when contacting the business.

Integration with Pix

Starting this Thursday (06/06), payments via Pix will be available on WhatsApp, as announced by Meta at the Conversations event in São Paulo. The function will be released gradually. The app’s 150 million users — according to estimates — will be able to make bank transfers without leaving WhatsApp.

Companies with a profile on the app will be able to register their Pix key. So, whenever a customer wants to pay for something, they will see that option. This is very different from the WhatsApp Payments system, as transactions are made through the user’s financial app, and not on the Meta platform.

Guilherme Horn, director of strategic markets, explains: “Many small businesses told us about the high dropout rate when finalizing a purchase. Stores lost customers at the time of payment.” He continues: “We are integrating the Central Bank API to show the Pix code with the value already included directly on the WhatsApp screen”.

This new tool is free for both companies and users. Horn emphasizes that, despite having Payments and Pix functions, WhatsApp has not become a bank.