How to Get Started on the WhatsApp Business API with InfiQ
Getting live on the official WhatsApp Business API is less about writing code and more about doing a handful of setup steps in the right order. This tutorial walks you through the full journey with InfiQ — from Meta Business verification and your first message template to testing on your own number and switching on customer traffic. Each step is no-code inside the InfiQ dashboard, and where a webhook URL or template JSON is needed, you can copy it straight from the screen. Follow the steps below and you can send your first compliant WhatsApp message the same day.
What you'll do
Verify your business in Meta Business Manager, connect your number to InfiQ, submit a message template in the correct category, test on your own phone, then go live and monitor delivery and quality rating. Most businesses complete it in a day.Before you start: what you'll need
Getting started is fastest when your paperwork and assets are ready up front. WhatsApp is an identity-verified channel, so Meta needs to confirm your business exists and that you own the sending number. Gather these before you open the dashboard, and the rest of the flow moves in minutes rather than days.
- A Meta Business Manager account with your legal business name and website — this is what Meta reviews for verification.
- A phone number you control that is NOT already active on the consumer WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app (you may need to delete that account first).
- A verified display name for your sender (this is what customers see) and a clear opt-in source describing how you collected consent.
- Draft copy for your first one or two templates, plus any logo or header image you want to attach.
Step 1 — Verify your business and connect your number
First, complete Meta Business verification and onboard your number to InfiQ. Inside the InfiQ dashboard you start the embedded signup flow, which links your Meta Business Manager, registers the phone number as a WhatsApp sender, and provisions your WhatsApp Business Account. InfiQ manages the underlying WABA configuration, so you are clicking through consent screens rather than wiring up API credentials by hand. Once verification clears, your number is registered and you own the sender identity — including the Business-Scoped User ID (BSUID) that will matter as WhatsApp rolls out usernames in 2026.
- Open the InfiQ dashboard and launch the guided WhatsApp signup.
- Sign in to Meta and select the Business Manager you want to use.
- Add and verify the sending phone number via SMS or voice OTP.
- Set your public display name, business category, and profile details.
Step 2 — Create and submit your first template
Business-initiated WhatsApp messages must use a pre-approved template, so this is the step that determines both approval speed and cost. In the template builder you write your body text, add variables like {{1}} for the customer's name, and optionally attach a header image or quick-reply buttons. The single most important choice is the category. Marketing templates carry Meta's marketing delivery rate; utility templates (order updates, receipts, alerts) are billed at the lower utility rate; and authentication templates cover OTPs. Picking the correct category keeps you compliant and controls what you pay per delivered message.
- Choose the category honestly — a promotional message filed as utility will be rejected or re-categorised.
- Keep variable placeholders sequential ({{1}}, {{2}}) and provide sample values so review is fast.
- Avoid all-caps shouting, misleading offers, or excessive links, which commonly trigger rejection.
- Submit and wait — most templates are reviewed within minutes to a few hours.
Step 3 — Connect your tools and test end to end
With a number registered and an approved template, wire up how messages will flow. If you are sending from InfiQ's no-code broadcast and campaign tools, there is nothing to connect. If you are triggering messages from your own systems, point them at InfiQ using the webhook URL and API key shown in your dashboard — copy them directly from the CopyBlock on screen. Before touching real customers, always run a test send to your own phone. Confirm the message renders correctly, variables populate with real values, buttons work, and the delivery and read receipts flow back into your dashboard.
- For no-code use: build an audience, pick your approved template, and send a test to yourself.
- For API use: copy the webhook URL and credentials, then fire a test cURL or SDK call.
- Check that {{1}}-style variables resolve and any media header loads.
- Verify delivery, read, and reply events appear in InfiQ before scaling up.
Step 4 — Go live and monitor quality
Once your test looks right, switch it on for customers and watch the numbers. Start modest: a brand-new number has a low daily messaging limit and an unproven quality rating, so a small, well-targeted first send protects your account. As customers receive, read, and reply to your messages without blocking or reporting them, Meta raises your messaging tier automatically. Keep an eye on the quality rating in your dashboard — if it dips to yellow or red, pause and review your targeting and content before it affects deliverability. Remember that replies from customers open a 24-hour service window where you can respond without a template; free-form replies inside it are free today but chargeable from 1 October 2026 (free only until 30 September 2026).
- Send your first live campaign to a small, engaged segment, not your entire list.
- Watch quality rating (green/yellow/red) and back off at the first sign of yellow.
- Use the free 24-hour service window to answer replies without a template.
- Grow volume gradually so Meta lifts your daily messaging limit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get started?+
Do I need a developer to get started?+
Can I use my existing WhatsApp Business number?+
Why does my first template keep getting rejected?+
How much does it cost to send messages?+
What is the 24-hour window I keep reading about?+
What is a quality rating and why does it matter?+
Where do I get help if I get stuck?+
Ready to send your first WhatsApp message?
Start your guided setup with InfiQ today and go from verification to a live, compliant broadcast — with India-based support at every step.