messengers Business API has a number of very tempting advantages for business. This is the security of the number from a possible ban, greater customer trust, as well as brand awareness thanks to the Display name (the company's display name) with a green checkmark (green tick) badge in the messengers profile.
The Chat API also provides access to the messengers Business API, and we faced a lot of questions about getting the coveted tick. So we realized that there is a misunderstanding about the specifics of the process of obtaining the status of an official business account (which can be abused by API providers), and sometimes misconceptions, hence the idea of this article.
Let's try to understand everything and summarize all our existing experience and the experience of other companies for 2021.
Green check mark and official Business account (OBA)
In order to get a green checkmark and a company display name that will be registered in your messengers profile, regardless of whether your contact is included in the user's notebook, you need to become an official business partner.
Who gives this status?
Of course, Comp itself, which divides all messengers partners into business accounts and official business accounts. Simple business accounts can be considered numbers that have connected to the messengers Business App or have registered for the messengers Business API connection.
Only numbers that have connected to the messengers Business API and meet the Comp criteria can become official business accounts.
Who can count on the "checkmark"?
At first glance, everything seems quite obvious. You must meet the following criteria and pass the following steps:
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Your company must be verified in Comp Business Manager. There are rumors that Comp may cancel business verification when registering with the messengers Business API, while we are sure that if the company claims to be an official business account, then verification of your business will still be required;
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You must be connected to the messengers Business API and pass the Display name check and compliance with Comp policies;
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Set up two-factor authentication in Comp Business Manager;
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Have at least a second-level rating of trust in the messengers number. Your number must be able to send at least 10,000 messages per day, according to Comp's rules;
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And the most ambiguous element is to be a well-known and recognizable brand.
If Comp has passed all the stages and meets the criteria, then it is enough to write to the our support and apply for the status of an official business account. It is important to understand that we offer this service only to Chat API clients. If everything goes well, then the tick will be yours. You can also be our client and submit an application through us, which will make the process easier to some extent, but more on that below. Now a little more in detail.
How does verification work?
Verification is the process of confirming your company. Comp checks whether your business is "real” and whether it complies with Comp's policies. You can learn more about the verification process here. Verification takes place through the security center in your Comp Business Manager account.
How do I connect to the messengers Business API?
Access to the messengers Business API is provided by Comp partners. Conditions and prices vary, it all depends on additional services that can be linked to the API. Here we can include managerial support, chat bots, built-in CRM\ERP systems or internal communication systems, omni-channel solutions and much more. Prices can vary from $40-60 to $ 500-600 per month. We provide access to the API without additional included services and extra charges for them. You can find out about the cost of the API and the procedure for forming the price here.
To connect to the messengers Business API, you need to register. Now there are two approaches to registration. This is a classic option, when you first pass verification and all checks, after which the number will be available to you.
And the second is Signup registration or registration without prior verification, when you first get access to the API, and the verification and verification of the business takes place against the background of the work and test of the messengers Business API.
Note that registration without verification is much easier and faster than the old classical approach. The Chat API provides both methods of registration.
What about Display name and how to comply with Comp policies?
Display name is the display name of the company. There are also a number of requirements for it, you can read about them here. This is an important point, because there were precedents when a business was not given a green check mark due to violations in the name requirements.
How do I set up two-factor authentication?
Everything is simple. Comp itself will offer you to go through the procedure of setting up two-factor authentication while working with Comp Business Manager. The procedure is a necessary element to increase the protection of your account and it does not take much time. Or you can do this through the ”Security Center” in Comp Business Manager.
What is the number trust rating?
The level or rating of trust in a number is Comp's internal “quality”control tool Your communication with messengers users. If customers often write to you first and respond to your messages, then the rating of the number increases. The "better" your communication with messengers users is ,the more opportunities are provided to you. There are three rating levels of the number in total:
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Level 1. Allows your company to send messages to up to 1000 unique contacts within a 24-hour window.
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Level 2. Allows your company to send messages to up to 10,000 unique contacts within 24 hours
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Level 3. Allows your company to send messages to up to 100,000 unique contacts within 24 hours.
The transition from level to level occurs automatically. To do this, it is enough to fulfill the following conditions:
Within a few days (from two days), the total number of notifications sent should exceed twice the level of messages available to you. That is, if you have sent 2000 notifications within two days, Comp fixes it, reflects for 48 hours, and then increases your trust rating. As a rule, if all the conditions are met, they switch from level 1 to level 2 within 5 days. The transition from 1 to 3 will take you 10 days.
A little more information about the rating can be found here.
What does Comp mean by brand awareness?
This is probably the most intriguing moment, because Comp does not provide criteria, leaving it up to us to form an opinion about what "fame" is and how to achieve it. Our experience and the experience of other API providers suggests that Comp will consider you recognizable if:
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Do you have a website with good traffic;
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You have active groups and communities on popular sites, especially good if you have an active Comp group;
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There are mentions about you in the media. It will be indicative if you enter the name of your business in the search engine, then not only the site will come out, but also news, articles, and other materials from other resources;
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The company's request to provide a green check mark through an integrator or an API provider. Comp treats requests that pass through partners more carefully;
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Your business has representative offices in the country and abroad.
If all the conditions are met, then you can count on getting the coveted green tick. Write to our support service and we will provide you with a form for applying for the status of an official Business partner.. Please note, we offer this service only to Chat API clients.
Schematically, the order of actions can be depicted as follows:
Filling out the form;
Sending data to Comp;
Waiting for a response within 3-4 days;
If everything is fine, then you get the OBA (Official Business Account) status, if Comp rejects the application, then the next request can be sent only after 30 days.
At the same time, we should warn that even in the ideal case, surprises are possible.. Sometimes Comp rejects applications based on all external and internal criteria, citing that the company does not meet the requirements of Comp's policy, but does not specify a specific point, which makes it difficult to finalize the necessary work. Not all companies are seeking a green check mark, but we will help you with all our strength and appeal against Comp's decisions if necessary.
That's all for now. Chat API team wishes you success and new achievements!
If you still have questions, write to us and we'll be happy to answer them.
We're in touch:
- Email: [email protected]
- Telegram: @Chat_API_Support
