WhatsApp Business vs WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp Business app: free, one account per phone, manual use. Enough for small businesses. WhatsApp Business API: programmatic access, multiple agents/AI assistant, per-message billing, enterprise features. Required for any AI assistant deployment.
1. Meta Business account
Create a business account at business.facebook.com. Verify your business: domain verification (easiest) or document upload. Verification can take 1–3 business days.
2. BSP selection
In Turkey, WhatsApp Business API is provided by authorized BSPs. Leading ones: Karix, Twilio, Yalo, MessageBird, Vonage, Infobip. Selection criteria: per-message price, Turkey partner support, AI assistant platform integration, billing flexibility.
3. Adding a phone number
Choose a different phone number from your existing WhatsApp (landline or new mobile). When the number is assigned to WhatsApp Business API, that number is removed from personal WhatsApp. Verification is done via SMS or voice call.
4. Message templates
WhatsApp requires "template messages" for messages sent outside the 24-hour window. Submit frequently-used templates (order confirmation, appointment reminder, shipping notification, etc.) to Meta for approval. Approval takes 24–48 hours; marketing templates are reviewed more strictly.
5. Connecting to an AI assistant platform
Enter the API key and phone ID from your BSP into your AI assistant platform (Morfoz, Dialogflow, etc.). Verify it works by sending a test message. Test 50–100 scenarios in the sandbox before going live.
Cost summary
Monthly BSP infrastructure fee: ~0–500 TL (varies by platform). Per-message rate: 0.04–0.08 TL. Total cost for a typical SMB using 10,000 messages/month: 700–1300 TL. The AI assistant platform subscription is added on top.