Are you running a business in Malaysia and need to use WhatsApp Business API? We’ve got you covered. In this blog, we’ll cover the usage of WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia, what WhatsApp API is, pricing, how to get started, pricing, and case studies of Malaysian businesses that made it big with WhatsApp API.
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WhatsApp Usage in Malaysia
89.3% of Malaysians use WhatsApp, making it the number one communication platform in the country. It presents a great opportunity for businesses to engage with customers where they already are.
However, a personal WhatsApp account and WhatsApp Business App are not suited for businesses looking for features like advanced automation and analytics. That’s where WhatsApp Business API comes in.
What is WhatsApp API?
WhatsApp API, also known as WhatsApp Business Platform, is designed for medium to large companies looking to use WhatsApp for messaging at scale. Unlike the WhatsApp Business App, the API does not have a front-end interface and must be connected to messaging software to send and receive messages.
This gives businesses the freedom to choose a software solution that fits their business needs and have access to advanced features, such as automating conversations and appointment booking, AI tools, sending broadcasts, and more to create personalized customer journeys.
But is the WhatsApp Business API free like a personal WhatsApp account or WhatsApp Business App?
Is WhatsApp Business API free in Malaysia?
While WhatsApp doesn’t charge access to its API, there are costs to sending messages on it. These costs vary from conversation-based pricing by WhatsApp business platform pricing and the platform or service fee charged by WhatsApp Business Solution Providers. Let’s take a look at that next.
WhatsApp Business API Pricing for Malaysia
Broadly, there are 2 types of pricing - user-initiated conversations and business-initiated conversations.
User-initiated Conversations Pricing
Also known as service-based conversations, these are conversations that are started by a contact. Businesses can respond to these conversations for free within a 24-hour window.
Business-Initiated Conversations Pricing
These conversations are started by the business by using message templates.
There are 3 types of business-initiated conversations:
- Utility conversations: Business-initiated conversations relating to a transaction, including post-purchase notifications and recurring billing statements to customers who have opted in
- Authentication conversations: Business-initiated conversations that enable businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes at multiple steps during the login process, such as account registration, account recovery, and integrity challenges
- Marketing conversations: These are messages that market a product or service to customers, such as relevant offers to customers who have opted in. Any business-initiated conversation that does not qualify as an authentication or utility conversation would also fall under this category.
However, there are some pricing changes that are coming in 2025 that were recently announced by Meta.
WhatsApp Business Pricing Changes: Changes Coming in 2025
Keep in mind these upcoming changes in the pricing for WhatsApp API in Malaysia. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know:
- From February 1, 2025, the international authentication rates will cover 7 new markets, and Meta is also reducing rates in existing markets.
- From April 1, 2025, businesses can use utility templates for free within a 24-hour window.
- From April 1, 2025, utility templates will be free within the 24-hour customer service window.
- From April 1, 2025, template messages are charged per message instead of per conversation.
Are you still unsure of what you need to pay when using WhatsApp API in Malaysia? Then check out our calculator in the next section.
Calculate WhatsApp API Cost with our Pricing Calculator
While WhatsApp charges you for messaging customers, you can quickly estimate costs with our handy WhatsApp API pricing calculator.
It’s super simple to use and you can even set the country or region you’re in. Next, let’s see how you can set up WhatsApp API in Malaysia
How to Get Started with WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia
Meta requires businesses to have a Meta Business Portfolio (formerly known as Meta Business account) and a phone number that is not tied to any WhatsApp Account when applying for WhatsApp API.
Once you have that, you will need to select a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider.
Step 1: Choosing a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP)
A WhatsApp BSP is a third-party company approved by Meta that helps you get access to WhatsApp API. They usually provide other services like enabling businesses to send messages, managing customer interactions and integrating other business tools like CRMs.
You should also choose a WhatsApp BSP that doesn’t charge a markup on messaging fees to maximize value.
Respond.io fits these criteria and is the perfect choice as a WhatsApp BSP. Other WhatsApp BSPs include Sleekflow, Wati and Trengo.
<call-out> Respond.io is also a badged Meta Business Partner, which means it is recognized by Meta for its expertise in business messaging. <call-out>
Step 2: Set Up Your WhatsApp API Account
Now, it’s time to set up a WhatsApp API account. We’ll show you how easy it is to set it up on respond.io.
- Connect Your Facebook Account and WhatsApp API Account: Start by linking your Facebook account to the WhatsApp API account.
- Verify Your Number: You'll need to verify your phone number via a phone call or text message.
- Start Messaging: Once verified, you can begin messaging and responding to customers using the WhatsApp API
Step 3: Template Creation & Testing
Once you’re ready, open respond.io and follow the steps below to create your first WhatsApp message template.
1. Go to Settings > Channel > WhatsApp Business API > Templates.
Edit and personalize your templates.
2. Click Submit Template to create a new WhatsApp template.
From here, fill in your template name, category, language and template body. You can include a header in the form of text, image, video or document, if needed and a text footer.
3. Click Submit.
<call-out> Respond.io integrates with Meta Catalog. You can synchronize your Commerce Manager Catalogs and send them with respond.io with the Messages Module, Workflows and Broadcasts or via Make.com or Zapier. <call-out>
Once synced, you can see your message template status in the message template list after submission. There are 3 possible statuses:
- Submitted: It’s still under review and pending approval.
- Approved: It can now be used to message Contacts.
- Rejected: It cannot be used. WhatsApp provides a reason for rejection to help you understand how the Message template violates WhatsApp’s rules.
Once you’ve set up WhatsApp API, it’s time to start sending messages. But make sure you keep in mind of these best practices before you do.
Practical Tips to Maximise WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia
Beyond setting up things like WhatsApp auto replies, scheduled messages or broadcasts, there are simple practices you can implement to make the most of WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia.
Implement these practical tips into your WhatsApp marketing campaigns.
Leverage Bulk Messaging During Festivals
Send seasonal promotional messages to customers during festivals like Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas and more.
<call-out> Caution: Only send promotional messages to customers who have opted-in to receive marketing messages. Sending messages to contacts that haven’t messaged you or opted-in to your messages may result in your account being suspended or banned <call-out>
As a bonus, also capitalize on the monthly sales on e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada to jump on the shopping craze to maximize sales performance.
Personalize Customer Interactions for Success
Whenever you send messages to contacts, even if they’re bulk messages, always ensure that you personalize your messages. There are a few ways to do it:
- Use dynamic variables to automatically include things like contact first name, last name and email.
- Ensure that your messages are relevant to your contacts’ needs. For example, if there are contacts that have found you via a Facebook ad, you should include content that’s relevant to that ad.
Analyze and Refine Performance
When monitoring the effectiveness of your messaging campaigns, focus on these metrics:
- Open rates: Measure the percentage of recipients who open your messages to assess the effectiveness of your message.
- Click-through rates (CTR): Evaluate how many recipients engage with your call-to-action links to determine the appeal of your offers.
- Conversion rates: Track the number of recipients who complete an action, such as making a purchase, to gauge the overall success of your campaign.
By regularly analyzing these metrics, you’ll find the areas you need to improve for better customer customer engagement and conversions.
Next, let’s look at the businesses that won big using WhatsApp Business API in Malaysia.
WhatsApp Business API Malaysia Case Studies: Real Results for Local Businesses
Businesses in Malaysia have recognized the potential of WhatsApp API and have adopted it into their operations. Here are 2 businesses that are using WhatsApp API on respond.io to achieve and even surpass their goals.
1. Lamarsa Coffee
Lamarsa Coffee, a leading Malaysian coffee equipment retailer, struggled to manage a high volume of sales and customer inquiries across multiple messaging channels, leading to inefficiencies and delayed responses. To address these challenges, they implemented respond.io to centralize communications and automate customer routing.
This integration enabled Lamarsa Coffee to improve first response times by 38%, resulting in a 50% increase in sales across 6 countries within a year. Additionally, by adding web and WhatsApp click-to-chat links on their website, they acquired ten times more leads per quarter.
2. Speedhome
Speedhome, a Malaysian property rental platform, faced challenges in measuring agent performance and efficiently managing customer inquiries across multiple communication channels. To address these issues, Speedhome used respond.io to consolidate various channels into a single interface and automated customer routing based on inquiry type.
This integration enabled Speedhome to monitor agent performance effectively and streamline customer interactions. As a result, the company experienced a 122% increase in new monthly customers and a 56% rise in returning customers, alongside achieving a 71% customer satisfaction score.
Boost Your Business with WhatsApp API in Malaysia with Respond.io
If you want to join these businesses in growing your business, then try respond.io try respond.io WhatsApp Business API for free. Take your WhatsApp messaging to the next level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s the difference between user-initiated and business-initiated messages?
A user-initiated conversation happens when a contact messages you. These conversations are open for 24 hours since the customer’s last message. Messaging contacts during this window is free.
A business-initiated message happens when you message a contact. You may send a marketing, utility or authentication message. You need to pay for every message you send.
2. How does the new pricing structure affect businesses?
Businesses will be charged per message template sent. Therefore, businesses should be more strategic with the messages they send to contacts.
3. Can I use WhatsApp Business API for marketing and sales?
Yes, you can. In fact, There’s a marketing conversations category precisely for this use case.
4. Does WhatsApp API add more brand legitimacy?
No, using WhatsApp API on it’s own doesn’t add more legitimacy. Consider adhering to best practices when messaging customers and apply for WhatsApp Green Tick to improve your brand perception.
Further Reading
If you enjoyed this article and want to learn how to use WhatsApp API on respond.io, then check out these articles:
- WhatsApp API Explained: Features, Benefits & Pricing
- WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business for Sales and Marketing
- WhatsApp Marketing in 5 Steps: A Detailed Guide (+Examples)
