Your WhatsApp Business profile is the first thing a customer sees when they tap your link, scan your QR code, or open a chat from an ad. A complete, consistent profile reassures them they've reached a real business; an empty one makes them hesitate. This checklist walks through every field and explains what "good" looks like.
Why the profile matters more than you think
When someone opens a chat with a number they haven't saved, WhatsApp shows the business name, photo and a "This is a business account" notice. Many people tap through to the profile before sending their first message, especially if they arrived from an ad. A profile with hours, an address and a website converts that hesitation into a message. It also appears when the business is found through search inside WhatsApp in supported regions, so it doubles as a mini listing.
The checklist
1. Business name
- Use the exact name customers know — the one on your website, Google listing and social profiles.
- Avoid stuffing keywords, emojis or slogans; the name should match your other listings so people trust it's the same business.
- Changing the name later is possible but limited, so decide once.
2. Profile photo
- A logo for brands, or a clear photo of the owner for personal-service businesses (coaches, consultants, tradespeople).
- Square, high contrast, readable at thumbnail size. Test how it looks in the chat list on a phone.
- Match the photo used on your other channels.
3. Category
Pick the most specific category available. It appears on the profile and helps set expectations ("Dental clinic" tells a customer more than "Health").
4. Description
You have a short paragraph. Cover:
- What you do and for whom.
- Where you operate (city, delivery area, or "online worldwide").
- Typical reply time.
- One reason to choose you.
Example: "Independent bike repair in Leeds. Same-day service on most jobs, free pickup within 5 miles. We reply within 30 minutes on weekdays."
5. Address and map
Add a full address if customers visit you. Service-area businesses can add the city and rely on the description for coverage. An address with a map pin lets customers get directions from inside WhatsApp.
6. Business hours
Set accurate hours and keep them updated for holidays. Pair them with an away message so customers messaging at night know when to expect a reply — see away messages and business hours.
7. Email and website
Add both. The website link makes your profile a complete contact card. If your main sales page is a landing page rather than your homepage, link to the page where the customer is most likely to convert.
8. Catalog
The catalog is your shop window inside WhatsApp:
- Add your best-selling products or core services first; you don't need everything on day one.
- Use a clear photo, a price (or "from" price), and a two-line description for each item.
- Add a link to the product page where relevant.
- Keep it current — an out-of-stock item in the catalog wastes both sides' time.
Service businesses can list packages ("Consultation — 30 min", "Full website audit") so pricing questions answer themselves.
9. Greeting message
Set up a greeting so a new customer gets an immediate, human-sounding welcome with your reply time. Our greeting message examples offer twenty templates by industry.
10. Quick replies and labels
Not visible to customers, but they shape the experience. Prepare quick replies for your five most common questions and labels for your pipeline stages before the first busy day.
11. Short link and QR code
WhatsApp Business generates a short link and QR code in Business tools → Short link. That's fine for basic use, but a link created with our generator lets you set a pre-filled message per channel, which the built-in short link doesn't. Create your free WhatsApp link for each channel and use the WhatsApp QR code generator for print.
12. Verification and the blue tick
A verified badge (shown as a check mark next to the name) is granted by Meta to businesses that meet its criteria, typically through the WhatsApp Business Platform or a Meta Verified subscription in supported regions. It isn't something you "apply for" in the free app, and it doesn't affect deliverability of ordinary messages. A complete, consistent profile does far more for trust than chasing the badge.
Consistency across channels
Customers compare. If your Instagram says "Open until 8" and WhatsApp says "Closes at 6", they'll assume one is wrong — and possibly both. Keep these identical everywhere:
| Field | Website | Google Business | Instagram | WhatsApp | |---|---|---|---|---| | Name | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Phone number | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Hours | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | | Address | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | | Logo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Make the profile easy to reach
A perfect profile that nobody finds is wasted. Put your link:
- In every social bio.
- On your website as a website chat button.
- In email signatures and invoices.
- On packaging, receipts and signage as a QR code.
Quarterly review
Set a reminder every three months to:
- Confirm hours, address and phone are still right.
- Refresh the catalog with current prices and stock.
- Re-read the description — does it still describe the business you run today?
- Test your link and QR code from a phone that doesn't have your number saved.
- Check the greeting and away messages for stale promotions.
Ten minutes a quarter keeps the profile working as hard as the rest of your marketing.