Having the right WhatsApp Business category can help potential customers easily find and understand your business. The category acts like a tagline, giving a quick summary of what you do. This helps you stand out in a sea of businesses on WhatsApp and allows customers to quickly identify if you offer the products or services they need.
How to choose your WhatsApp Business category
When deciding on your category, here are some tips:
- Keep it short and simple – stick to a few words that describe your key offering. The character limit is 60.
- Focus on your target audience – what would they search for? Use words and phrases they would use.
- Be specific – generic categories like “services” or “products” don’t tell customers anything. Get detailed.
- Use important keywords – these help you come up in searches. But don’t just stuff keywords, keep it natural.
- Stand out – choose a unique or creative category that represents your distinct business offering.
- Be consistent – have the same category across all your profiles and marketing materials.
Category ideas for different business types
Here are some WhatsApp Business category ideas for popular business types:
Retail stores
- Fashion Boutique
- Sporting Goods
- Jewelry Shop
- Book Store
- Electronics Retailer
- Pet Supplies
Restaurants
- Italian Restaurant
- Café & Bakery
- Seafood Restaurant
- Burger Joint
- Coffee Shop
Service businesses
- Plumber
- Auto Mechanic
- Web Design Services
- Tutoring & Lessons
- Resume Writing Service
Health and wellness
- Fitness Training
- Yoga Studio
- Life Coaching
- Therapist
- Nutritionist
Professional services
- Accounting Services
- Digital Marketing Agency
- Legal Services
- Business Consulting
- Graphic Design Studio
Best practices for writing your category
When crafting your WhatsApp Business category, keep these best practices in mind:
- Keep your core business offering front and center.
- Communicate your differentiators – what makes you unique?
- Use language your customers use when describing your business.
- Don’t keyword stuff – it should read naturally.
- Specify your industry, products/services, and target audience if possible.
- Have a colleague review it to get an outside perspective.
- Test different variations to see which performs best.
- Revisit and refresh your category if your offerings evolve over time.
Examples of effective WhatsApp Business categories
Here are examples of real businesses with clear, compelling WhatsApp Business categories:
| Business | Category |
|---|---|
| The Cheesecake Factory | Restaurant & Bakery |
| Taco Bell | Tex-Mex Fast Food |
| CVS | Pharmacy & Convenience Store |
| Dunkin’ | Donuts & Coffee |
| H&M | Fashion & Clothing |
| Walmart | Department Store & Retailer |
| Uber | Ridesharing App |
| Airbnb | Travel App & Lodging Rentals |
These examples clearly communicate what each brand offers with just a few descriptive words. This makes it easy for customers to get a sense of their business at a glance.
Tips for an effective category
To make your WhatsApp Business category as effective as possible:
- Lead with your strongest identity – the one thing you want to be known for.
- Communicate your differentiator if you have one – what makes you unique.
- Include your niche or industry if it’s not obvious – e.g. shoe store vs children’s shoe store.
- Add your core products or services if you offer more than one – e.g. pharmacy & convenience store.
- Mention your target audience if they are a defining aspect of your business – e.g. toys for ages 3-7.
- Use wording your audience would use, not overly formal language.
- Optimize for search – include related keywords where appropriate.
- Be as specific as possible within the character limit – generic is less memorable.
- Double check spelling and grammar – these details matter.
Things to avoid in your category
When deciding on your WhatsApp Business category, there are some practices you’ll want to steer clear of:
- Don’t just list generic offerings like “products” or “services” – be specific.
- Avoid long unreadable categories that try to cram in too much.
- Don’t include your business name or location – the category summarizes what you do.
- Steer clear of overused, vague categories like “leading company” or “experts in our field.”
- Don’t just stuff keywords – make sure it flows naturally.
- Don’t use formal jargon customers won’t relate to.
- Stay away from inflated claims that can’t be backed up – keep it real.
- Avoid vague language or confusing messaging.
- Don’t include contact info or sales pitches – that info can go in your profile.
How to change your WhatsApp Business category
If you want to update or modify your WhatsApp Business category, the process is simple:
- Open WhatsApp and select the Settings tab.
- Tap on Business Settings.
- Select Business Profile.
- Tap on the current category and delete it.
- Enter your new category – up to 60 characters.
- Hit Save in the top right when done.
That’s it! Your updated WhatsApp Business category should now be visible to your customers. Tweak and refine it over time to boost visibility and engagement.
Conclusion
Your WhatsApp Business category gives potential customers a first impression of what you offer. Take the time to craft a compelling category that sums up your offerings, differentiators, and target audience. Be specific, use descriptive language, and optimize it for search. With an effective category that resonates with your audience, you can increase discoverability and connect with more customers.