You pay for ads. People land on your website, tap the WhatsApp button, and send one word: "price?" You reply twenty minutes later. They've gone quiet, and you have no idea whether they came from the Instagram campaign, Google or a friend's recommendation.
For many businesses in Egypt and the Gulf, WhatsApp is where the sale actually happens. The website does the convincing, WhatsApp does the closing. Most businesses set up the first half and improvise the second.
This guide covers the practical pieces: links that open the right conversation, choosing between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform, replies that move people towards an order, tracking where each chat came from, and how to message customers without becoming spam.
Click-to-chat links done right
A click-to-chat link opens WhatsApp with your number already selected. The format is https://wa.me/ followed by your full international number, with no plus sign, spaces or leading zero. An Egyptian mobile starting 010 becomes 2010 followed by the rest of the number. A Saudi mobile starting 05 becomes 9665 followed by the rest.
On a phone, the link opens the WhatsApp app. On a computer, it opens WhatsApp Web or the desktop app.
Add a pre-filled message
Add ?text= and a URL-encoded message, and the customer's chat box opens with that text ready to send. This is the most underused trick on business websites. Compare an empty chat with this one:
Put a WhatsApp button on every product and service page, each with its own pre-filled text, plus one general button in the header or as a floating button. Arabic text in a link must be URL-encoded; a developer or a simple link generator handles that.
WhatsApp Business app vs WhatsApp Business Platform (API)
These are two different products, and many people confuse them.
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free to download and use | Meta charges per message by category, plus any provider fees |
| Who answers | You, on a phone plus a few linked devices | Many agents through a shared inbox, or your own system |
| Catalogue, quick replies, labels | Built in | Depends on the inbox tool you use |
| Automatic messages from your website (order confirmed, shipped) | No | Yes, using message templates approved by Meta |
| Messaging a customer first | Broadcast lists, which only reach people who saved your number | Approved templates, only to people who opted in |
| Setup | Minutes | Business verification, and usually a developer or provider |
On the Platform, you can reply freely within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that window, you can only send an approved template. Meta's pricing depends on the message category and the customer's country, and it has changed several times, with further changes announced for late 2026. Check Meta's official pricing page before budgeting.
Which should you choose? If one or two people handle chats and orders arrive through your website or by hand, the Business app is enough. Move to the Platform when several people need to answer from one number, when you want automatic order and shipping messages, or when chats need to flow into your own system. Meta has also started letting some businesses use the app and the Platform on the same number; availability depends on your country and provider, so ask.
Setting up the WhatsApp Business app properly
Most businesses install the app and stop there. Fifteen minutes of setup changes how professional you look:
- Business profile complete: name, category, description, address or city, hours, website link
- Catalogue with your main products or services, prices and a link to each page on your site
- Greeting message for first-time chats that says when you reply and what to send
- Away message outside working hours with the time you'll be back
- Quick replies for prices, delivery areas, payment methods, location and booking steps
- Labels for stages (new, price sent, waiting for payment, paid, delivered) and for sources
- A professional profile picture that matches your website and social accounts
Tracking where WhatsApp leads come from
Out of the box, WhatsApp doesn't tell you which ad, page or post sent a customer. If you don't design for it, you'll never know which marketing actually sells.
Practical ways to fix that:
- Different pre-filled text per source. The button on your Google Ads landing page can say "Hello, I saw your offer on Google", while the Instagram bio link says something else. Customers can edit the text, so treat this as a strong hint, not perfect data.
- Track button clicks on your website. Record each WhatsApp click as an event in Google Analytics, together with the page and the campaign tags on the visit. You'll see which pages and campaigns produce chats.
- Use ad reporting for click-to-WhatsApp ads. Ads that open WhatsApp directly report conversations in Meta's ad tools.
- Label every new chat with its source, then count labels weekly: chats, orders and revenue per source.
On the Platform, much of this can be recorded automatically in your system. Our guides to landing pages that convert and Google Ads in Egypt cover the traffic side.
From chat to sale: a reply routine that works
Speed matters more than perfect wording. A decent reply in two minutes usually beats a beautiful one in two hours.
A simple routine for every new chat:
- Answer the actual question first, including the price if they asked. Dodging the price is the fastest way to lose a chat.
- Send the product or service link so they see photos, details and policies.
- Ask one clear question that moves things forward: size, date, area.
- Collect order details in one message, and confirm them back in writing.
- Send a payment link, or confirm cash on delivery and the delivery window.
- Follow up once, politely, if they go quiet. Then stop.
If you sell online, connect this to your store rather than taking every order by hand. Our online store guide for Egypt shows how the pieces fit.
Opt-in, not spam
WhatsApp feels personal, which is exactly why unwanted messages annoy people so much. Every block and report hurts your number. On the Platform, it can lower your quality rating and limit your messaging, and even Business app numbers can be restricted.
The rules that keep you safe:
- Only message people who gave you their number and agreed to hear from you, such as a checkbox at checkout or a clear "send me offers on WhatsApp" option.
- Never buy or scrape number lists.
- Send messages people value: order updates, a restock they asked about, an offer that fits what they bought. Not daily promotions.
- Make stopping easy, and respect it immediately.
Common WhatsApp sales mistakes
- A personal number for business, so the chats, history and customers leave when an employee does.
- One generic button with no pre-filled message on any page.
- No record of sources, so ad spend is judged by guesswork.
- Hiding prices until the customer asks twice.
- Broadcasting offers to everyone in your contacts.
Questions people ask
Is the WhatsApp Business app free?
Yes. The app is free to download and use. Costs start with the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), where Meta charges per message and providers may add their own fees.
Can several employees answer from the same WhatsApp number?
With the Business app, a few linked devices can share one account. For a real team with assigned chats and a shared inbox, the Business Platform is the usual route.
How do I make a WhatsApp link with a message?
Use https://wa.me/ plus your international number with no plus sign or leading zero, then add ?text= and your URL-encoded message.
Can I send offers to all my customers on WhatsApp?
Only to those who agreed to receive them. On the Platform, promotional messages need approved templates and opt-in. Messaging people who didn't ask risks blocks, reports and restrictions.
Should I use WhatsApp instead of a website?
No. WhatsApp is great for conversations but poor for browsing, search and trust. The website convinces and explains; WhatsApp closes. You need both.
Your next step
Start small: pick your five most-visited pages and give each one a WhatsApp button with its own pre-filled message. Add click tracking, set up quick replies and labels, and review your sources after two weeks.
If you'd like your website, store and WhatsApp connected properly, see our services or book a short meeting.
