How to Set Up a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)

To use meetergo's direct WhatsApp integration, you need a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) — this is different from the regular WhatsApp Business app. A WABA gives you access to the WhatsApp Business API via Meta, which is what meetergo uses to send automated reminders and follow-ups.

What you need before you start

• A Facebook / Meta account (personal account is fine — you'll use it to access Meta Business Manager)
• A phone number that is:
  • A mobile or landline number you can receive SMS or voice calls on
  • Either a new number or a number already active in the WhatsApp Business App (thanks to Coexistence)
• A verified business (recommended for higher messaging limits, but not strictly required to start)

Step 1: Create a Meta Business Account

1. Go to business.facebook.com
2. Click Create account
3. Enter your business name, your name, and your business email address
4. Follow the prompts to verify your email

If you already have a Meta Business Account, skip to Step 2.

Step 2: Add a WhatsApp Business Account in Meta Business Manager

1. In Meta Business Manager, open the left menu and go to Business settings
2. Under Accounts, click WhatsApp accounts
3. Click Add → Create a WhatsApp Business Account
4. Enter a name for your WABA (e.g. your company name) and select your time zone and currency
5. Click Create

Your WhatsApp Business Account is now created inside Meta Business Manager.

Step 3: Add and verify a phone number

1. Inside your WABA, click Add phone number
2. Enter a display name for your business (what recipients will see)
3. Choose a category and fill in your business description
4. Enter the phone number you want to register
5. Choose verification method: SMS or Voice call
6. Enter the verification code you receive

Once verified, your phone number is active and your WhatsApp Business Account is ready to connect to meetergo.

Step 4: Connect to meetergo

Now that your WABA is set up, return to meetergo and connect it:

1. Go to Integrations
2. Find WhatsApp Business and click Connect
3. Click Set up a new number for the API (the other button, Connect existing WhatsApp Business App, is for a number you already use in the app — see Coexistence)
4. Complete the Embedded Signup popup — log in with your Meta account and select the WABA and the phone number you just created
5. meetergo registers the number and shows you a 6-digit registration PIN. Write it down; you need it if the number ever has to be re-registered
6. Under Phone Numbers, the number shows a green Connected badge

See Connect WhatsApp directly – Send Reminders & Follow-Ups for the full guide on setting up templates and workflows.

FAQ

Can I use my existing WhatsApp Business app number?

Yes! Thanks to WhatsApp Coexistence (since May 2025), you can connect your existing number to the API and continue using the WhatsApp Business App as normal. Chats, away messages, and calls are preserved. See Use WhatsApp Business App and API Simultaneously for the step-by-step guide.

Does my business need to be verified by Meta?

Not to get started. You can connect and send messages with an unverified business, but you'll have lower daily messaging limits. To increase limits, complete Meta Business Verification.

How many phone numbers can I add?

A single WABA can hold several phone numbers. In meetergo each additional number needs a number slot on your subscription, described in Connect WhatsApp directly.

I added meetergo as a partner in Meta Business Manager, but meetergo says "not connected"

Adding meetergo under Business settings → Partners grants us permission. It is not the connection itself, and meetergo has nothing stored until you finish the flow from our side.

Go back to Integrations & Apps → WhatsApp Business → Connect and complete the popup, selecting your existing WhatsApp Business Account rather than creating a new one. Creating a fresh account on each attempt leaves a trail of empty WABAs and does not help.

The step that decides it is the phone number: you have to select or add a number and verify it. If you click Finish while no number is attached, Meta returns an account without a phone number, meetergo has nothing to register, and the connection fails.

What if my number verification fails?

Make sure the number is not already registered with any WhatsApp account. If you're using a VoIP number, SMS verification may not work — try the voice call option instead.

Error: "This number is registered to an existing WhatsApp account"

The number is already registered in the WhatsApp Business App or with another API provider. Every cause and fix, including Meta's cooldown after a previous API registration, is listed in Use WhatsApp Business App and API Simultaneously.