How to create a WhatsApp Business profile

Getting to the profile settings

Open WhatsApp Business, tap the three dots or Settings, then Business tools, then Business profile. Every field below lives on this one screen.

Business name

Use your real trading name, exactly as it appears on your signage and receipts. Adding extra words to try to rank in searches is not needed here and looks unprofessional in a chat window.

Category

Choose the category that matches your main work, such as Grocery store, Hair salon, or Plumber. This appears directly under your business name in every chat, so pick the one a customer would use to describe you.

Description

A short line saying what you do and for whom, for example "Mobile car wash serving Harare, book on WhatsApp." Keep it to a sentence — customers will read your catalogue and website for the detail.

Address or service area

If customers visit you, add the address and it will show a location pin they can tap for directions. If you travel to customers, leave the address off and mention the areas you cover in the description instead.

Business hours

Set your actual hours, including days you are closed. This lets the away message trigger correctly outside those times and stops people expecting an instant reply at midnight.

Email and website

Add a business email if you use one, and your website link. If you do not have a website yet, this is worth building — it gives customers somewhere to see your full range before they message you, and MatSiteBuilder builds one free.

Profile picture

Use your logo if you have one, or a clear photo of your shopfront or work. Avoid a blurry photo, a group photo, or leaving the default grey icon — it is often the very first thing a stranger sees.

Common mistakes

• Leaving hours blank so the away message never triggers
• A category that does not match what you actually sell
• No website or email, leaving the profile looking incomplete
• A profile picture with no branding at all