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  1. Onboarding
  • Guides
    • Onboarding
      • Quick Start: Sending Your First WhatsApp Message
      • Understanding the WhatsApp Business Platform
      • Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Begin with SendZen
      • Creating and Verifying Your Meta Business Account
      • Navigate Meta Business Manager from SendZen (via My WABA → View Status)
      • Inviting Team Members and Assigning Roles
      • Registering Your Phone Number for the WhatsApp Business API
      • Choosing and Connecting a Phone Number: New vs. Existing Numbers
      • Common Onboarding Issues and How to Resolve Them
      • How to Increase Your Messaging Limits
      • Managing Payments and Billing
      • Why Was My Display Name Rejected?
      • Start Verification Button Greyed Out? Here’s What to Do
      • Migrating Your Number from Another Business Solution Provider (BSP)
  1. Onboarding

Quick Start: Sending Your First WhatsApp Message

Introduction#

If you’re looking for the fastest way to send your first WhatsApp message using SendZen, this quick-start guide is for you. In just 5 minutes, you’ll go from signup to successfully sending a real WhatsApp message through a simple API request.

What You Need (Prerequisites)#

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
1.
SendZen Account
Create a SendZen account to access the WhatsApp Business API, dashboard, and developer tools.
2.
WhatsApp-Enabled Phone Number
You need a phone number that will be used as your WhatsApp Business App sender:
The number must not already be actively connected to another WhatsApp Business API provider.
It can be a new or existing number (during onboarding, WhatsApp registration will be handled automatically).
3.
API Key (Access Token)
Your API key is generated in the SendZen dashboard after signup.
4.
API Testing Tool
You can send API requests using:
cURL
Postman
Programming languages such as Node.js, Python, PHP, etc.

Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your API Key#

1.
Sign up on SendZen and verify your account.
2.
Log in to the SendZen dashboard.
3.
Navigate to the API / Developer section.
4.
Copy your API Key (Bearer Token) — you’ll use this in all API calls.
🔐 Important: Keep your API key secure. Do not expose it in client-side applications.

Step 2: Register and Connect Your WhatsApp Phone Number#

Before sending messages, your phone number must be registered and activated for WhatsApp Business API through SendZen.

How Phone Number Registration Works#

SendZen provides an embedded WhatsApp signup flow that:
Registers your number with WhatsApp (via Meta)
Verifies number ownership (OTP or voice call)
Creates or links a WhatsApp Business Account
Activates your number for API messaging

Steps:#

1.
Open the WhatsApp Setup / Embedded Signup section in the SendZen dashboard.
2.
Enter your business and phone number details.
3.
Verify the phone number using the OTP sent by WhatsApp.
4.
Complete the setup and wait for the status to change to Connected / Active.
Once completed, your WhatsApp number is fully ready to send and receive messages via API.

Step 3: Send Your First WhatsApp Message#

Once your SendZen account is set up and your WhatsApp number is registered, it’s time to send your first message using the SendZen Playground. The Playground is an interactive environment that allows you to test sending messages before integrating the API into your application.

How to Send a Test Message:#

1.
Log in to your SendZen dashboard.
2.
Create a Template. Once the template is approved:
3.
Navigate to the Playground section.
4.
Enter your recipient’s phone number (including country code).
5.
Select the Template.
6.
Click Send Message.
✅ If successful, you will see a confirmation message, and the message should appear on the recipient’s WhatsApp.

Message Delivery Notes#

Messages sent within an active 24-hour user session can be free-form text.
To initiate conversations outside the 24-hour window, WhatsApp requires approved message templates.
Delivery status and replies can be tracked using webhooks.

What You Can Do Next#

Once your first message is delivered successfully, you can:
Send transactional notifications (OTP, order updates, alerts)
Use message templates to start new conversations
Receive incoming messages using webhooks
Build chatbots and automated reply flows
Send media messages (images, documents, videos, buttons)
Integrate WhatsApp messaging with your backend or CRM

Best Practices#

Always use international phone number format (+countrycode).
Ensure you have user consent before messaging.
Test messages using your own number before going live.
Monitor message logs and webhook events for debugging.
Modified at 2025-12-19 16:28:41
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Understanding the WhatsApp Business Platform
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