Why it's worth setting up properly
In Malta, a lot of customers would rather send a WhatsApp than ring. They ask about prices, check if you're open on a festa day, or send a photo of a leaking pipe. If those chats land in your personal app among family groups, things get missed.
WhatsApp Business keeps that side of life separate and gives you simple tools to answer faster. Features change from time to time, so treat the descriptions below as a general guide and check the app for what's currently offered.
Start with a separate number
Use a number just for the business if you can. It keeps work chats away from personal ones, lets you switch off after hours, and means the number can stay with the business if someone else takes over the phone later.
Many small businesses get a second SIM or use a phone with dual-SIM support. Whatever you choose, put the same number on your shop sign, Google Business Profile and website, so customers aren't confused about which one to message.
Fill in your business profile
The profile is what a customer sees when they tap your name. Treat it like a mini shopfront and complete every field the app offers.
- Business name exactly as it appears on your sign.
- A clear logo or shopfront photo that still reads at a small size.
- Category, such as hair salon or restaurant.
- Short description in plain English, with your main services.
- Address, or the areas you cover in Malta and Gozo.
- Opening hours, website link and email.
Greeting and away messages
A greeting message is sent automatically when someone messages you for the first time, or after a long gap. Use it to say hello, set expectations and point to the basics, like your price list or booking link.
An away message goes out when you're closed or busy. Keep it friendly and honest, for example: "Thanks for your message. We're closed now and will reply when we open at 9am." It stops customers feeling ignored on a Sunday evening or during a busy summer lunch.
Quick replies and labels
Quick replies are saved answers you can drop into a chat with a short shortcut. Write one for each question you answer again and again: opening hours, directions and parking, prices for your main services, how to book, and your Google review link. You'll save typing, and every customer gets the same accurate answer.
Labels let you tag chats so nothing slips through. Simple ones work best, such as new enquiry, waiting for payment, booked, and follow up. A quick look at the labels at the end of the day shows who still needs an answer.
Catalogue and short links
The catalogue lets you show products or services with photos, short descriptions and prices inside WhatsApp. A bakery can show its cakes, a nail salon its treatments, a car rental firm its cars. Customers can browse and ask about an item without leaving the chat.
WhatsApp also lets you share a short link that opens a chat with your business. Put it on your website, your Instagram bio, your Google Business Profile and even printed flyers as a QR code. One tap and the customer is talking to you, without saving your number first.
When you need more than the app
The app is great for one person or a small team answering by hand. If the same questions are eating up your evenings, or you'd like replies to go out while you sleep, automated replies can help. Boost sets up AI replies on WhatsApp and Instagram, set up to answer prices, hours, bookings and FAQs, and to hand over to a person when needed.
Every €150 Boost website also includes a WhatsApp button so visitors can message you straight from the page. To talk it through, fill in our 4-question brief and we reply within 1 working day.