How To Know If Someone Has Blocked You On WhatsApp Business

Have you stopped receiving messages from a contact on WhatsApp Business? You might be wondering if they’ve blocked you. But why would they have blocked your number, and what can you learn from it?

WhatsApp protects its user’s rights to privacy, so it deliberately makes it difficult to find out when a contact has blocked you. While there’s no way to know for sure if someone has blocked your number, there are some tell-tale signs that give it away. Read on to find out how to know if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp Business.

Why does it matter if someone blocks you on WhatsApp Business?

It’s always the user’s choice to receive messages (or not) from any account on WhatsApp Business. If a contact isn’t interested in your product or service, they might choose to block you. It’s likely not a problem if a few contacts decide they don’t want to be contacted by you.

However, if lots of contacts are blocking your business, it could indicate that there’s an issue with the type or volume of messages that you’re sending. If you realise that the problem goes beyond just a few disinterested customers, it might be time to take a look at your communication strategy to see what you can improve.

How to tell if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp deliberately makes it difficult to tell whether you have been blocked on WhatsApp Business, and the app doesn’t notify you when someone blocks your account. This is to protect the privacy of the contact who has blocked your number. However, there are a few indicators which suggest that a contact has blocked you. Try exploring the options below.

Check the contact’s status

Open the chat window with the contact and look underneath their name at the top of the screen. Can you see the contact’s ‘last seen’ or ‘online’ status? If not, you may have been blocked.

Check the contact’s profile photo

Changes to profile photos are only visible to contacts that haven’t been blocked. If you can’t see any updates to the contact’s profile photo over time, you may have been blocked.

Look at the check marks next to your messages

When you send a message to a contact, look at the check marks in the chat window. If you can only see one grey check mark (indicating that the message has been sent) and not two (indicating that the message has been delivered), you may have been blocked.

Try to call the contact

If you’ve been blocked, any calls that you place won’t go through to the contact. If you’re not able to connect, it’s more likely that they’ve blocked your number.

Why might someone block a business on WhatsApp Business?

WhatsApp users can choose to block any contact, including businesses, at any time and for any reason. When a contact blocks your business, they won’t receive any messages or calls that you send them. There are many reasons that someone might block a business on WhatsApp. We’ve listed a few of the most common reasons below:

They’ve lost interest

If a contact is no longer interested in your product or service, they might block your WhatsApp Business account. This could be due to a change in their circumstances (for example, relocating to a new area away from your business) or no longer needing the product (for example, blocking a wedding dress vendor once they’ve purchased their dress).

You’re sending too many marketing messages

If you are sending large volumes of marketing messages in a short space of time, your contacts may feel like you’re spamming them. It’s always best to send messages in small batches and split up your broadcasts over several days. Make sure that messages are timely, relevant and varied to avoid overwhelming your list with repetitive messages.

They’re suspicious of your account

If contacts suspect your account to be fraudulent, they’re more likely to block you. Make sure that your business profile and catalogueis filled out and up to date, including links to your website or social media platforms. Never send unsolicited messages to contacts who haven’t specifically opted in to receive them. If you need to take personal or payment details, offer secure ways for your contacts to share them.

They’ve had a negative experience

It goes without saying, but offensive or threatening language is likely to result in your account being blocked or reported. There are also some less serious scenarios that could leave a negative impression on a contact. For example, if a complaint is ongoing or cannot be resolved satisfactorily, a frustrated client may block your number.

What to learn from being blocked on WhatsApp Business

If you suspect that your account is being blocked by large numbers of contacts on WhatsApp Business, it’s time to review your strategy. Follow this best practice advice to prevent contacts from blocking your account.

Separate your private and work chats

One of the benefits of a second virtual phone number is that you can run both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business on the same phone. This means you can keep your regular WhatsApp account for your personal interactions, and your Business account for your work chats – with no risk of sending a potentially embarrassing or confusing personal message to your work contacts.

Keep messages professional

Make a good impression every time by using a professional, friendly tone that sounds like it’s written by a human, not an AI bot. Of course, you should consider your brand identity and incorporate this where possible, but most customers will respond well to a business casual tone.

Use good spelling and grammar

Spam accounts and phishing messages often use poor spelling and grammar, so contacts are understandably on the lookout for messages that contain errors. The Quick Replies feature helps keep spelling and grammar standards high through pre-templated messages that you can set up ahead of time, saving you time and effort.

Respond promptly to messages

Quick responses can minimise the risk of contacts becoming frustrated. During work hours, aim to reply as quickly as you can to work messages. Use WhatsApp Business’ auto-reply and away message features to manage expectations outside of work hours. Find out how to set up and use away messages with our handy guide.

Read WhatsApp’s Terms and Conditions

It’s worth getting familiar with WhatsApp’s Terms and Conditions document. This sets out the acceptable and unacceptable ways to use the platform. Some of the no-nos listed go without saying – like impersonating others, threats or harassment – but others, such as bulk messaging, may surprise you.

How can I set up a WhatsApp Business account?

It’s quick and easy to get started with WhatsApp Business – and you don’t need a second handset. All you’ll need is your existing mobile device, a virtual second phone number, and an internet connection.

With a second mobile number, you can run both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business on the same device. What’s the benefit of having two apps on the same phone? It’s much cheaper than getting a second device and a second phone contract, while still allowing you to separate out your work and personal lives. You can keep your personal number for private chats with family and friends, and use your new business number for your professional communications.

It couldn’t be easier to get a second phone number with YourBusinessNumber. In just a few quick steps, we’ll generate your new business number and send it via SMS to your mobile. All you need to do is download WhatsApp Business, verify it, and you’re off.

Let’s get you started. Generate your new number and unlock the power of WhatsApp Business today.