Your First Steps: Onboarding

Right after you create an account, WABA asks a few quick questions about what you're interested in, where you are, and whether you're here to discover businesses or list one. Most of it is optional, so don't overthink it.

The mobile app walks you through five short steps:

1. Welcome slides — three quick screens introducing WABA. Tap Next to move through them, Skip (top right) to jump ahead, or Get Started on the last one.
2. What interests you? — pick from 22 business categories like Restaurants & Food, Hair & Beauty, Technology, and Arts & Culture. Tap as many as you like; the button reads Skip for now until you pick something, then Continue with a count of your picks.
3. Find what's near you — tap Continue and your phone asks for location permission. Sharing location helps the map and directory show businesses around you, but the app works fine if you decline.
4. Stay in the loop — tap Continue and your phone asks for notification permission, so you can hear about friend requests, messages, and events.
5. How can we help? — choose I'm here to find businesses to finish, or I want to add my business if you own one, which takes you straight into creating your business listing.

Web onboarding is a short two-step wizard for new members:

1. Complete Your Consumer Profile — under What services are you interested in?, pick from the same 22 business categories the app uses (like Restaurants & Food, Home Services, and Professional Services), and under Where are you located? enter your city, state, or zip code. Both are optional. Save Profile & Continue saves your interests and location to your profile; Skip for now moves on without saving them.
2. Almost Done! — agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service (both required), and choose whether to allow data collection, marketing emails, and analytics tracking (all optional). Click Accept & Continue.

When you see Profile Completed!, pick Browse Directory or Explore community to get going.

Note: The web wizard keeps a draft on your device as you go. If you leave and come back, you'll see a "Pick up where you left off" note. Save & Exit saves that draft and signs you out, so you can finish later.

• Location can be edited from your profile or Settings → Profile on the web, and from Edit Profile in the app.
• Privacy and data choices live in Settings → Privacy.
• Notification and location permissions can be changed in your phone's system settings.
• If you skipped adding your business, you can start a listing whenever you're ready — see the guide on claiming your business.

Note: Until you've accepted the Privacy Policy and Terms, WABA sends you back to finish that step when you open areas like Settings, Rewards, or Messages.