WhatsApp is where many of your customers already talk to friends, family and, more and more, the businesses they buy from. Used well, it is one of the most engaging channels available. Messages can carry images, documents and buttons, and customers can reply in the same thread.
To keep the platform free of spam, Meta, which runs WhatsApp, has clear rules for how businesses can start conversations. Understanding them is the key to running WhatsApp campaigns that are delivered and welcomed.
Templates: how businesses start conversations
A business cannot message a customer out of the blue with free-form text. To start a conversation, it must use a message template: a pre-written message that Meta has reviewed and approved. Templates can include variables, such as the customer's name or an order number, as well as media and buttons.
Each template belongs to a category, and the category affects both how it is reviewed and what it costs.
Utility templates
Utility templates relate to something the customer already did or asked for:
- order and delivery updates;
- payment confirmations and reminders;
- account or appointment notifications.
They must be specific and expected. "Your order #4821 has shipped" is utility. "Your order has shipped. Here's 20% off your next one!" is not.
Marketing templates
Marketing templates cover anything promotional:
- offers, discounts and product launches;
- newsletters and announcements;
- invitations to events or re-engagement messages.
Marketing messages need the customer's opt-in to receive WhatsApp messages from your business, and they are usually priced higher than utility messages.
Authentication templates
The third category is reserved for one-time passwords and verification codes.
The 24-hour customer service window
When a customer messages your business, a 24-hour window opens. Inside it you can reply freely, with no template required, and have a natural conversation. Once the window closes, you need an approved template to message them again.
This shapes good WhatsApp strategy: give customers reasons to reply, then be ready to answer while the window is open.
Getting templates approved
Templates are reviewed before use and sometimes rejected. To improve your chances:
- Pick the honest category. Promotions submitted as utility are a common reason for rejection.
- Be specific. Explain clearly what the message is about and who it is for.
- Use variables sensibly. Don't start or end a template with a variable, and don't stack several in a row.
- Write well. Spelling mistakes, misleading wording and aggressive capitals all count against you.
Best practice for WhatsApp campaigns
- Send fewer, better messages. WhatsApp feels personal, and over-messaging gets you blocked or reported.
- Use rich media on purpose. A product photo with a "Shop now" button beats a wall of text.
- Personalise beyond the first name. Refer to what the customer bought, booked or asked about.
- Track delivered and read statuses so you learn what lands.
WhatsApp in BalloAds
BalloAds lets you manage WhatsApp alongside SMS and email: build audiences from your opted-in contacts, compose rich messages from approved templates, and follow delivery and read status for every campaign. One customer record and one set of reports cover every channel.
