WhatsApp Templates

Create professional WhatsApp Business message templates for marketing, transactional, and authentication messages. All WhatsApp marketing messages require pre-approved templates from Meta (Facebook).

Important: Meta Approval Required

WhatsApp marketing messages MUST use approved templates. You cannot send custom messages to contacts unless:

They messaged you first (within last 24 hours), OR
You're using an approved template

Approval time: 1-24 hours (usually 2-6 hours)

Template Categories

Meta requires categorizing templates:

Category	Purpose	Examples	Approval Time
MARKETING	Promotional content	Sales, offers, product launches	12-24 hours
UTILITY	Account/transactional updates	Order status, delivery, account changes	2-6 hours
AUTHENTICATION	OTPs, verification codes	Login codes, 2FA, password reset	1-2 hours

Choose the correct category - it affects approval time and usage limits.

Creating a WhatsApp Template

Step 1: Start New Template

Navigate to Channel → Templates
Click + New Template
Select WhatsApp as channel
Fill in template details:
- Template Name: Unique identifier (lowercase, underscores only)
  - Good: order_confirmation_v2
  - Bad: Order Confirmation V2 (no spaces/caps)
- Category: MARKETING, UTILITY, or AUTHENTICATION
- Language: Select language (can create multi-language versions)

Step 2: Design Template Components

WhatsApp templates have 4 optional components:

1. Header (Optional)

Choose one:

Text: Short title or greeting (max 60 characters)
```
Your Order Confirmation
```
Image: Product photo, banner (JPG/PNG, < 5MB)
Video: Product demo, announcement (MP4, < 16MB)
Document: PDF invoice, catalog (PDF, < 100MB)

2. Body (Required)

Main message content:

Max 1,024 characters
Can include numbered variables for personalization
Supports bold, italic, ~~strikethrough~~, monospace

Example:

Hi {{1}},

Your order {{2}} has been confirmed!

*Order Details:*
- Total: ${{3}}
- Delivery: {{4}}

Track your order: {{5}}

Thanks for shopping with us!

3. Footer (Optional)

Small text at bottom (max 60 characters):

Reply STOP to opt out

4. Buttons (Optional)

Choose one button type:

Call-to-Action Buttons (max 2):

Visit Website: Opens URL
```
[Shop Now] → https://yourstore.com
```
Call Phone Number: Direct dial
```
[Call Us] → +1234567890
```

Quick Reply Buttons (max 3):

Predefined response options
```
[Yes] [No] [Maybe Later]
```

Step 3: Add Variables

Variables allow dynamic content per contact:

Variable Syntax:

Use numbered placeholders starting from 1, 2, 3, etc.
Number them sequentially (don't skip numbers)
Max 10 variables per template

Example Template:

Header: [IMAGE]

Body:
Hi {{1}},

We're excited to launch our new {{2}}!

As a valued customer, you get *exclusive early access* and {{3}}% off.

Offer valid until {{4}}.

Footer: Reply STOP to opt out

Buttons:
[Shop Now] → https://store.com/{{5}}

Variable Mapping (done in campaign):

Variable 1 → Contact name
Variable 2 → Product name
Variable 3 → Discount percentage
Variable 4 → Expiry date
Variable 5 → Product URL slug

Step 4: Submit for Meta Approval

Review template carefully
Check Meta's guidelines (see below)
Click Submit for Approval
Wait for approval (1-24 hours)

Approval Status:

Pending: Under review by Meta
Approved: Ready to use ✅
Rejected: Needs fixes (see rejection reason)

Meta Template Guidelines

✅ Allowed:

Product updates and launches
Sales and promotions
Event invitations
Order updates
Appointment reminders
Customer surveys
Account notifications

❌ Not Allowed:

Cryptocurrency, gambling
Tobacco, alcohol, drugs
Adult content
Weapons
Political content
Misleading information
Spam or mass messaging

Quality Guidelines:

Be Clear and Specific
- Good: "Your order will be delivered on [date]"
- Bad: "Important update about your thing"
Use Proper Grammar
- Correct spelling and punctuation
- Avoid all-caps (except brand names)
- Professional tone
Generic Template Text
- Don't include specific offers in template
- Use variables for dynamic content
- Good: "Get [percentage]% off"
- Bad: "Get 50% off" (hardcoded)
Include Opt-Out
- Add opt-out language in footer
- "Reply STOP to unsubscribe"

Template Examples

1. Order Confirmation (UTILITY)

Template Name: order_confirmation

Header: Your Order Confirmation

Body:
Hi {{1}},

Your order {{2}} has been confirmed!

*Order Details:*
Total: ${{3}}
Delivery Date: {{4}}

You can track your order using the button below.

Thank you for your purchase!

Footer: Questions? Reply to this message

Buttons:
[Track Order] → https://store.com/track/{{5}}

2. Appointment Reminder (UTILITY)

Template Name: appointment_reminder

Header: [IMAGE: Calendar icon]

Body:
Hi {{1}},

This is a reminder about your appointment:

*Appointment Details:*
- Service: {{2}}
- Date: {{3}}
- Time: {{4}}
- Location: {{5}}

Please confirm or reschedule using the buttons below.

Footer: Reply STOP to opt out

Buttons:
[Confirm] [Reschedule]

3. Product Launch (MARKETING)

Template Name: product_launch

Header: [IMAGE: Product photo]

Body:
Hi {{1}},

🎉 Introducing our new {{2}}!

{{3}}

As a valued customer, you get *{{4}}% off* for the first week.

Use code: {{5}}

Footer: Offer expires {{6}}. Reply STOP to opt out

Buttons:
[Shop Now] → https://store.com/{{7}}
[Learn More] → https://store.com/{{8}}

4. OTP/Authentication (AUTHENTICATION)

Template Name: otp_verification

Header: Your Verification Code

Body:
Your {{1}} verification code is:

*{{2}}*

This code expires in {{3}} minutes.

If you didn't request this code, please ignore this message.

Footer: Never share this code with anyone

Buttons: (None for security)

Best Practices

Template Design

1. Keep It Concise

Max 3-4 sentences for marketing
Get to the point quickly
Use bullet points for clarity

2. Use Formatting

Bold for important info
Italic for emphasis
~~Strikethrough~~ for old prices
Monospace for codes

3. Clear Call-to-Action

What do you want them to do?
Make it obvious with buttons
Use action words

4. Personalization

Always use variable 1 for contact first name
Personalize content when possible
Makes messages feel less automated

Variable Planning

Before creating template, map out variables:

Variable	Field Name	Example Value
Variable 1	Contact first name	"Sarah"
Variable 2	Product name	"Premium Plan"
Variable 3	Price	"49.99"
Variable 4	Expiry date	"Dec 31"
Variable 5	Coupon code	"SAVE20"

Increasing Approval Chances

Do:

Follow naming conventions (lowercase_with_underscores)
Use correct category
Include opt-out language
Write clear, professional copy
Check spelling and grammar
Use variables for dynamic content
Include business name

Don't:

Use misleading content
Make exaggerated claims
Include prohibited content
Hardcode offers/prices in template
Use all-caps excessively
Forget opt-out language

Multi-Language Templates

Create versions in different languages:

Process:

Create template in primary language
Get approved
Create new template with same content in different language
Submit for approval
System auto-selects based on contact's language preference

Example:

welcome_message_en (English)
welcome_message_es (Spanish)
welcome_message_fr (French)

Template Status & Management

Template States

Status	Description	Actions Available
Draft	Not submitted	Edit, Delete, Submit
Pending	Awaiting Meta approval	View, Cancel
Approved	Ready to use	Use in campaigns, Edit, Duplicate
Rejected	Did not meet guidelines	View reason, Edit, Resubmit
Paused	Temporarily disabled	View, Resume
Disabled	Meta disabled due to policy violation	View only

Editing Approved Templates

Important: You cannot edit approved templates directly!

To make changes:

Duplicate the template
Make edits to the duplicate
Submit duplicate for approval
Once approved, archive old template
Use new template in campaigns

Template Limits

Meta Limits:

250 templates per WhatsApp Business Account
100 pending submissions at a time
Unlimited approved templates (counts toward 250)

Troubleshooting

Template Rejected

Common Rejection Reasons:

Variable Format Issues
- Problem: Using named variables instead of numbered ones
- Solution: Use numbered variables only (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Misleading Content
- Problem: "You've won!" without context
- Solution: Be honest and clear
Prohibited Content
- Problem: Cryptocurrency, gambling references
- Solution: Remove prohibited topics
Missing Opt-Out
- Problem: No unsubscribe option
- Solution: Add "Reply STOP to opt out" in footer
Hardcoded Offers
- Problem: "Get 50% off today!"
- Solution: Use variable for discount percentage

Template Not Sending

Check:

✅ Template status is "Approved"
✅ Variables mapped correctly in campaign
✅ Contact has valid WhatsApp number
✅ Contact opted in to receive messages
✅ Not exceeding rate limits

Low Delivery Rate

Possible Issues:

Invalid phone numbers
Numbers not on WhatsApp
Blocked by recipients
Rate limits exceeded

Solutions:

Validate phone numbers (include country code)
Verify numbers are WhatsApp users
Clean blocked numbers from list
Reduce sending rate

Advanced Features

Dynamic Headers

Use variables in header images:

Header: [IMAGE: variable_1]

Map the first variable to image URL in campaign.

List Messages

Create interactive lists (requires approval):

Choose your preferred time slot:

[View Available Times]
  ├ Monday 2 PM
  ├ Tuesday 10 AM
  ├ Wednesday 3 PM
  └ Thursday 11 AM

Catalog Messages

Link to WhatsApp Business catalog:

Body:
Check out our latest products!

[View Catalog]

Requires WhatsApp Business catalog setup.

Compliance

WhatsApp Business Policy:

Only send to opted-in contacts
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Don't spam
Respect 24-hour message window
Use approved templates for marketing

Penalties for Violations:

Rate limiting
Template suspension
Account warnings
Account suspension (severe cases)

WhatsApp Campaigns → - Send WhatsApp campaigns
Meta Template Guidelines - Official rules
WhatsApp Integrations → - Connect WhatsApp providers
Template Variables → - Advanced variable usage

Important: Meta Approval Required​

Template Categories​

Creating a WhatsApp Template​

Step 1: Start New Template​

Step 2: Design Template Components​

Step 3: Add Variables​

Step 4: Submit for Meta Approval​

Meta Template Guidelines​

Template Examples​

1. Order Confirmation (UTILITY)​

2. Appointment Reminder (UTILITY)​

3. Product Launch (MARKETING)​

4. OTP/Authentication (AUTHENTICATION)​

Best Practices​

Template Design​

Variable Planning​

Increasing Approval Chances​

Multi-Language Templates​

Template Status & Management​

Template States​

Editing Approved Templates​

Template Limits​

Troubleshooting​

Template Rejected​

Template Not Sending​

Low Delivery Rate​

Advanced Features​

Dynamic Headers​

List Messages​

Catalog Messages​

Compliance​

Related Resources​