WhatsApp and SMS Messaging for Adobe Marketo Engage

SMS

WhatsApp and SMS Messaging for Adobe Marketo Engage enables marketers to send SMS and WhatsApp template messages to Marketo leads directly from Adobe Marketo Smart Campaigns using custom Self-Service Flow Steps (SSFS). This allows teams to deliver personalized mobile messages to leads as part of their existing campaign workflows.

NOTE

This integration is created and managed by Clevertouch Consulting. To install go to the Clevertouch registration page (opens in a new tab).

Messaging capabilities

Send WhatsApp approved templates and SMS from any Marketo Smart or Batch Campaign.

Personalize and enrich messages using Marketo tokens and lead data.

Track delivery and read statuses through delivery reports via Custom Activities for seen and delivered messages.

Automate follow-up campaigns based on message outcomes and engagement data.

Before you get started

You will need the following:

An Infobip account with visibility of API credentials. The API credentials will need the following permissions:
- For SMS: sms:manage and sms:message:send
- For WhatsApp: whatsapp:manage and whatsapp:message:send
Configured SMS and/or WhatsApp senders in your Infobip account.
Marketo Engage access with visibility of the following:
- Your Marketo instance Munchkin ID: This can be found under Admin > My Account in the Support Information section.
- Client ID and Client Secret credentials for a configured API service in your Marketo instance. In Marketo, go to Admin > Integration > LaunchPoint and select View Details on your configured API service.
  - If you need to set up a service, follow the Getting Started (opens in a new tab) steps in the Marketo REST API documentation. Set up a dedicated service for this integration.

Optional but recommended:

A dedicated phone number field in Marketo for mobile numbers.
A country code field on the Marketo Person object containing the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 (two-character) code for the person's location. When provided, the service uses this to automatically format local phone numbers into international format at runtime, which is required for WhatsApp delivery.

Registration and installation

To begin setup, go to the Clevertouch registration page (opens in a new tab) and complete the following steps:

Enter your organization and contact details.
Provide and validate your Marketo API information.
Provide and validate your Infobip API credentials. A registered sender number is required for WhatsApp usage.
Confirm installation details for Self-Service Flow Steps and the Custom Activity. This step creates the custom activity type for recording delivery reports of sent messages. If the activity type already exists, it validates the configuration. It does not create duplicate custom activity types.
Submit your details.

After submitting, you are redirected to a page with the following details:

A Flow Step install URL.
An API token for the Flow Step.

IMPORTANT

Copy these credentials and store them securely. They are only viewable for a limited time.

Marketo configuration

Ensure you are logged into Marketo as an admin user with access to the Admin panel.

Install the Flow Step

In Marketo, go to Admin > Integration > Service Providers > Add New Service.
Use the install URL and then the API token obtained from the registration step.

NOTE

If you have a previous install of this Flow Step, Marketo will ask you to modify the names of parts of the service so they are unique. This includes the Flow Step Display, Activity Type API Name, Trigger Name, and Filter Name.

Map outgoing fields and configuration options

(Optional) To send WhatsApp messages, all recipient phone numbers must be in a valid international format starting with a country code (for example, 441134960001). This service can automatically convert phone numbers into the correct format at send time if you provide a two-character ISO code for the person's country.
To enable this, map a field containing the relevant ISO codes to the country_iso field and make sure it is set to Active.
Review the contextual fields used by the service (Subscription, Program, Program Member, Smart Campaign, and Trigger).
Select Save.

You can now start using your Flow Step.

How to send a WhatsApp template message

Use the Flow Step in any Smart or Batch Campaign.

Build your Smart List:
1. Add the audience criteria you need.
2. For testing, add a filter such as Email Address, to limit results to yourself.
Add the Flow Step:
1. Choose Send WhatsApp Message from Infobip.
2. Select the chosen template from the picklist.
3. Select the mobile number field to receive the message, for example, the Marketo token {{lead.Mobile Phone Number}}.
4. Map required template placeholders (named in the template name) to Marketo tokens or static text.
NOTE
If numbers are not in international format, ensure the ISO country code field is present on all records.
Validate the configuration:
- Confirm all required template fields are filled.
- Review header, body, and button inputs.
NOTE
Template names are displayed in the following format: whatsapp_template_name [lang] – 2x placeholders, image header, 1x button (button type). Complete all required fields shown in the Flow Step.
Run a test:
- Keep the Smart List limited to your test record.
- Schedule the campaign and run it once.
- Check the Results tab and the Custom Activity on your lead.
NOTE
Triggers can be used in Smart Lists based on Custom Activity changes for message delivery statuses. Seen statuses only trigger for leads with WhatsApp read receipts enabled.

How to send an SMS message

Follow the steps below to create and send an SMS message:

Build your Smart List.
Add the Flow Step Send SMS Message from Infobip.
Enter the message content.
Use Marketo tokens for personalization, such as first name.
Select the mobile number field.
Run a test with a limited Smart List.

NOTE

The phone number field can be a token or a fixed value. You can use a fixed number to send an alert to a team phone for every trigger.

Personalization with tokens

Use standard tokens such as {{lead.First Name}} and {{campaign.name}}, or ensure defaults are provided. Use custom tokens for campaign-specific details.

Observability and reporting

Delivery receipts and error metadata are captured through webhooks into the Custom Activity.

Delivery statuses include: sent, delivered, and seen.
Errors store a code and message for troubleshooting.

Activity log with delivery and seen events

Best practices

Store mobile numbers in international format where possible.
Maintain an ISO country code field for local numbers.

Send only to contacts who have opted in.
Respect regional messaging rules and quiet hours.

Keep template names clear. WhatsApp templates must be lowercase and can optionally include underscores.
Spaces and other punctuation are not permitted. Archive unused templates.

Always test with a small audience first.
Use the Results tab and Custom Activity to confirm outcomes.

Restrict access to the Flow Step configuration to admin users.
Do not store sensitive information in campaign descriptions or comments.

WhatsApp template configuration reference

Use this reference to understand how Marketo Self-Service Flow Steps handle WhatsApp template placeholders.

Mandatory fields

Every WhatsApp Flow Step requires the following fields:

Field	Description
Template	Select a WhatsApp template.
Phone Number	Token or static value (for example, `{{lead.Mobile Phone Number}}`) for the recipient's number.

Understanding the template name

Each template includes an Editable hint that tells you which fields to populate.

Example: welcome_messages [en] – Editable: 2x Placeholders

Template hint includes	You must fill
1x / 2x / Nx Placeholders	Text Slot 1 through N
Image / Video / Document / Location Header	Header Parameter
Button (Reply)	Button # Parameter (text)
Button (URL)	Button # Parameter (URL parameter only)
Button (Code)	Button # Parameter (code value)

If a field is listed in the template name, it must be filled. No blanks are permitted.

Field requirements

Text slots (placeholders)

Match the number of placeholders listed in the template name.
Values cannot be empty.
Can be static values or Marketo tokens, for example, {{lead.First Name}}.

Header parameter

Required only when the template name includes a header type.

Header type	Expected value
Image	Image URL
Video	Video URL
Document	File URL
Location	`lat,long` (for example, `51.503399,-0.119519`)

URLs can be static, tokens, or a mixture of both. The URL must be valid and start with https:// or http://.

The following table lists the supported file types and size limits:

File type	Supported formats	Maximum size
Image	JPG, JPEG, PNG	5 MB
Video	MP4, 3GPP	16 MB
Document	PDF	100 MB

Buttons

Required only when the template name includes button types.

Reply buttons: Enter a short text value, for example, Yes or Book now.
Code buttons: Enter the code value, for example, a promo code or OTP.
URL buttons: Enter the value of the editable parameter that will be inserted into the fixed URL defined in the approved template.

Example: If the template defines https://example.com/order/{{1}}, the button parameter should be the order number or tracking number token.

NOTE

Some WhatsApp templates include buttons that are pre-defined and not editable, such as fixed quick-reply options or static URL buttons approved by Meta. These buttons appear when the message is sent, but because they require no custom input, they do not appear in the Editable list for the template.

In the Marketo Flow Step, you only need to fill in the buttons that require a value, which are shown as Editable in the template name. Any buttons that do not require parameters do not appear in the flow step. 

Examples

Template with two placeholders

welcome_messages [en]: Editable: 2x Placeholders

Fields to fill in: Text Slot 1 and Text Slot 2.

Placeholder and URL button

authentication [en]: Editable: 1x Placeholder, 1x Button (URL)

Fields to fill in: Text Slot 1 and Button #1 (URL parameter).

Placeholder and image header

collect_purchase_interest_en [en]: Editable: 1x Placeholder, Image Header

Fields to fill in: Text Slot 1 and Header Parameter (image URL).

Multiple placeholders and reply buttons

registration_success [en]: Editable: 4x Placeholders, Image Header, 3x Buttons (Reply, Reply, Reply)

Fields to fill in: Text Slots 1–4, Header Parameter (image URL), and Buttons #1–3 (reply texts).

Quick rules

If the template lists it as editable, you must fill it in.
Editable fields cannot be left blank.
Tokens and static values both work.
Ignore fields not required by your chosen template.
Location header coordinates must be provided in the format: latitude, longitude.

FAQ

I have added a new WhatsApp template. Why is it not available in the Self-Service Flow Step?

Can I send both channels from the same campaign?

Can I send different messages from the same campaign?

Can I use static numbers for alerts?

How fast are messages delivered?

What data does the custom activity for delivery reports store?

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