Compliance and guidelines

It is important to remain aligned with WhatsApp terms of use and commerce policy when using WhatsApp as your communication channel. There are numerous rules and guidelines to which you must adhere, which are outlined in this section.

Messaging window

There are certain types of messages that you are allowed to send within and outside of the permitted messaging window. The messaging window for WhatsApp is when an end-user has responded to a message your business has sent, thus opted-in temporarily to receive all message types.

Message templates are the only message type permitted to send to end-users outside of the messaging window. Templates must be pre-approved by WhatsApp in advance.

When end-users respond, they have automatically opened the 24-hour response window in which you as the business can send all types of free-form messages. Every response from the end-user resets a 24-hour messaging window.

If the 24-hour window lapses, you must re-establish contact through the use of message templates.

When a conversation starts from Facebook or Instagram ads that click to WhatsApp, messaging window is extended from 24 to 72 hours. The same applies if conversation starts with Facebook Page CTA button.

Messaging limits for outbound messages

WhatsApp specifies messaging limits for outbound (business-initiated) conversations. 

Messaging limits determine the maximum number of conversations that each sender can start in a rolling 24-hour period. These limits are not applicable for end user-initiated conversations. So, you can respond to any number of conversations that are initiated by end users.

Messaging limits are classified into tiers. The messaging limits for the tiers are applicable to a rolling 24-hour period.

• Tier 0: A maximum of 250 business-initiated conversations (with 250 unique customers). This tier is applicable only to businesses that have not been verified by Meta
• Tier 1: A maximum of 1,000 business-initiated conversations (with 1,000 unique customers)
• Tier 2: A maximum of 10,000 business-initiated conversations (with 10,000 unique customers)
• Tier 3: A maximum of 100,000 business-initiated conversations (with 100,000 unique customers)
• Tier 4: Unlimited business-initiated conversations

If your business has not been verified by Meta, your sender can be only in Tier 0. If your sender is registered under a business that has been verified by Meta, your sender starts at Tier 1.

To obtain information about the messaging limit tier of your sender, contact your Infobip Account Manager.

Reaching the messaging limit

When the sender reaches the messaging limit, the sender status changes to 'restricted'. The sender can start additional conversations only when one or more active conversations end.

Example: If the messaging limit is 1,000 and there are 1,000 active conversations, the sender can start a new conversation only when an active conversation ends.

Increase the messaging limit

This section is applicable only for senders that are registered under a business verified by Meta.

Initially, the messaging limit for the sender is Tier 1. The messaging limit can increase or decrease depending on the volume and quality of the messages sent.

To increase the messaging limit, the sender must meet each of the following criteria:

• The sender status is Connected.
• The sender quality rating is Medium or High.
• Within a 7-day period, the total number of unique users messaged is half the current messaging limit.

Example: Assuming that the sender status is Connected, and the sender quality is Medium or High, the following scenario shows how to increase the messaging limit to Unlimited within 6 days.

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6
Number of unique end users messaged in a day	500	500	3,500	3,500	41,500	20,000
Total number of unique end users messaged	500	1,000	5,000	8,500	50,000	70,000
Messaging limit	1,000	10,000	10,000	100,000	100,000	Unlimited
Criteria met?	Yes. The total number of unique users (500) is half the messaging limit (1,000). It is Day 1, which is within the 7-day period.	Messaging limit increases to the next tier (10,000), 24 hours after the 500th message was sent on Day 1.	Yes. The total number of unique users (5,000) is half the messaging limit (10,000). It is Day 3, which is within the 7-day period.	Messaging limit increases to the next tier (100,000), 24 hours after the 5,000th message was sent on Day 3.	Yes. The total number of unique users (50,000) is half the messaging limit (100,000)./p> It is Day 5, which is within the 7-day period.	Messaging limit increases to the next tier (Unlimited), 24 hours after the 50,000th message was sent on Day 5.

Template pausing

If a large number of end users report or block a template message, Meta pauses that template for 3 hours. 

If your sender is registered through embedded signup, you will receive a notification from [email protected] that the template is paused. If your sender is managed by Infobip, the Infobip Support Team will contact you and guide you through the next steps.

During the three hours that your template is paused, you can choose one of the following actions:

• Resolve the issues: If your sender is registered through embedded signup, go to WhatsApp Business Manager to resolve the issues. If your sender is managed by Infobip, work with the Infobip support team.
  In both cases, you can choose to do one or more of the following:
  • Edit the template content: If you think end users might perceive the template content as spam or phishing, edit the content. Example: remove specific words in the template.
  • Reshape the target audience: If you think the messages are not relevant to the current target audience, change the audience. Example: if the template content is relevant only to a specific loyalty group, send the template message only to that group and not to all the end users.

After you make the changes, the updated template is live within two minutes. You do not need to wait for the three-hour period to be complete to use the template. Meta will continue to track the end user block rate for the updated template.

• Do nothing: The template will be live again after the three-hour period. However, there is a potential risk for the template to be paused again. If a low-quality template is constantly used after being paused, the sender quality, and eventually, the messaging limit may be affected. 

Sender quality

To ensure high quality of service on the channel, WhatsApp calculates the sender quality based on block rates.

Sender quality rating is classified as follows:

• Green: High quality
• Yellow: Medium quality
• Red: Low quality

If the quality rating reaches a low (red) state, the sender status changes to 'flagged'.

To obtain information about the quality of your sender, visit Sender management or contact your Infobip Account Manager.

Sender status

Sender status is classified as follows:

• Connected: Sender functions normally.
• Flagged: This status occurs when the sender quality rating reaches a low (red) state. During this state, you cannot upgrade the messaging limit tier. If the quality rating improves to either a medium or high state within 7 days from the day the sender status was moved to Flagged, the status changes to Connected. If the quality rating does not improve, the sender status returns to Connected, but the messaging limit decreases to the next lower tier. The lowest tier for verified businesses is Tier 1.
• Restricted: This status occurs when the sender reaches the messaging limit. During the Restricted phase, you cannot send any outbound (notification) messages until the 24-hour window is reset. You can only respond to messages that end users initiate.

Message templates

You must use only registered message templates when sending communications outside of the messaging window. Message templates must comply with WhatsApp guidelines.

All templates must be approved by WhatsApp before use. You can register templates in the API or in the Senders section of the web interface.

Formatting errors

Be aware that any incorrect formatting will result in the automatic rejection of message templates, such as simple spelling mistakes. Pay attention to any templates containing parameters. Make sure the right number of curly brackets are present {{1}}.

Template names can only be in lower case alphanumeric form, with underscores for spaces. No other characters are allowed. You cannot have more than four consecutive spaces in content.

Variables must begin the count at {{1}} and indexes cannot be repeated.

Sensitive content

Do not include content that can be considered to be abusive, threatening, or offensive. Threatening customers with legal action is also not permitted.

You must not threaten to add customers to additional WhatsApp groups under any circumstances.

Spam and scam content

If Meta detects potential spam or scam content in a template, Meta locks the WhatsApp Business Account for 3 days. During this period, you cannot use your WhatsApp Business Account to create templates or send messages. You can still receive messages.

If the detected scam is verified, Meta disables your WhatsApp Business Account. If the detected scam is not verified, Meta unlocks your WhatsApp Business Account.

If the potential spam or scam content is detected multiple times, Meta deactivates all your existing WhatsApp Business Accounts. You will not be able to create a new account.

Refer to the Best Practices for creating templates.

Template clarity

Remain clear about your business and the intention of the message. Not all users may be familiar and may seek clarification as to why they are on a communication list. If this is the case, the reviewer will also seek clarity.

Make sure template names are precise as possible. Template names in the form of IDs will slow down the approval process substantially.

If you need to create a template to reopen the messaging window, it is advised to relate this template to the preceding message thread to maintain clarity.

Template categories

There are total of four categories which are divided into business-initiated and user-initiated conversations. Business-initiated consists of Utility, Authentication, and Marketing conversations. User-initiated conversations are Service conversations. When business sends the template message, that type of conversation window is opened for 24 hours. In case the business sends different kind of template message within that window, the new 24 hour window is opened and charged according to that category.

Utility conversations

Use utility conversation templates to inform customer about ongoing transactions, post-purchase notifications, and/or recurring billing statements.

Any template that has a mix of utility and marketing content will be classified and charged as a marketing template.

Examples:

"Thank you for your reservation! See you next week"

"Your order has shipped! It will be delivered on Friday"

"Reminder: your payment is due on Tuesday"

Authentication conversations

Authentication templates are predefined by Meta and can contain following parts:

• {verification_code} is your verification code.
• Security disclaimer (optional): For your security, do not share this code.
• Expiration warning (optional): This code expires in {expiration_time} minutes.
• Button: Copy code or one-tap autofill button.

Verification code can have up to 15 characters.

URLs, media, and emojis are not supported in this type of templates.

For one-tap autofill button implementation, check the requirements.

 

Marketing conversations

Promote offers, informational updates, or invitations for customer to respond.

Any conversation that does not qualify as utility or authentication conversation is marked as marketing conversation.

Examples:

"Thank you for your order! Use code PROMO25 for 25% off your next order!"

"Hello, welcome to our profile on WhatsApp!"

"Here are this month's coupons - happy shopping!"

"You missed your recent appointment, tap here to rebook."

Service conversations

Conversations initiated by users, helping them to resolve any inquiry.

 

Template rejection

If a template follows the guidelines listed in the Compliance and Guidelines section and the WhatsApp commerce policy, but the template is rejected by WhatsApp, you can appeal the rejection. To appeal, send the following information to [email protected]:

• Account name
• Template name
• Placeholder values
• Sample of the media file (for templates containing media headers)

Best practices

To make sure that your templates are of high-quality and align with the criteria from WhatsApp, follow these guidelines:

• Template content:
  • Use the template as a conversation starter and to get the end user to reply to your message.
  • Avoid sending open-ended welcome or introductory messages.
  • Specify the purpose of the message.
  • Make sure that messages are concise and contain the required information.
  • Make sure that the template is not abusive or threatening in nature.
  • Select the appropriate message type and language.
  • Avoid using the word "survey". Use "feedback" instead.
  • Upload samples for media files, placeholders, and call-to-action buttons when you register a message template.
  • Avoid adjacent placeholders. Example: {{1}} {{2}}
  • Avoid starting or ending the template body with a placeholder or a \n new line character.
  • Avoid using emojis or \n new line character in the footer.
  • Avoid using emojis, asterisks, formatting markup, or the \n newline character in the header.
  • Avoid grammatical or spelling mistakes.
  • Avoid identical templates.
  • Do not share link URLs that do not include your brand and contain several randomized characters.
• Expected: Send notifications only to customers who have opted in.
• Relevant:
  • Avoid sending messages that seem vague and irrelevant. Example: Instead of "Here is {{1}}", use "Here is your invoice number {{1}}"
  • Personalize the message to the specific person. Example: Based on recent purchases or recent engagement with your business. Use placeholders. Example: Instead of "Dear customer, here are some offers for you.", use "Dear {{1}}, here are some offers on {{2}} best suited for you"
  • Make the template seem user-triggered. Example: Instead of "Here are products that you can buy", use "Hope you had fun exploring our website. Would you like to check your cart and make changes?"
  • Outline the next steps, if applicable.
• Timely:
  • Send the messages when they are relevant.
  • Avoid sending several messages in a single day.
• Follow guidelines:
  • Review and comply with the WhatsApp terms of use, business messaging policy, and commerce policy. Make sure that the template does not contain any keywords that could indicate a breach of these policies.
  • Follow the guidelines for the display name.
  • If templates are paused, take remediation steps.

WhatsApp brand guidelines

When using the WhatsApp logo, follow the WhatsApp brand guidelines.

Opt-in

You can send notifications to new and existing customers only if they opt in. Customers must consent to receive messages over WhatsApp from your business. When customers opt in, you obtain their phone number, and can start sending messages to the customers.

You can obtain opt-ins in the following ways:

• Third-Party Channels: Contact customers over the channels that you currently use to communicate with them. Doing so would drive a quick response because customers would be familiar with these channels already. 
• Web: Web opt-in is a simple way to invite your existing and new customers to subscribe to receive important updates and notifications over WhatsApp.

Refer to the WhatsApp opt-in requirements.

SMS

Offer a simple one-click opt-in over SMS with a direct link to WhatsApp. Once opened, it is considered as immediate consent for using WhatsApp as a channel for future notifications. 

Customers are then redirected to the “Thank You for Your Opt-In” page and you can start sending notifications to your customers over WhatsApp. 

If you want to add an extra layer for the customer to be able to understand more about opt-ins before agreeing, you can provide a link to your opt-in webpage instead.

 

 

Voice IVR 

Automate opt-in collections over Voice IVR calls. Using this service, you can ask your customers to give consent by pressing a specific key on the dial pad and then ask them to confirm again before ending the call. 

Customers are then presented with a Thank You Message on their WhatsApp for opting in. 

ATMs 

When it comes to the banking industry, ATMs are an effective communication channel. They are a great way to inform customers about new offers while they wait for their transactions to be processed. They’re also a channel for opt-in collection.  

Give your customers the opportunity to provide simple opt-ins for their balance notifications simply over an ATM by providing their consent then and there. 

They can then receive their bank balances over WhatsApp. 

Social Media and Email 

You can also use your social media accounts to inform your customers that they can now receive notifications over WhatsApp. Use your social media accounts as a funnel to your opt-in page. 

If you already have customers opted in to email communications, you can use this option to talk about your WhatsApp opt-in option through newsletters.  

Remember to include CTA buttons with a direct link to your opt-in landing page. 

Homepage 

Include banners or pop-ups on your Homepage to promote your WhatsApp service to customers. Combine this with taking them to a “Thank You” landing page and confirming their opt-in. 

Custom Opt-In Page 

Another option for collecting opt-ins is to design a specific landing page for opt-in purposes only. This option allows you to inform your customers more about the opt-in/communication processes, T&Cs etc.   

To give consent, customers must enter their phone number on the opt-in page and confirm. After which they will be re-directed to your “Thank You” page. 

Make sure that your opt-in pages are responsive so that opt-ins can be collected from any device. Also, remember to use third-party tools on the internet such as social media and emails to let customers know about your WhatsApp opt-in, and funnel them through to your opt-in page. 

NOTE: If you are communicating an explicit number where your customers can reach you directly (e.g. a call center) over WhatsApp, note that this is not considered a customer opt-in. You aren’t allowed to contact this person again unless this person initiates a conversation. 

C2B Opt-In 

You are still able to respond to customer messages on WhatsApp without an opt-in if they initiated the communication first. In this case, you will have 24 hours before you are no longer allowed to continue using WhatsApp without an opt-in unless they initiate the conversation again.

The simplest way to establish continuous WhatsApp communication is to ask a customer to opt-in, which is when they’ve already reached out to you for support. After resolving the customer’s problem, your agent can ask them if they’d like to opt-in to receive notifications and updates via WhatsApp in the future. 

If the customer agrees, the next step would be to send them a message outlining the type of notifications they can expect to receive and asking them to confirm their opt-in. 

Remember to use specific and clear language, such as: ˝I agree to receive (e-receipts, delivery notifications, back in stock notifications) to (+385 XX XXXXXX) from Go2Shop.˝ 

Inserted Opt-In 

Implement opt-ins as a part of your existing process flows and enable your users to be notified over WhatsApp. 

Customers are used to receiving important updates like order confirmations, boarding passes, delivery notifications, etc. Customers are more inclined to opting in to WhatsApp communications while in the process of carrying out one of the related above functions. 

Retailers, airlines, and logistics companies often include a checkbox at various touchpoints where the customer enters their phone number. This is the ideal spot to insert an opt-in for WhatsApp communications. 

Sign-Up/Contact form Opt-In 

During sign-up, or when filling out contact forms, businesses usually offer new customers a choice of channels they want to be contacted on. If your business uses the same approach, you can include WhatsApp as a part of this list. 

Having WhatsApp as a part of your contact options can increase your sign-up conversion rate, since it’s the preferred channel for many consumers and may influence their decision to engage with you. 

To give existing customers a similar option for opting in, you can update the contact preference section in your customer account settings. Then you can send an email to inform your existing customers of the change, so they know to manually enable this option in their account settings if they so wish.  

Boost Opt-Ins 

All the above methods are effective ways of boosting your opt-in numbers, but also keep in mind that there are many ways to optimize your opt-in strategy:  

• Clearly communicate the value of receiving important notifications and updates on WhatsApp 

• Avoid messaging customers too frequently 

• Make your opt-in model simple to use, minimizing customer effort 

• Find the model that suits your existing processes and communication 

• Harness the power of social media – your customers are already online, grab their attention (Ads that Click to WhatsApp can help you reach more customers on Facebook and Instagram)

• Provide instructions for how customers can opt-out and honor these requests