WhatsApp Message Template

——Learn about WhatsApp message template categories and creation through this article.

Template category description

Template category

Message templates can be categorized as:

• Marketing templates – Enable businesses to achieve a wide range of goals, from generating awareness to driving sales and retargeting customers.
• Utility templates – Enable businesses to follow up on user actions or requests, since these messages are typically triggered by user actions.
• Authentication templates – Enable businesses to verify a user’s identity, potentially at various steps of the customer journey.

Template category change description

WhatsApp periodically reviews template content to ensure it conforms to template category guidelines. This means that your template category may be changed by the WhatsApp platform when you create or use a template, for example, from utility to marketing. Since different template categories have different pricing, please carefully check your template's current category before using it. You can also change the setting to deleted if the template category changes.

Figure 1: Template Category Change Settings

Template category change appeal

If your message template has had its category changed, you can visit Business Support Home (opens new window) to view information about these template category changes and file an appeal.

Figure 2: Template Appeal

Description for creating message templates

Templates are used in bulk messaging, or when you need to message a user but it has been more than 24 hours since they last messaged you.

Templates must be approved before they can be sent. Note that templates may be paused or disabled automatically based on customer feedback, engagement, or for violations of WhatsApp Business or Commerce policies.

You can create a template by going to Sobot system> Broadcast -> Templates -> Create Template and then navigating to WhatsApp Manager

Figure 3: Create Template

Marketing

Marketing templates are the most flexible. They enable businesses to achieve a wide range of goals, from generating awareness to driving sales and more.

Content Example：

• As a thank you for your last order, please enjoy {{discount}}% off your next order. Use code {{loyal15}} at checkout. Visit our site here below.
• Hi {{name}}, your friend {{name}} recently joined our community. Send them a welcome message in our app today: {{URL}}.
• Hello, I am the new {{virtual_assistant}}. I can help you discover products or provide support. Please reach out if I can help!

Note: Examples are illustrative only. Templates that contain similar content, or the example text above, might be categorized differently based on the exact content.

The following templates are also considered marketing:

• Templates with mixed content (for example, both utility and marketing, such as an order update with a promo or a feedback survey with promotional content).

• Templates where contents are unclear (for example, where contents are only “{{1}}” or “Congratulations!”).

To create a Marketing message, you can click Marketing -> Default -> Next to access the template creation page.

Figure 4: Marketing Template

You can adjust the language, type of variable, media sample, header, body, footer, and buttons according to your template requirements.

Figure 5: Create Marketing Template

Utility

Utility templates are typically triggered by a user action or request. For a template to be categorized as utility, it needs to meet both criteria below:

• Must be non-promotional, not containing any promotional or persuasive intent.
• Must ALSO be either specific to or requested by the user (clearly related to their order, account, services or transactions) OR essential or critical to the user (for example, to ensure user safety).

Content Example：

• Thank you! Your order {{order_number}} is confirmed. We will let you know once your package is on its way.

• Your feedback ensures we continually {{improve}}. Please click below to share your thoughts on your {{recent visit}} at our {{store}} location. Thank you in advance!

• Please note, we have updated our {{Customer_service}} phone number to {{number}}. Please save this and call if we can be of support.

Note: Examples are illustrative only. Templates that contain similar content, or the example text above, might be categorized differently based on the exact content.

To create a Utility template, you can click Utility -> Default -> Next to access the template creation page

Figure 6: Utility

You can adjust the language, type of variable, media sample, header, body, footer, and buttons according to your template requirements.

Figure 7: Create Utility Template

Authentication

To create an authentication template, you can click Authentication -> One-time Authentication -> Next to access the template creation page.

Figure 8: Authentication

After entering the template creation page, you can select "Copy code" to quickly complete template creation and submit it for integration.

Figure 9: Select Copy Code

The authentication format and content are relatively fixed. You can adjust your content by checking "Add security recommendation" and "Add expiration time for the code".

Follow content restrictions: URLs, media, and emojis are not allowed for authentication template content or parameters. Parameters are also restricted to 15 characters.

Sending Message Templates

If you need to send mass messages (opens new window) via the Sobo t System:

Go to Broadcast -> Campaign -> WhatsApp,click "Create Campaign"

Figure 10: Sending Message Templates