This document walks you through some of the best practices you need to know before sending your WhatsApp campaign.
Before you send anyone a WhatsApp message, they need to have agreed to receive messages from you. This is called opt-in consent, and it's required by WhatsApp's Business Policy. This matters because if people receive messages they never signed up for, they'll likely block or report your number. If too many people do this, WhatsApp will suspend or permanently block your business account. So, it is very important to send WhatsApp campaigns to only contacts who've clearly agreed to hear from you via WhatsApp.
The content you want to send through a WhatsApp campaign is reviewed by Meta as templates. You need to create these WhatsApp templates and submit them for review. They can be sent to your recipients only after Meta approves them. You can create your WhatsApp template in Zoho Campaigns based on your needs. A WhatsApp template can include text, images, URLs, videos, and documents. Make sure to follow the required formatting and size guidelines when creating the template.
Before sending your WhatsApp content template for review, make sure you follow these best practices to improve the chances of approval.
Follow WhatsApp Business policies when creating and sending campaigns. If you are promoting goods or services, also follow Meta’s Commerce Policy.
WhatsApp templates can have up to 1024 characters (including placeholders). Keep your message clear, short, and include all important details.
Avoid sending generic messages like simple welcome or introduction texts without any useful information, as they do not add value to your contacts.
Try to personalize your messages. Personalized messages are more useful and reduce the chances of being reported or blocked.
Make sure your content has no spelling or grammar mistakes. Errors can make the message look suspicious and may lead to rejection.
Ensure that the selected language matches the language used in the message. If they don’t match, the template will be rejected. For example, if you select Dutch as the language but write the content in English, the template will be rejected.
Use only valid and complete URLs that are related to your business.
The URL should start with “http(s)” and use your business domain. For example: https://www.zylker.com/product/table-fan
Avoid using shortened links (like tinyurl or bit.ly) or direct WhatsApp links (such as https://wa.me/<phone number>), as they can hide the actual destination of the link.
Make sure the content in your message matches what your contact has agreed to receive. For example, if a contact has subscribed to product offers but you send product updates or new product announcements, they may unsubscribe, block, or report your messages.
Your contacts must be saved in the E.164 format. This means phone numbers can have a maximum of 15 digits and should include a country code (1 to 3 digits) and a subscriber number with area code (up to 12 digits). For example: +12345678901, where [+1] is the country code, [234] is the area code, and [5678901] is the subscriber number.
Zoho Campaigns picks up phone numbers from the Mobile Number field before processing them. Make sure the numbers are stored in this field and follow the correct E.164 format.
Be mindful of how often you send messages. Avoid sending multiple messages to contacts within a short period of time.
Messages should not include any abusive or threatening language.
You must include opt-out details in the content template. Add an unsubscribe link or clear instructions on how to unsubscribe, either in the message content or in the footer of the WhatsApp template.