Send Interactive Message Templates
Take your business to the next level by including WhatsApp Interactive Message Templates in your customer's conversations.
One of the most significant features of the WhatsApp business is the introduction of Interactive Template Replies and Quick buttons. This feature allows businesses to expose their content beyond just introductory text and media messages.
Let's learn about WhatsApp Interactive Message Templates.
Types of Interactive Message Templates
There are two WhatsApp interactive message template buttons: Call-to-action (CTA) and quick replies.
Call-To-Action
Businesses can use CTA buttons to direct customers to call or visit their webpages. However, this feature is limited to two buttons—one to allow customers to contact you and another to visit your website or a specific landing page.
Remember that you can only connect the call button to a landline or a mobile phone number different from your WhatsApp Business API number, as you cannot call a WhatsApp Business API number.
Quick Replies
The quick reply feature is comprised of preset options that customers can click to indicate what they want from your business. In addition, companies can add three buttons and a text or media message.
This feature is similar to the WhatsApp interactive message for service conversation’s reply button, with the exception that quick replies must be approved by WhatsApp before businesses can use them.
Benefits of Interactive Message Templates
• Initiate new conversations with customers or start a conversation after 24 hours window.
• Ensure businesses send compliant messages that adhere to WhatsApp's guidelines. This reduces the risk of WhatsApp flagging or blocking businesses for sending spam or unsolicited messages.
• Interactive Message Templates are pre-built messages that can be used in a communication channel, such as chat bots or popular messaging apps. These templates allow for an interactive experience by providing buttons, menus, and other interactive elements that users can click or tap to respond to the message.
• They are designed to make it easier for businesses to automate customer conversations and provide a more engaging experience.
• Interactive messages provide a simpler and more consistent way for people to find and select what they want from a business. Each button is planned carefully, which leaves little to no room for human errors like mistyping or unclear messages.
• Ensure businesses send compliant messages that adhere to WhatsApp's guidelines. This reduces the risk of WhatsApp flagging or blocking businesses for sending spam or unsolicited messages.
• Interactive Message Templates are pre-built messages that can be used in a communication channel, such as chat bots or popular messaging apps. These templates allow for an interactive experience by providing buttons, menus, and other interactive elements that users can click or tap to respond to the message.
• They are designed to make it easier for businesses to automate customer conversations and provide a more engaging experience.
• Interactive messages provide a simpler and more consistent way for people to find and select what they want from a business. Each button is planned carefully, which leaves little to no room for human errors like mistyping or unclear messages.
How to create Interactive Template Messages
Message templates are created in their respective WhatsApp channels.
Your message templates will be reviewed to ensure they do not violate WhatsApp policies. Start sending them once Meta approves them.
Your message templates will be reviewed to ensure they do not violate WhatsApp policies. Start sending them once Meta approves them.
Before You Start
When creating a message template, you must follow the below requisite.
• Message components — Fill in the template with the text and media components, including parameter placeholders, as required. Ensure it contains no newlines, tabs, or more than four consecutive spaces, and meets the length restrictions in the Business Manager or WhatsApp Business API.
You can add a sample template by clicking the Add Sample button when creating a message template. This helps us during the review and approval process, so we can understand the message you plan to send. Ensure these are examples and do not include confidential or personal information.
Steps to create an Interactive Message Templates:
Once you have applied for the WhatsApp Business APIs and have verified and activated your business phone number, the next step is to create Interactive template and get them approved by WhatsApp.
Let's get started with the process of creating and submitting a message template for your business.
1. Click the Setup icon (
2. Under Channels, click Instant Messaging.
3. From the right panel, select WhatsApp.
4. Under WhatsApp, select the Templates sub-tab.
5. Click the Create Template button to start creating a template.
6. Choose the Meta verified WhatsApp Business Account (WABA).
7. Enter the Name for the template message, followed by a relevant category.
WhatsApp Business Account - You need
a WABA to register as a WhatsApp Sender and send or receive messages on
WhatsApp using the IM platform. Ensure all WhatsApp Messages and
Templates are associated with a chosen WABA.
Template Name - Should be relevant to the message and also abide by the rule-set by WhatsApp messaging.
Template Category - Choose the relevant category from the list of options available in the drop-down menu.
The Message can Include placeholders (type the "$" symbol and the list of placeholders will be shown and you
can choose one and also add smileys if required. Refer to the template
message approval criteria for information regarding the content that can
be added.
8. Compose a template with the Header (optional), Body (mandatory), Footer (optional) and Interactive Buttons (optional).
9. Customize the header by choosing either a text or media, followed by customizing the Call-to-action buttons or set the required Quick Replies.
10. Preview the composed message,
11. Once you are done reviewing the message content, click Save and await WhatsApp's approval.
Statuses
You can view a template's status by navigating to Instant Messaging -> WhatsApp -> Templates -> Approval Status.
There are three statuses:
• Approved - Successfully approved by Meta.
• Pending - Request created and sent to Meta.
• Rejected - Rejected by Meta.
• Failed - Creation process failed.
Once the message templates are created you can check the statuses in the list view under the Templates tab on the WhatsApp channel.
To learn more about WhatsApp Message Templates, click here.
What are the new template categories?
• Marketing – To send promotional offers and product announcements to increase awareness.
• Authentication – To send one-time passwords or codes allowing customers to access their accounts securely.
• Utility - To send transactional updates, order status, and critical alerts to your customers.
• Authentication – To send one-time passwords or codes allowing customers to access their accounts securely.
• Utility - To send transactional updates, order status, and critical alerts to your customers.
Limitations
- The message template name field is limited to 512 characters.
- The message template content field is limited to 1024 characters.
- A template can only be edited when it is in a state of Approved or Rejected,.
- A template can be edited once per day, up to 10 times per month.
- WhatsApp Business Accounts can only create 100 message templates per hour.
- Templates composed of 4 or more buttons, a quick reply button and one or more buttons of another type cannot be viewed on WhatsApp desktop clients. WhatsApp users who receive one of these template messages will be prompted to view the message on the phone instead.
Read a feature story - Boost customer engagement with WhatsApp's Interactive Message Templates
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