WhatsApp message template is another new feature of WhatsApp that draws your attention to deploy it in your business.
WhatsApp often comes up with unique features that grab brands and their user’s attention towards them.
With the release of WhatsApp message template features, most people are eager to know how it can be deployed in business and leverage.
Along with this, WhatsApp has so many hidden features that generally people won’t notice. All these made WhatsApp a strong tool for businesses to boost their customer support and see changes in their sales.
If you’re also the one who wants to deploy WhatsApp message template features in your business. Read this article till the end. Here we cover-
- Types of WhatsApp Messages
- What is WhatsApp Message Template?
- What’s New in the Message Template?: Interactive Template Message
- How to Make your WhatsApp Message Template Approved by WhatsApp?
Types of WhatsApp Messages
WhatsApp Messages are of Two Types:
- Message Templates
- Free-Form Messages
Message Templates/Highly Structured Messages
Message templates are the most preferred message format after you have registered with the WhatsApp API. Using these message formats alone, the WhatsApp API service is generating revenue.
An interactive message template allows you to add quick reply buttons to enhance the user experience. By quickly allowing your users to understand what are the different ways they can interact with the bot to get the desired response.
You can also include a call-to-action (CTA) button by replacing the quick reply option with a CTA button. Here users can add a ‘call us’ button and redirect you to a call option instead of typing a number and ‘visit our website’ button that redirects you directly to a specific webpage.
There are three main benefits to the interactive message template-
Enhance The User Experience:
Previously bots on WhatsApp have to present the options available to the WhatsApp users in a number wise fashion like-
- Yes
- No
- Maybe and so on.
But with the interactive message templates and quick options available, users immediately know the different ways they can interact with the bot. They can press these buttons directly instead of typing it out, as shown below.
2. Call-To-Action Button.
Previously, if you wanted to redirect the users to the website or make them call, you must include the link or phone number in the text message. But with this call to action button, users can immediately click on it to redirect it to the caller screen or website directly, as shown below.
3. Maintain Consistent Experience Across Different Channels-
The experience is consistent across the webpage, WhatsApp, and Facebook. And we know that users nowadays want to have the same experience across various multiple channels. So the interactive message template can now enable that, as shown below.
Moreover, a WhatsApp business account will help communicate with customers in various ways in any preferred language. Additionally, you can have an omnichannel experience with a WhatsApp business account. Some of its features that grab attention are-
- Formatted Text Messages.
- Other Message Types (contact and location)
- Media Messages(audio, video, document, image, stickers)
- Media Message Templates
Before going into deep drive- let’s discuss some points about message templates here-
Reusable-
Probably in businesses, they have particular messages they want to send automatically.
Highly Structured–
It follows very strict structure guidelines.
Go through the Approval Process-
Before you live message template, you need to get approval from WhatsApp.
User Consent–
There are no restrictions to the number of message templates sent at once, but you can send only to users who previously gave consent on this.
Personalized Over Variables–
Even though message templates are automated, it still enables a level of personalization through simple variables.
Multi-Lingual–
It allows you to change the same message into multiple languages in various countries.
It enables a business to send just the template identifier in addition to suitable elements rather than entire message content. They are designed to lower the risk of spam to WhatsApp users.
Media message templates add the content above the standard message template type to add media in the message header.
You can add interactive messages to the flow of your text message.
Let’s know the rules to support WhatsApp template messaging:
Generally, it has two rules of consideration:
- Content Rules
- Formatting Rules
Content Rules
Before sending automated notifications, you need to pre-designed message formats as per the WhatsApp policies that need to be user-centric. WhatsApp generally focuses on the value WhatsApp users get from brands, not what brands get from users.
It could be possible for purposes like-
- Alert update
- Account update
- Issue resolution
- Reservation Update
- Status of Ticket
- Appointment Status
- Transaction Update
- Personal Finance Update
- Or Shipping Order Update
Formatting Rules
Template Name
You can include lowercase alphanumeric characters and underscores in the message template. WhatsApp suggests the template name must be descriptive enough to understand its purpose when you see it in bulk templates.
Template Content
The template content must be thoroughly formatted. For example-
- It must be text-based content that includes- letters, digits, special characters, emojis, and WhatsApp specific formatting. Look at the below WhatsApp formatting table-
- It must be below 1024 characters.
- Must not include- Newsline, tabs, or over four consecutive spaces.
- Must specify variables with {{#}}- a numbered placeholder, in that the number represents the variable index, which starts from 1.
Template Translations
Even though in the WhatsApp message template, you can send message templates in various languages. But, here, you don’t have the translation facility, which means you need to write the translation message on your own to leverage the multi-lingual support service. Also, a translated message must depict the original message template.
2. Free-form messages/Session messages
Free-form messages include documents, text, audio, and contact types of messages.
Let’s know the difference between these two:
Free-form messages you can send to your customers 24 hours before leaving the chat in any format. After that, you need to pay for the service. Message templates don’t have such limitations, and it’s a good way to reach your customer.
Let’s deep-dive into WhatsApp Message Template-
What is WhatsApp Message Template?
A WhatsApp message template is a format that you can reuse to send messages to users once they consent. To start with a WhatsApp message template, you need to take approval from WhatsApp, which usually gets approved within 48 hours to avoid spam and quality of content. You can go ahead after approval to send notifications.
Templates are pre-approved collections of test and placeholder variables that you can reuse for multiple campaigns.
Your message template is considered a conversation starter. It’s a two-way conversation process that has a high value of engaging with users, and it reduces your spending because WhatsApp does not charge for outbound messages within 24 hours of the session.
In SMS, you can have both promotional and transactional templates. While in, WhatsApp allows only transactional templates, and no promotional message templates will be approved.
What’s New in the Message Template?: Interactive Template Message
The interactive message template is a more convenient feature than the standard WhatsApp message and media template types. As the name suggests, this feature permits one to include interactive elements to messaging like a button.
WhatsApp business accounts holders now can create two types of predefined buttons:
Call-To-Action:
Using this type of button, users can either visit a website or call a mobile number.
Quick-Reply:
With this type of button, users can reply by choosing from the given options.
These two interactive buttons can be attached to text or media messages. Developed templates need to get approval from WhatsApp. After getting approval, you can use them in WhatsApp notifications and a customer care/service message.
Now the question comes-
How to Make your WhatsApp Message Template Approved by WhatsApp?
To get approval for your WhatsApp message template, you must first know the various ways you can do so. Generally, you can perform this by either joining hands with the provider or independently.
Let’s discuss the procedures for both here-
Submitting WhatsApp Message Template Through Provider-
It varies depending on the provider you choose. Usually, they handle all the technical parts of the process.
Submitting WhatsApp Message Template Through Facebook Message Manager-
To create and submit the WhatsApp Message Template directly through your Facebook message manager, you need to follow the following steps:
- In your Facebook Business Manager, open WhatsApp Manager.
- Click on the Create and Manage option.
- Click on the WhatsApp Manager.
- Choose Message Templates placed in the top bar.
- Click on the Create Template
- Fill the official submission form, which includes-
Name: Enter the new template name (include- alphanumeric characters and underscores only)
Type: Select template type from the drop-down list.’
Language: You can add the required number of language translations by clicking on +New Language; for every language you select, you need to add separate content.
Content: Enter message template content in your selected languages (Also, you can check preview here)
Custom Fields: Add variables like names or tracking numbers using Add Variables as per formatting rules ➡️ {{#}}.
Once done, click on Submit for template review.
To make your message template get approved by WhatsApp. The message template must not include content, for example- co-marketing, explicitly promotional messages, or some inappropriate content like foul language anything offensive.
WhatsApp Message Templates Examples-
- Verification,
- Confirmation,
- Reminder
- Others include Appointment, Shipping Information, Payment Updates, Account update, Personal Finance Update, Reservation, Ticket issue Resolution, or Alert.
WhatsApp rich media message template example selecting buttons like yes, maybe, and what else? Also, get approved from WhatsApp.
For this, WhatsApp follows specific guidelines that include:
Be specific and clear: Our reviewers may not know a customer’s business and need more clarity.
Explicit promotional messages will not be approved: Upselling, cold-call messaging, sending a poll to collect data, and including specific phrases that sound promotional are all considered promotional.
Be careful with formatting: Check for spelling errors and use appropriate formatting (e.g., double curly brackets for parameters)
Sensitive content will not be approved: Do not include abusive content or threatening messages in your HSMs.
To create interactive bots in your WhatsApp business app, you need to use WhatsApp’s WhatsApp business manager.
Create a WhatsApp business account for WhatsApp business API. To start with it, follow the below steps.
- Complete the business verification; for this, you need to provide business documentation (e.g., Business License).
- You need to provide proof of access to the business’s website.
- Businesses must complete the verification before you can send a message on their behalf.
- Once verified, only then can the WhatsApp accounts be available and accessed.
To Sum Up:
WhatsApp message template you can use for various use cases of your businesses. And it is considered the most efficient way to boost your customer support.
WhatsApp message template has button options that are effortless for WhatsApp users to reply and make payments on WhatsApp business API.
If you don’t have an idea of where to start to deploy it. Reading this article will help you to get complete insights into the WhatsApp message template.
You can reach our SmatBot team for any assistance; we are glad to assist you.