What template category to use on the WhatsApp platform?
The Case
Different types of message templates serve distinct purposes within the WhatsApp platform. Whether you’re aiming to market products, provide utility information, or authenticate users, understanding each template category is crucial for effective communication.
1. Marketing templates
Message objective: Drive marketing initiatives and promote products or services.
Business goal: Generate awareness, boost sales, and engage customers.
Example templates:
1. Product promotion:
“🎉 Don’t miss out! Enjoy 20% off on all our products this weekend. Use code SAVE20 at checkout.”
2. Order update with offer:
“Your order #{{1}} has been shipped! As a thank you, here’s a 10% discount on your next purchase. Shop now!”
Steps to Take
- Identify your marketing goals: Determine whether you want to raise awareness, increase sales, or engage customers.
- Craft compelling content: Tailor your message to resonate with your target audience and convey your marketing message effectively.
- Ensure compliance: Verify that your marketing templates adhere to WhatsApp guidelines to avoid rejection or penalties.
2. Utility templates
Message objective: Provide users with specific, transaction-related information.
Business goal: Enhance user experience and streamline interactions.
Example templates:
1. Order confirmation:
“Your order #{{1}} has been confirmed. You can expect delivery within 2-3 business days.”
2. Subscription renewal reminder:
“Hi {{1}}, your subscription to our service will renew automatically on {{2}}. Manage your subscription settings in your account dashboard.”
Steps to Take
- Specify transaction details: Include relevant information such as order numbers, subscription dates, or account actions in your utility templates.
- Ensure clarity: Make sure your message clearly communicates the intended transaction or interaction to avoid confusion.
- Test templates: Verify that your utility templates provide accurate and helpful information to users before sending them out.
3. Authentication templates
Message objective: Authenticate users through one-time passcodes.
Business goal: Enhance account security and prevent unauthorized access.
Example templates:
1. Account verification:
“Your verification code for {{1}} is {{2}}. This code will expire in 5 minutes.”
2. Password reset:
“To reset your password, enter the verification code: {{1}}. Do not share this code with anyone.”
Steps to Take
- Use WhatsApp’s preset templates: Ensure that your authentication templates follow WhatsApp guidelines and utilize the provided preset message templates.
- Configure one-time password button: Set up the necessary buttons for users to easily input or copy their authentication codes.
- Avoid content restrictions: Keep your authentication templates concise and free from URLs, media, emojis, or lengthy parameters to comply with WhatsApp content restrictions.
Understanding the distinctions between these message templates and their respective objectives and guidelines will help optimize your messaging strategy and better serve your audience.
NOTE
- Check the template category guidelines to inform yourself on how we define the category of message templates on our platform. Please refer to our Updates to Template Category Guidelines PDF for additional details.
- Examples are illustrative only. Templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.
