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Message Templates

As per WhatsApp guidelines, you can only send a message template if you want to message a customer outside the 24-hour customer service window (more than 24 hours after their last message).

Templates are reusable messages that you create and submit to WhatsApp for approval. Once approved, you can use them indefinitely. Message templates can have variables you fill in based on the customer information before sending it to them.

Here’s an example of what a template looks like:

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Your order for {{1}} for a total of {{2}} is confirmed. The expected delivery is {{3}}.

You can use this template to send the following message to a customer:

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Your order for five meals for a total of $30 is confirmed. The expected delivery is in 2 days.

WhatsApp Message Template categories

You can create templates in two different categories: Utility and Marketing.

Utility templates

Utility templates relate to a specific, agreed-upon transaction and accomplish one of the following: Confirm, suspend, or change a transaction or subscription. Any template with a mix of utility and marketing content will be classified as a marketing template.

Marketing templates

Marketing templates do not relate to a specific, agreed-upon transaction but may relate to the business and/or its products/services. They may include promotions or offers, welcoming/closing messages, updates, invitations or recommendations, or requests to respond or complete a new transaction.

Create a WhatsApp Message Template

Before applying for a template, please read How to Make Sure WhatsApp Approves Your Message Templates. It can take up to 24 hours for WhatsApp to approve a template.

WhatsApp message templates need to be named before submitting them for approval. The name can only include lowercase letters, numbers, and underscore. Spaces and characters are not allowed. The name should be related to the message content.

Moreover, it's essential to input parameters like category, name, and language for the template. We've leveraged AI to streamline this process. The system auto-fills these details, shaving off precious minutes from the setup. However, if you prefer, you can always adjust this information manually.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create templates in your Rasayel inbox:

  1. Navigate to Settings.
  2. Click Templates.
  3. Select your WhatsApp channel. If you have more than one WhatsApp channel, you can select any of them.
  4. Click + Add new template.
  5. Craft your message and place it in the body section. If you want to include variables, use two curly brackets on either side of a number. For multiple variables, ensure the numbers are in sequential order. We added buttons for variables and emojis in the composer, so you don’t have to type them manually.
  6. Click Submit.
  7. Wait until our AI processes the information. It only takes a few seconds.
    1. Optionally, you can edit the name, the category, and the language.
  8. Click Submit again.

Optionally, choose a header from the following options: text, video, image, or document. Additionally, you can include a text-based footer.

Create an Interactive WhatsApp Message Template

You can make your template interactive by adding buttons to it. Buttons make it easy for customers to answer you with just a tap. Read All About Interactive WhatsApp Message Templates to learn more about buttons.

  1. Click + Add button
  2. Select Quick reply or Website or Phone number
    1. If you select Quick reply you can add up to three buttons with different messages
    2. If you select Website URL or Phone number, you can add only two buttons, one for a website URL and one for a Phone number.

You can find a list of useful templates that are tested for WhatsApp approval in the following articles:

How to Check If WhatsApp Has Approved or Rejected Your Template

WhatsApp can take up to 24 hours to approve or reject a template. You can check your template’s status by following the steps below:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Click Templates
  3. Select your WhatsApp channel.
  4. Use the search feature or scroll down to find your template.

There are three possible outcomes:

  • Accepted - you can use it immediately.
  • Under review - you must wait for WhatsApp to approve it.
  • Rejected - you cannot use it. You could make changes to it and submit it again.

You can delete templates by selecting the three dots located to the right of the template. Alternatively, toggle it off to render it unavailable for use.

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Rasayel syncs your approved templates every 5 minutes.

How to Use a Template in the Chat

  1. Select the customer conversation you’d like to send a template to.
  2. Click the template list icon or the Send Template or Bot flow button. List of your approved templates appears.
  3. Select a template.
  4. Fill in the variables and attach any attachments if needed.
  5. Press Send.

You can reply to customers with free-form messages only after they reply to your template. If you want to message them before they reply, you can only send another template.

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Spamming customers with templates is highly discouraged as it could reduce your quality rating and messaging limits. In extreme cases it could have your WhatsApp account suspended.

Start a Conversation for the First Time

If you want to send a message to a customer who has never messaged you, follow these steps:

  1. Click the plus button at the bottom of the conversation list.
  2. Click on the dropdown menu under “To”. Either type their phone number or find them in the list.
  3. Under “Select a channel”, click on the dropdown menu and find the WhatsApp channel you’d like to message them from.
  4. Click on Use a message template and choose one from the list.
  5. Fill in the variables if needed.
  6. Click Send.
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While you can start a conversation with a customer for the first time, you must already have their consent (opt-in) stating they would like to receive messages from your business over WhatsApp.