WhatsApp templates and campaigns
Create message templates for Meta's review, record customer consent, and send or schedule campaigns to a contact list.
On this page
Message templates
A template is a pre-written message Meta has approved. You need one to start a conversation, or to message a customer more than 24 hours after they last wrote. Templates live in WhatsApp → Template.
How to create a template
- Go to WhatsApp → Template and select New Template.
- Choose Standard or Carousel (a row of cards, always Marketing).
- Enter a Template name, and choose the Category and Language.
- Optionally add a Header — text, an image, a video or a document.
- Write the Body. Use
{{1}},{{2}}… where a value changes per recipient — a name, an order number, a date. - Optionally add a Footer and buttons.
- Submit it. Meta reviews it, usually within a few minutes.
| Category | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, launches and anything promotional. Needs an opt-in and can be opted out of. |
| Utility | Order updates, reminders and account notices tied to something the customer did |
| Authentication | One-time passcodes. WhatsApp writes the copy — you set the expiry and button. |
A template shows its review status: In review, Approved, Rejected, Paused, Disabled or In appeal. Only approved templates can be sent.
Consent
WhatsApp → Consent is your consent register: proof that contacts agreed to receive marketing on your number. Use Record consent to add one, and Withdraw consent when someone asks to stop. Contacts who opt out are held back from campaigns.
Campaigns
A campaign sends one approved template to a list of contacts. Campaigns live in WhatsApp → Campaign.
How to create a campaign
- Go to WhatsApp → Campaign and select New Campaign.
- Enter a Campaign name and choose the number to Send from.
- Pick an approved Template.
- Add recipients: Choose customers from your customer list, or Import file (use Download sample for the columns). The page tells you which columns your file needs, such as the recipient number and any template values. Add
consent_sourceandconsent_datecolumns to record how each contact opted in. - Choose Send manually (saved as a draft until you press Send on the list) or Schedule (pick Send at).
- Select Create campaign or Schedule campaign.
Customers with no mobile, an invalid mobile, an opt-out, a block or a duplicate number are skipped, and the page tells you how many.
Campaign report
Open a campaign's report to see each recipient as Sent, Delivered, Read, Failed or Opted out.
Was this article helpful?
Still need help? Contact Support