WhatsApp message templates: categories, approval tips and examples

To start a conversation with a customer on WhatsApp, or to message them more than 24 hours after they last wrote to you, you must use a message template that Meta has approved. Here is how to write templates that get approved and get replies.

What a template is made of

• Header (optional): text, an image, a video or a document. Images lift response rates for offers.
• Body (required): the message itself. It can include variables such as the customer's name, written as {{1}}, {{2}} and so on.
• Footer (optional): a short line, for example "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."
• Buttons (optional): quick replies ("Yes, book it") or call-to-action buttons that open a website or call your number.

The three categories

Meta sorts templates into marketing, utility and authentication. Choose honestly: Meta checks the content and will move a template to marketing if it promotes anything. The category also decides the price, as explained in our pricing guide.

How approval works

When you submit a template, Meta reviews it, usually within minutes and sometimes up to a day. You will see its status in Dizitallink: pending, approved or rejected.

Common reasons templates are rejected

1. Wrong category, such as a discount inside a "utility" template.
2. Variables without context, for example a body that is only "{{1}}", or a variable at the very start or end of the message.
3. Missing sample values, so the reviewer cannot see what the message will look like.
4. Misleading or threatening content, such as fake urgency or debt-collection threats.
5. Prohibited products, including those banned by WhatsApp's Commerce Policy.

Examples you can adapt

Utility: booking confirmation

"Hi {{1}}, your table for {{2}} at The Lotus Kitchen is confirmed for {{3}}. Reply here if you need to change it."

Marketing: weekend offer

Header image of the dish, then: "Hi {{1}}, this weekend only: 20% off brunch for two. Show this message at the counter. Valid Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 1 pm." Button: "Reserve a table." Footer: "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."

Marketing: win-back

"Hi {{1}}, we miss you at Green Leaf Salon! Book any service this month and get a free hair spa. Tap below to choose a time."

Authentication: passcode

Authentication templates use a fixed format set by Meta: "{{1}} is your verification code." You can add a security warning and an expiry time.

Tips for templates that get replies

• Put the customer's name and the benefit in the first line.
• Keep it short; most people read on a phone.
• One clear action per message, with a button for it.
• Send at sensible local times, never late at night.
• Include an easy way to opt out.