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WhatsApp Message Templates: A Complete Guide to Creating & Using Them

Illustration: Adan Augusto
whatsapp message templates

Please note that 'Variables' are now called 'Fields' in Landbot's platform.

Please note that 'Variables' are now called 'Fields' in Landbot's platform.

Once you successfully applied for WhatsApp API and activated your business phone number(s), the next task on your list is learning how to create WhatsApp message templates. After all, these templates are key elements to leverage WhatsApp automation to its fullest extent. 

They play an integral role in driving your WhatsApp efforts to success as their quality dictates how often and how happily your subscribers engage with your WhatsApp chatbot.

In this article, you will learn the rules and best practices of WhatsApp template message creation so you can progress to create a strong growth strategy.

What are the Different Message Types for the WhatsApp API?

Before we dive into the simple but strangely complicated template creation process, let’s have a closer look at what a WhatsApp message template is and all the rules and privileges that make it different from the other messages you can send using WhatsApp API.

Essentially, there are two types of messages you can send to your leads/customers using WhatsApp API Client integration:

  • Session Messages
  • Message Templates (previously known as Highly Structured Messages or HSM)

Session Messages

Session messages are reactive messages written in response to a customer inquiry. WhatsApp labeled them as “session messages” since they can only be sent within a 24-hour window.

In other words, WhatsApp grants you 24 hours to respond to a user inquiry for free. 

Session messages are part of a private conversation between you and your customer and are not subject to a specific format or content rules. You can send text messages, gifs, images, videos, and even voice messages. 

Please be aware! If the user initiates the conversation by sending you an unprompted message, the 24-hour window starts when you send a message in response. If the user messages you in response to a template message notification, the 24-hour service window starts counting from the moment you send the notification.

Message Templates

They’re the famous WhatsApp message templates you have heard so much about. They allow businesses to send automated outbound messages, and they are the only way WhatsApp is monetizing the API service. 

There are five key things you need to know about Message Templates. They are:

  • Proactive & Reusable (common notifications businesses may want to send to users automatically)
  • Highly Structured (as their former name implies, they have to comply with very strict structure guidelines)
  • Subject to Approval (before they go live, the templates need to be submitted to and pre-approved by WhatsApp)
  • Subject to User Opt-In (although there is no limit to the number of templates you can send at once, you can only send them to users who previously agreed to be contacted
  • Personalized Through Variables (template messages, although automated, allow for a level of personalization using simple variables)
  • (Optionally) Multi-Lingual (the templates allow you to pre-design the same message in multiple languages to connect with users in different countries)

Before the release of the API solution, WhatsApp Business Accounts could only send up to 256 messages at once to a designated group or broadcast list. In this sense,  Message Templates are quite a revolutionary step in the history of WhatsApp as well as one of the most attractive advantages of WhatsApp API. 

Let’s look at all those rules that make them so structured!

Rules of Creating WhatsApp Message Templates

There are two “categories” of rules to take into account: Content Rules and Formatting Rules

Content Rules

To be able to send users automated notifications, you need to format message templates in accordance with WhatsApp policies which are strongly user-centric. In other words, WhatsApp cares more about the value you will be providing to your customers rather than the value they are providing to your business. 

And so, promotional and sales-oriented template submissions will be rejected — no exceptions!

To increase ​​your chance of approval make sure that: 

  • You verify that your message formatting is correct;
  • Your use case complies with WhatsApp's Business Policy and WhatsApp Commerce Policy
  • Your Message Template actually fits the use case you have submitted;
  • You choose the most relevant category for your use case among the different template types. It should fall under one of these categories: account update, alert update, appointment update, issue resolution, payment update, personal finance update, reservation update, shipping update, or ticket update;

You will very likely be rejected if your template:

  • Asks for reviews or surveys;
  • Advertises products, services, or events the customer may like;
  • Contains content that violates WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy;
  • Contains potentially threatening or abusive content;
  • The template is formatted incorrectly.

It’s best to keep Meta's official Message Template Guidelines at hand!

Formatting Rules 

There are specific formatting rules for both the title and content of your template. 

Template Name

The WhatsApp message template name can only include lowercase alphanumeric characters and underscores

Example: shipping_update  |   order_followup1 

To speed up the approval process, WhatsApp advises businesses to use descriptive names for their templates rather than random ones like “message_124a.” This makes it easier for the person approving your message and for you, who will have to manage a sea of other templates.

Parameters

If you want to use variables collected from your WhatsApp audience, you can use the following placeholder to submit them in your Message Templates: {{number_parameter}}, like so: {{1}}, {{2}}, etc.

When using variable parameters in Message Templates, you'll be able to add a sample text value for each parameter before submitting it:

Once it is approved, when sending the template to your users, you can add the variable parameters to the template by typing @name_of_variable to add dynamic values:

Header

Including a header in your Message Template is optional. If you opt to have one, you can choose between four options when adding it to your Message Template:

  • Title (text): The text header has a character limit of 60 characters, including parameters. If you try to add more characters, the message delivery will fail.
  • Image and documents: You can create a Message Template with an image or document as the header. The file must be publicly accessible and less than 30MB in size.
  • Video: You can use a video as a header, too. However, only MP4 files are supported, and they can’t exceed 16MB in size. 

Body 

The body is mandatory, as it makes up your actual message. It should only contain text, parameters, emojis, and formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough, and monospace).

The number of parameters allowed in the body is unlimited, but the character limit can't exceed 1024 when sending the message template. If using parameters in the body, they may contain as many characters as you want, as long as the total body length does not exceed the 1024-character limit.

Footer

Including a footer in your Message Template is optional. It may only contain text and is limited to 60 characters. Here’s what it looks like:

Buttons

Buttons are also optional. You can either add call-to-action buttons or quick reply buttons. If you want to send a call to action, you can’t send a quick reply in the same template and vice versa.

  • Call-to-action buttons: they allow the user to call a specific phone number or go to a specific URL. If using the first, the button text and phone number are mandatory fields. If using a URL, the button text and URL are required fields for template creation. A single Message Template can have a maximum of 1 phone and 1 URL call-to-action button.
  • Quick reply buttons: they allow the users to easily respond to a message template with up to 3 predefined answers. For quick reply buttons, all that is required is the button text with a limit of 25 characters.

How Can You Submit a WhatsApp Message Template?

The process of submitting your HSM templates varies depending on whether you are working with a provider or independently. 

In our article about how to apply for WhatsApp Business API, we mentioned that you may either apply directly via the Facebook application form or through a provider who manages the application for you. If you are managing your API directly, you can create and submit your HSM template via your Facebook Business Account.

However, if you are using a provider like Landbot (because you like to have your WhatsApp chatbots, live chat, and message campaigns under one roof), you can rely on the internal Message Templates submission system.

Submitting Message Templates Through Landbot

The submission process differs from provider to provider. At Landbot, we created a process that simplifies and streamlines the creation, submissions, and approval of the HSM template so you can get your campaigns out in short order. 

To manage or request HSM Templates inside the Landbot app, access the Channels manager by clicking on the respective icon in the left-side navigation bar. Next, click on your WhatsApp Business channel and then select “Message Templates”.

To create a new WhatsApp Message Template click the “Request Message Templates” button in the right corner. 

 A window will pop up and ask you for the basic details:

Message Template Name

It must have a maximum of. 512 characters containing only lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores. No spaces or other characters are allowed. You also can’t use the same name for more than one Message Template. 

Category

Selecting a Message Template category makes it easier for WhatsApp to review and approve your template by providing context for how the message template will be used.

The categories to choose from are:

  • Marketing conversations: include promotional offers, product announcements, and more to increase awareness and engagement;
  • Utility conversations: include account updates, order updates, alerts, and more to share important information.
  • Authentication conversations: include codes that allow your customers to securely access their accounts (not available via Landbot at the moment.)

Language

Finally, when creating a new Message Template, you must choose a language code. The language codes are described in Meta's page.

You can create Message Templates in as many languages as you want. However, when translating the template into multiple languages, please be sure to use the same message template name.

You can also choose to start a Message Template from scratch or edit a pre-existing Template. 

When done, click NEXT.

You will be redirected to the second step of the submission process which consists of four fields: 

  • Header (Optional)
  • Body (Required)
  • Footer (Optional)
  • Buttons (Optional) 

As you fill in the template fields following the formatting rules mentioned previously, the preview of your message will appear on the right side of the pop-up field:

Once you are done, simply click SUBMIT and await approval.

You’ll be able to monitor the status of the template on the main dashboard:

Reasons Your WhatsApp Message Templates Can be Rejected & Troubleshooting

There are a few reasons why WhatsApp rejects your Message Templates. Let’s look at the most common ones. 

The message template is regarded as promotional if it:

  • offers a free gift and/or coupon codes;
  • tries to upsell;
  • bids for cold calls (e.g., “Is this a good time to talk?”);
  • sends a survey or poll to collect data;
  • includes certain words or phrases that make the template sound promotional (even if there is nothing wrong with the content of the template.)

The message template includes floating parameters. Floating parameters refer to lines with only variable parameters and no text which makes it hard to judge what’s the nature of the message. Parameters need to be surrounded with information so the intent is clear. 

The message template has faulty formatting, for example:

  • Features spelling mistakes;
  • Includes incorrect variable parameters format such as missing curly braces.

The message template contains potentially threatening or abusive content, for example:

  • Threatens users with legal action;
  • Threatens users if they don't pay back their loans.

Examples of Approved & Rejected Message Templates

Are you starting to feel you could create WhatsApp message templates without much trouble?

Good, but we advise you to stay cautious!

In practice, things can get a little tricky, and the differences between what is approved or rejected are very nuanced. 

Let’s look at a few examples!

Welcome Message

Rejected:

whatsapp template message example rejected

Approved: 

whatsapp template message example accepted

Follow-up

Rejected:

whatsapp template message example rejected

Approved:

whatsapp template message example approved

Newsletter 

Rejected:

whatsapp template message example rejected

Approved:

whatsapp template message example approved

In a lot of cases, the differences are minuscule and sometimes it’s not even that clear why one message is OK while the other is not. Thankfully, the WhatsApp team is usually quick to get back to you. If you are still not sure how to put together your first templates, check out our list of WhatsApp message template examples by industry.

All in all, when submitting WhatsApp message templates, it is best to have patience and make sure to double check that everything is according to the necessary formatting and respects WhatsApp guidelines.

Sending WhatsApp Message Template Campaigns

As with the submission process, the management, and sending of your HSM templates will be different if you applied directly or are working with a provider.  

Direct applicants can manage their WhatsApp template set up and sending via their WhatsApp Manager inside their Facebook Business account. In this case, the process is a bit more technical and you will probably need the help of a developer to start sending your message templates.

On the other hand, when working with an intermediary, you will be managing your account via the dashboard of your service provider

For example, to send a WhatsApp campaign with Landbot you simply need to access your WhatsApp Business channel, click on the “Campaigns” section and press the “New Campaign” button.

You will be redirected to a campaign setup page.

Here, all you need to do is:

  • Create campaign name;
  • Select the audience you have previously created in the Audiences section of your WhatsApp channel;
  • Define the Content by selecting one of your approved WhatsApp templates OR request a new template;
  • Select if to connect the campaign with a WhatsApp chatbot — if YES, select the relevant chatbot that will reply to the user once they engage with the template (optional);
  • Assign a new variable to campaign participants (single out those who engage for other more specific campaigns or chatbot flows) (optional);
  • Send or Schedule the campaign.

Once you set up your campaign it will appear on the list in the main Campaigns Section.

WhatsApp Campaign Examples

Curious to see what WhatsApp Message Templates look like in action? Here you’ll find two examples:

Convosight

Convosight is a global community management and monetization platform that enables community leaders to become community entrepreneurs. It helps community leaders connect with brands easily and earn a sustainable income through campaigns with them.

By adding WhatsApp campaigns to their community marketing strategy, they were able to scale community campaigns 4x. WhatsApp automation has additionally helped the team achieve more without adding additional headcount, resulting in a 300% increase in operational efficiency.

Landbot’s Ungated Conversations Channel

Subscribe to our Ungated Conversations WhatsApp channel for exclusive AI lead management content to help you close more deals and retain customers.

As for what you can expect from the channel, here’s a sneak peek: 

WhatsApp Message Template Pricing

It’s no secret that allowing businesses to send notifications is the first time ever WhatsApp monetized its services. 

In essence, WhatsApp Business API integration is free. You only pay when sending out proactive message templates. The word “proactive” is important here since even a message template can be free if it is in response to a query received less than 24-hours ago. 

The price of template messages is influenced by two factors: 

  • The volume of template messages delivered to a given country or region in a calendar month;
  • Country code of the message recipient.

You can verify the costs on the official List Price Schedule featured in the  Facebook for Developers documents.

Naturally, there will be additional costs for businesses working with WhatsApp solution providers depending on the provider which usually works on a subscription basis.

WhatsApp Message Template Wrap-Up

So, this is our guide on how to create message templates for WhatsApp! 

In case you are interested in applying for the WhatsApp API solution with Landbot, click on the “Get a demo” button below to get in touch with our sales team.

If not, keep your eyes peeled on our blog for more WhatsApp-related content about marketing opportunities, lead generation, chatbot, and more!

FAQs

What are WhatsApp message templates?

WhatsApp message templates are pre-approved message formats sent by businesses via the WhatsApp Business API to communicate with customers outside the 24-hour support window. They are commonly used for sending notifications, updates, and alerts to customers who have opted in to receive them. WhatsApp message templates must be pre-approved by WhatsApp.

How do I create a WhatsApp message template?

If you are managing your WhatsApp Business API directly, you can create and submit your template via your Facebook Business Account. If you are using a provider like Landbot, you can rely on the internal Message Templates system that simplifies and streamlines the creation, submissions, and approval of your WhatsApp message templates.

What are WhatsApp message template best practices?

When creating WhatsApp message templates, you should:

  • Verify that your message formatting is correct;
  • Comply with the WhatsApp Business Policy and WhatsApp Commerce Policy;
  • Ensure your Message Template fits the use case you have submitted;
  • Choose the most relevant template category for your use case. 

What are the common reasons for template rejection?

WhatsApp rejects message templates that don’t follow WhatsApp’s formatting and content rules. 

Templates are likely to be rejected if they:

  • Ask for reviews or surveys;
  • Include promotional messages and advertisements;
  • Contain content that violates WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy;
  • Contain potentially abusive content or threatening content;
  • Are formatted incorrectly.

How long does it take for WhatsApp message templates to be approved?

Typically 24-48 hours. If your template complies with WhatsApp's guidelines, it is more likely to be approved quickly. If you want to use a message template for a timed WhatsApp campaign, make sure to submit it for approval ahead of time.

Frequently Asked Questions about Landbot Pricing

What’s a Landbot chatbot template?

There are three ways to go about building a conversational app with Landbot:

1 - Do it all from scratch but still without coding

2 - Use only a few pre-made elements (bricks)

3 - Pick and customize a pre-designed template


There’s no need to reinvent a flow if our conversational experience designers already built a chatbot template for your use case. Before committing to a free sign up or a specific template, you can always use the preview function to try out the end-user experience. When you do load your chosen template, you’ll see the conversational flow all set up for you with guiding notes when needed.

All you have to do is customize the content inside the flow that’s already there. Edit the text, images, gifs, and links in the blocks so they fit your brand and product!

What’s the difference between a chat, a WhatsApp chat, and an AI chat?
  • A chat in Landbot represents a structured conversation between your bot and an end user, following a rule-based flow for web chatbots. It guides the user through specific tasks using buttons, keyword triggers, and decision trees with predetermined responses.

  • A WhatsApp chat in Landbot is a conversation between your bot and an end user on WhatsApp, following Meta’s messaging rules. When an end user messages your bot, a 24-hour window opens, allowing free responses, and the interaction counts as a WhatsApp chat in your Landbot plan. After 24 hours of inactivity, only pre-approved Message Templates can be sent, which you can manage directly in the Landbot platform.

  • AI chats incorporate AI functionalities, leveraging Landbot’s AI feature blocks or AI Assistants for lead generation, FAQs, or appointment booking. This enables the bot to understand intent and provide personalized, real-time responses instead of relying solely on predefined flows. AI chats are tracked and billed separately from regular chats and WhatsApp chats.

What is considered a “seat” in a Landbot plan?

A seat refers to a user license that grants an individual access to the Landbot platform under a specific account. Each seat allows one team member to log in, build, manage, and collaborate on chatbots. The number of seats included depends on your subscription plan, and additional seats can be purchased on all paid plans.

What subscription plans does Landbot offer?
  • Starter: Ideal for individuals and small businesses looking to create website chatbots effortlessly.

  • WhatsApp Starter: Perfect for small teams and businesses automating conversations across websites, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

  • Pro: Great for growing teams that need advanced features, automation, and integrations for website chatbots.

  • WhatsApp Pro: Best for businesses looking to scale customer interactions on WhatsApp with automation and rich messaging capabilities.

  • Business: Tailored for enterprises that require a fully customized chatbot solution with premium support and integrations for all channels.

How does the 14-day free trial work?

New sign-ups to the Landbot platform receive a 14-day free trial with access to all Landbot features and channels. After this period, the account is automatically downgraded to the Sandbox (Free) plan, which has certain limitations. You can upgrade to a paid plan should you wish to continue using Landbot’s premium features.

How is my subscription charged?

Your credit card is automatically charged at the start of each billing period. For monthly plans, the charge is processed on the first day of each new monthly cycle, while for annual plans, it occurs on the first day of the new yearly cycle.

Can I change my subscription plan later?

Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your subscription plan anytime within the Landbot platform. Changes will be applied according to Landbot's billing policies.

How many chats are included in the Business Plan?

Our Business Plan is fully customizable to suit your needs, including the number of chats, seats, and WhatsApp Business Account numbers. Please reach out to our Sales team for a personalized quote tailored to your requirements.

What happens when I reach my plan's chats limit?

If you go over your paid plan’s chat limit, extra chats will be charged based on the chat type. Regular chats cost €0.05 per extra chat, while WhatsApp chats also cost €0.05 per chat plus Meta’s additional fee. AI chats are €0.10 per extra chat. Business plans have custom pricing for extra chats.

Are there any plans that only include WhatsApp?

No, all of our plans that include WhatsApp (WhatsApp Starter, WhatsApp Pro, and Business) also grant access to other channels, such as web, API, and Facebook Messenger. These additional channels are included in all WhatsApp plans.

Can I add more than one WhatsApp number to my account?

Yes, you can link multiple WhatsApp Business Account numbers to your Landbot account, but the number of WhatsApp Business Account numbers allowed depends on your plan.

What payment methods does Landbot accept?

We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Bank transfers are only available for Business plans.

What currency will I be billed in?

Subscriptions are billed in Euros (€) for most customers. However, customers in the following countries will be billed in US Dollars ($): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Uruguay, the USA, and Venezuela.

Does Landbot use the official WhatsApp Business API? How does the application process work?

Yes! Landbot uses WhatsApp’s official API to integrate the most popular instant messaging app. The API offered by Facebook(Meta) is under constant improvement, the reliability is fantastic and generates a frictionless experience for your users and for your team. To review which type of enterprises, businesses and brands WhatsApp accepts at the moment, please read our WhatsApp API application guide.

Landbot’s onboarding team helps you in the application process. Once you sign up for Landbot’s WhatsApp solution, our team will ask you to submit the required information and initiate the application process on your behalf. The entire process usually lasts around 1-2 weeks, regardless of which provider you work with. We take utmost care to ensure each business we collaborate with has their application approved, managing the application process at every step of the way. However, ultimately, the final approval decision rests with WhatsApp.

Can I start building my bot before my WhatsApp API access is approved?

Landbot’s special WhatsApp Test environment feature allows you to build and test your WhatsApp bot before your API application gets approved.

This is possible because the testing channel is a closed one, and only allows communication between the Landbot interface and the phone number you associated with the test account. So you can already test your WhatsApp bot with your own phone, and have it ready to be published live to your users when the access is approved by WhatsApp.

Do you offer support resources on WhatsApp bot creation?

Yes, you have access to a large collection of support resources including WhatsApp guides, documentation and academy videos to help you get the most out of the WhatsApp chatbot builder and campaign manager. Listed below are some of the resources:

- How to Create a WhatsApp Bot: Step By Step Guide
- How to Create & Test your WhatsApp Chatbot: Video Guide
- Landbot Academy: WhatsApp

What is the WhatsApp opt-in and how does it work?

WhatsApp opt-in is the active consent users have to give you before you can contact them via WhatsApp. Opt-ins need to be done via a third-party channel. You can learn more about WhatsApp opt-ins and how they work here.