WhatsApp Business API message types:
1- WhatsApp API session messages:
As we know, WhatsApp is about how companies interact with customers. To ensure that companies respond to incoming messages quickly, WhatsApp imposes a messaging limitation called Session Messaging for API users.
Session messages allow you to reply to contacts' messages within 24 hours. Once the 24-hour window closes, you can no longer use session messages to respond to clients. Also, you cannot use session messages to send a message to contact first.
However, companies do get some flexibility in using session messages. No prior approval is required before sending a message as long as it complies with the WhatsApp Business Policy and WhatsApp Business Policy.
Session messages allow you to respond to customer messages within 24 hours. Businesses cannot use session messages to send a message to contact first, and they cannot reply to contact after 24 hours.
When a contact initiates a chat, businesses can reply to that user without any restrictions including the number of messages and type of content. By default, the WhatsApp API allows the following session message format:
- Text messages (supports formatting such as bold, italic, strikethrough, and code)
- Text messages with URL (URL preview can be enabled and all URLs are clickable)
- Media messages (audio, document, image, sticker, and video)
- Contacts.
- location.
Although the WhatsApp API supports these types of messages, the exact features you'll get depends on whether or not your Billings Settlement Payment Method (BSP) provides it. Each BSP method is different, so check with them first if they support the type of message you need.
Once the session messages window is closed, companies will only be able to send message templates to their contacts.
2- WhatsApp API Message Templates
After 24 hours have passed since a contact's last incoming message, companies are only allowed to respond using message templates. Alternatively, businesses can start a new conversation with contacts who have opted into using message templates.
However, sending a message form is not as easy as sending a session message. All letter templates must be submitted to your chosen Billing Settlement Payment Page (BSP) for approval before you can use and submit them.
Until recently, companies could only use the WhatsApp API to send bulk messages in the form of transaction notifications. For example, delivery and account updates. No non-transactional and broadcast notifications such as recurring newsletters are permitted.
But things are changing as of October 2020. WhatsApp has started rolling out non-transactional notifications in countries like Indonesia and Mexico. Recently, WhatsApp expanded the list to include Brazil, Spain, Malaysia, the United States, and more.
To be eligible, businesses must have a country address acceptable to (Facebook Business Manager) and registered with WhatsApp. Businesses can unlock this capability without any additional integration work and the message from the creation process remains the same.
Depending on your business needs, WhatsApp API supports different types of message templates such as text, media, and interactive message templates. But like session messages, the exact messaging feature depends on what your chosen BSP has to offer.
Now that you know how message templates work, we'll discuss best practices when creating a message template for approval from your BSPs.
Message Template Best Practices
To avoid rejection of your sample letter, it's best to familiarize yourself with the do's and don'ts when creating a sample letter. Your Billing Settlement Payment (BSP) has the right to decline your templates for any of the reasons described below.
1- Templates rejected due to formatting and language
Your message templates must be in the correct format. Incorrect formatting including spelling and grammatical errors may give the wrong indication that your message is spam and untrustworthy.
Next, the selected language must be supported and match the content of your message templates. If you select Hindi as the language of your message but the content is in English, it will be rejected. Also, combinations of languages such as “Hinglish” will not be approved. For approval, form messages must be in the correct format and the selected language must match the message content.
If you want to include a URL, the domain in your link must belong to your business. However, WhatsApp is also not recommended to use a URL shortener like “bit.ly, TinyURL” etc. because it blocks the link’s intended destination.
An alternative solution is to use the address (URL) in your placeholder instead of the template. (WhatsApp) only checks and approves templates and not the placeholder where it is editable.
From a business perspective, we recommend a URL shortener as it helps businesses and marketers to:
Follow the links and add "UTMs" without getting too long. Essentially, “UTMs” are codes that you add to the end of a regular URL to tell Google Analytics which source and marketing campaign it belongs to.
See how many clicks there are and understand the behavior of the people to whom you have sent the link via the messaging app.
2- Quality rating and status of message templates:
To sum it up, it's best to stick to these guidelines. Message templates that don't meet (WhatsApp) standards may ask your contacts to block you. When it's blocked, the quality of your message template will drop to a low level and the template's status will change to 'Flags'.
WhatsApp will rate the quality of your form messages as low, medium, or high. Low-quality template messages will be flagged or disabled.
If the quality of your template does not improve from low to medium or high in 7 days, WhatsApp will disable your templates and you can no longer edit or send them. You will be notified by email when your form's status changes to 'Reported' or 'Disabled'.
To prevent this, make sure your contacts are enabled as per the (WhatsApp) instructions. Avoid sending too many notifications in a day and make sure that your content is very relevant and useful to them.
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