Creating a WhatsApp template
A step-by-step tutorial on how to create a new WhatsApp template.
How to create a new WhatsApp Template
The first step towards creating Broadcasts or Automated Drip Campaigns on WhatsApp starts with getting a template approved. For that -
Click on the "Create New Template" option.
Assign a suitable name to your template.
Select a relevant category for the template from the available options: Utility, Marketing, and Authentication.
Note: For Promotional Broadcasts, the Marketing category is the most appropriate.
Choosing a language for the template
Choose a language that aligns with the content of the Template Message.
Make sure the content of the Template Message matches the selected language.
The template will be rejected if the content is in a different language or a mixture of languages that includes both the selected language and another.
For example:
If you selected Spanish, but your content is in English, or the content is a mixture of languages containing both Spanish and English -
Your template will be rejected!
Choosing a Media Type for the Template
To ensure your template's successful use, you must select a media type carefully.
You have three options to choose from Image, Video, or Document.
Once a media type is selected, for instance, an Image in this case, the template will only accept the same media type (Image) when sending it to users.
It's important to remember that you cannot send any other media type apart from the one that was approved with the template.
Non-compliance with this requirement will result in errors.
Template Message Body
Enter the message you want to send to the users inside the message body.
Example: 👇
Adding a Footer
While it's not mandatory, we recommend including the text "Reply with 'UNSUB' to unsubscribe" in the footer section for ease of unsubscribing.
How to add Formatting in the template
When creating your template, you can use the following formatting shortcuts:
*Bold* - for Bold text
_Italics_ - for Italics text
~Strikethrough~ - to
Strikethrough
Adding Dynamic Values
To add dynamic values for recipients such as Name, Order ID, Product Names, Date, etc., click on the "+ Add Variable" button on the right.
Please note that once your template is approved, the only component you can edit will be the Variables. No other changes can be made.
Adding Buttons in the Template
There are two types of buttons that you can add to the Template.
Call to Action
Quick Reply
Call to Action buttons can be linked to specific actions.
For instance, you can use a "Call Phone Number" button or a "Visit Website" button.
Note: You can add a maximum of two Call to Action buttons in a single template.
Call Phone Number
When the "Call Phone Number" button is clicked, it triggers a phone call action on the user's smartphone dialer.
Visit Website
On the other hand, clicking the "Visit Website" button redirects users to a specific landing page or website homepage.
Choosing the URL Type
Dynamic URL
This allows you to secure approval for a URL prefix with a variable, enabling you to modify the landing page URL even after the prefix has been approved.
For instance, if you get the template approved with a Dynamic URL like https://www.quickreply.ai/, you can use any URL starting with the approved prefix, such as:
For promotional broadcasts, we recommend using Dynamic URLs.
Dynamic URLs offer the advantage of more detailed user tracking.
Static URL
Alternatively, you can select the Static URL option from the dropdown menu if you don't plan to change it later.
Remember to add UTM Parameters in the Static Links if you choose this option. UTM Parameters help you to track:
Sales through a Promotional Campaign.
Click-Through Rates.
And several other stats.
Add Media
Once done, click next, after which you will be asked to upload the type of media you had earlier chosen (in this case, an image).
Click "Submit" after uploading the media.
Adding Sample Values
You should provide specific and meaningful values for the variables you have added in both the message body and the dynamic URL.
It's crucial that these sample values are not placeholders or meaningless, as using dummy values may result in the rejection of your templates.
Once you have entered the sample values, click on the "Submit" button located at the top right corner.
Checking Approval Status and Handling Rejections
After submitting the template with the sample values, you can monitor the approval status of that template on the dashboard.
If you want to fetch WhatsApp's latest approval status, simply click "Sync Templates" on the QuickReply.ai platform.
You can access the dashboard using the following link: https://app.quickreply.ai/campaigns/templates.
The 'Pending' status is the initial state of the template after you submit it.
It's important to understand that the template approval process is automated by Facebook and may take up to 2 days. In some cases, it might take even longer.
Unfortunately, we don't have any control over the speed of approval or the reasons for rejections.
Last updated
