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WhatsApp message templates

Written by Joseph Russo, Principal Architect, Networks and Tech, AskVault · Reviewed by Allison Chan
Last updated: · 4 min read

Why templates exist

WhatsApp Business rules from Meta:

  • Customer-initiated window. When a customer messages your business first, you have 24 hours to reply with any text. No template needed.
  • Outside the window. To re-engage after 24 hours, you must use a pre-approved template. Free-form messages get rejected.

This prevents spam. Templates are reviewed by Meta to ensure they're transactional or service-oriented, not promotional bulk.

AskVault creates and lists templates through Meta's WhatsApp Business Management API on numbers connected with Meta one-click sign-up. See WhatsApp setup.

When you need templates

Three common use cases:

  1. Re-engagement. Customer asked a question 2 days ago; you have a follow-up. Template required.
  2. Proactive notifications. Order shipped, invoice due, appointment reminder. Template required from the start.
  3. Marketing. Promotional broadcast to opted-in customers. Template required and must be in the "Marketing" category.

If you only ever respond to inbound customer messages within 24 hours, you don't need templates. Most teams need at least 2 to 3.

Template categories

Meta classifies templates into three categories with different pricing and rules:

  • Utility. Order updates, shipping notifications, appointment reminders, OTP codes. Lowest cost ($0.005 to $0.015 per message).
  • Authentication. OTP/2FA codes only. Very low cost ($0.001 to $0.005 per message).
  • Marketing. Promotional content, sales announcements. Higher cost ($0.02 to $0.05 per message) and stricter approval.

Pricing varies by country: India is among the cheapest, US and EU are mid-range, UAE and certain markets are highest.

Template structure

A template has three components:

  • Header (optional). Text, image, video, or document. Max 60 characters for text.
  • Body (required). The main message. Max 1,024 characters. Supports variables.
  • Footer (optional). Small grey text at the bottom. Max 60 characters.

Plus optional buttons:

  • Quick reply. Up to 3 buttons. Visitor taps to send a pre-set response.
  • Call to action. Up to 2 buttons. URL or phone call.

Variables and personalization

Use double-curly placeholders for variables:

Hi {{1}}, your order #{{2}} shipped today.
Track at {{3}}. Expected delivery {{4}}.

When sending, supply the variable values:

{
  "template_name": "order_shipped",
  "language": "en_US",
  "variables": ["Alice", "ORD-12345", "https://yoursite.co/track/12345", "May 20"]
}

Up to 25 variables per template. Each must have an example value during submission so Meta can review the template in context.

Submitting a template

On a WhatsApp number connected with Meta one-click sign-up:

  1. Open the WhatsApp channel, then the Templates tab of Manage WhatsApp Business.
  2. Create a template. Pick a category, write the header, body and footer, and give example values for each variable.
  3. Submit. AskVault sends it straight to Meta for review. The template list loads live from Meta, so its status shows as soon as Meta decides.

You can also create templates in Meta's WhatsApp Manager; they appear in the same list. There is no public AskVault API for templates.

Approval timeline

Meta reviews every template, and the time it takes varies. Utility and authentication templates are usually quicker than marketing ones, which often need a revision. Check the template's status in the Templates tab.

Common rejection reasons

Meta rejects templates that:

  • Use promotional language in utility category. "Get 50% off!" must be Marketing.
  • Include URLs without HTTPS. Plain http:// links get rejected.
  • Misformat variables. {1} (single brace) fails; must be {{1}}.
  • Have no clear purpose. "Hi" alone gets rejected.
  • Look like spam. Excessive emoji, all-caps, or generic blast messaging.

Fix the issue Meta names and submit again.

Deleting a template

On a WhatsApp number connected with Meta one-click sign-up, open the WhatsApp channel, then the Templates tab of Manage WhatsApp Business, and use the trash icon on the template's row. AskVault asks you to confirm before anything is deleted, because deletion cannot be undone:

  • The template is removed by name, so every language version with that name is deleted.
  • If the template was approved, Meta won't let you create a new template with the same name for 30 days (Meta: template management). Anything that sends it by name stops working until you switch to a new name.

Press Cancel or Escape to back out without deleting anything.

Sending an approved template

From the Templates tab of Manage WhatsApp Business, send an approved template to a phone number, choosing its language. AskVault refuses to send to a number that has opted out with STOP.

Skills and automation rules do not send templates automatically, and there is no public API for sending them. Inside the 24-hour window after a customer messages you, the agent and your team reply normally without a template.

Opt-in and opt-out

WhatsApp requires explicit opt-in before you send templates. Patterns:

  • Checkbox at signup. "Yes, I want WhatsApp updates about my orders."
  • Inline consent during chat. "Want order updates on WhatsApp? Reply YES."
  • Email confirmation flow. Click a link in email to confirm.

Keep your own record of each opt-in; AskVault does not store consent. Opt-out happens when a customer sends STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE, and AskVault then blocks templates to that number. See opt-in and opt-out.

Limits

  • Meta's own limits apply to template count, body length and variables; see Meta's template documentation.
  • Template management in AskVault needs a number connected with Meta one-click sign-up.
  • No automatic sending from skills or rules.

Common pitfalls

"Template not found" error on send. Template name typo or template not yet approved. Check Channels > WhatsApp > Templates for approval status.

"Variable count mismatch". You passed 3 variables but the template expects 4. Check the template body for {{1}} through {{n}}.

Customer never receives the template. Customer's WhatsApp number not verified, opted out, or blocked. Check delivery webhook events for the specific reason.

Cost higher than expected. Marketing-category templates cost 4 to 10x more than utility. Confirm category at submission.

Planned features (on the roadmap)

Documented for accuracy:

  • Template version history. Today, edits create a new template name; versioning is on the roadmap.
  • Multi-language auto-detection. Today you pick the language explicitly; planned auto-detect from customer's preferred language.
  • Interactive list templates. Today only buttons; list templates ship soon.

FAQ

Can I send free-form messages without templates?

Yes within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Outside that window, templates only.

How much does a WhatsApp message cost?

It varies by country and category, and Meta bills it to your WhatsApp Business account. Check Meta's current WhatsApp pricing page. AskVault's own plan price does not include Meta's charges.

Can I A/B test templates?

Not automatically. Automation rules and skills do not send templates, and there is no public API for sending them, so there is no built-in 50/50 split. You can send two approved templates by hand from the Templates tab and compare the results yourself.

What if Meta rejects my template?

You'll see the rejection reason in the dashboard. Edit and resubmit. Resubmissions are usually approved within 1 hour.

Can I attach media in a template?

Yes for header (image, video, or PDF). Body is text-only with variables. Use the dashboard template builder to upload media.

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