Sending Whatsapp messages to subscribers out of the 24 hour window
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Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram have a 24-hour rule. This rule means that after correspondence with a person, after 24 hours the possibility of sending messages to him/her is closed. But, it was in Whatsapp that such a function as approval of templates for opening the possibility of sending messages outside the 24-hour window appeared. We implemented this function through the Twillio provider together with the possibility of sending Whatsapp messages with buttons and links.
- 1 Setting up Messaging Service
- 2 Submitting templates for verification via Leeloo.ai
- 2.1 Create a Whatsapp Message Template
- 2.2 Whatsapp template statuses
- 2.3 Sending Whatsapp Templates
- 2.4 What are the requirements for a template message:
- 2.5 How to format the text of a template message?
- 2.6 What media files can be added to the template?Before sending a template for moderation, you will need to select the media type in the message - image, PDF file, video. It will not be possible to approve a template with several media files.
- 2.7 Is it possible to add interactive buttons to a template?
- 2.8 How to submit a template for moderation?
- 2.9 What to do if a template is blocked during distribution?
- 2.10 Let's sum it up
Setting up Messaging Service
For correct operation, you need to carefully and step by step follow the instructions
After gaining access, go to Messaging>> Services>> Create Messaging Service
Give any name to the service and fill in the fields according to the screenshot below:
In the next step, click Add Senders:
Select the Whatsapp Number option:
Select the desired phone number and proceed to step #3
Select the Send a Webhook option:
Copy the webhook from
http://Leeloo.ai and paste it into the Request Url field and proceed to step #4
On step 4, click Complete Messaging Service Setup and then View My Messaging Service
Go to Messaging >>> Whatsapp Senders
Find our number and click Edit Sender
In the Endpoint configuration menu, select Use Messaging Service and select the name of the service we created.
Click Update Whatsapp Sender at the bottom.
Go to Messaging >> Services and copy the SID and paste it into the corresponding field in http://Leeloo.ai
Click the Reconnect button in http://Leeloo.ai .
Done! Check the ability to send buttons to leads:
Submitting templates for verification via Leeloo.ai
Before the release of 0.60.3 http://Leeloo.ai in the message designer (These are Sales Tunnels, Smart Mailing, Chats) it was not possible to send a template for Whatsapp for verification directly from the http://Leeloo.ai system.
At the moment, if you send a message from the http://Leeloo.ai message designer without first verifying the template, your message will be sent as a session message. This means that without a verified template, the message will be delivered via the Whatsapp communication channel only to those leads who have an open 24-hour communication window with you.
It is also important to note that template verification from the http://Leeloo.ai interface only works with the Twillio Whatsapp communication channel
Create a Whatsapp Message Template
To create a message template, go to the message designer from any menu item (sales tunnels, chats, smart mailing) and select the Whatsapp communication channel. After selecting the communication channel, in the upper right corner, click on the “Create template” button, as shown in the screenshot below:
Add the required text and, if necessary, add no more than one button in one template. If you add more than one button in your template, the template will be rejected and not verified. These are the requirements of Whatsapp.
When the text and template button are ready, click on the “Create template” button.
A window will open in which you can come up with a name for your template, and check the box if you have sent your template for verification in Twillio. You can also assign a category to the template:
After clicking the “Create” button, you will see that additional information with the template verification status has appeared next to your message template:
Whatsapp template statuses
During the template verification process, you can see the following template statuses:
”Init” - initialization of the template verification process
“Received“ - the template is under consideration
“Rejected“ - the template was rejected by the Whatsapp team
“Approved“ - the template is approved and ready to be sent
Sending Whatsapp Templates
Since verification of the template may take some time, you can return to sending it later by selecting the "Template" block in the message designer.
To send the template, you must wait for the "Approved" status and then click "Save message" in the message designer.
What are the requirements for a template message:
You need to define the template type, there are only three of them:
Marketing. Here you can tell customers about company news, promotions and discounts, invite them to events and webinars, remind them about an abandoned cart and revive a “dormant” base;
Transactional. With the help of such messages, you can remind customers about changes in their account, order status or loyalty program. And also inform about receiving a payment or confirming money transfers;
One-time passwords. If a customer has forgotten their password or account settings have changed, you can send them a message in WhatsApp with new data or a one-time code to log in.
How to format the text of a template message?
A WhatsApp template includes both the main text and variables for customization:
Tourism:
"✈️ Dear [client name]! We are pleased to present you with an exclusive offer: travel to [name of country or city] with a discount of [discount percentage]! Discover the magical world of [location features: tropical beaches, jungles, historical monuments]. Your vacation will begin on [tour start date]."
Legal services:
"📜 Good afternoon, [client name]! Our law firm offers you a unique offer: comprehensive legal support for your business with a discount of [discount percentage] in the first month of cooperation. Protect your interests and be confident in [specific advantage: transaction security, legality of documents]."
Training courses:
"📚 Hello, [client name]! We invite you to our new course on [course topic: programming, design, marketing]. We start on [course start date]. The first 10 people to sign up will get a [discount percentage] discount!"
Beauty salon:
"💇♀️ Hello, [client name]! We are launching a new service - [service name: Japanese hair straightening, bio-curling]. We invite you to try it with a discount of [discount percentage] until [end date of the promotion]."
Medical Center:
"💉 Hello, [client name]! We would like to remind you of your upcoming appointment with [specialist: therapist, cardiologist, dentist] on [date and time of appointment]. Please confirm your attendance."
Real Estate:
"🏠 Hello, [client name]! We found the perfect offer for you: [property type: house, apartment, plot] in [district or city]. Area [number of square meters], [additional features: renovated, furnished, with sea view]. Details by phone!"
As for the phrases marked with square brackets, these are variables that can be used to insert various information, with the exception of paragraphs. Variables are placed sequentially in the template text. Their use is not mandatory, and they are not subject to moderation, but they make your message more personalized.
Let's look at specific examples of using variables. Imagine that you want to send a message: "Hello! Thank you for leaving a request in {{v1}}". Here, {{v1}} can be replaced with the name of your company or any other information that you want to convey to the client.
In general, the length of the template should not exceed 1024 characters. However, it is recommended to make messages shorter - within 100-300 characters, since such texts are better perceived by users.
What media files can be added to the template?Before sending a template for moderation, you will need to select the media type in the message - image, PDF file, video. It will not be possible to approve a template with several media files.
There are requirements for each media:
You can send templates with a picture in mailings by phone number, add to chat bots or WhatsApp Hunter. In this case, the image must be in PNG or JPEG format, weighing up to 3 MB.
Files are added only in PDF format and should not be larger than 50 MB.
Videos can be added to the template in MP4 format and no larger than 5 MB. We wrote about how to correctly register a template message with a video file here.
The content of the picture, document or video does not need to be additionally approved. When sending to WhatsApp, you will simply need to supplement the template with a suitable file.
Is it possible to add interactive buttons to a template?
Yes, you can and should use interactive buttons in a template message :) There are three types of buttons:
Quick reply button. By clicking on the button, the client can send you a quick reply with a pre-prepared message text.
A button with a link added. The link you need is pre-sewn into such a button. By clicking on the button, the user goes to a specific web page.
A button with a phone number. If the user clicks on the button, a window pops up directly in the WhatsApp application with an offer to make a call.
We figured out the type of buttons. Now let's look at the limitations that you need to remember when registering a template message:
One template can have a maximum of 3 interactive buttons, and they can contain no more than 25 characters.
A quick reply button cannot be combined with other buttons in one template. That is, you will not be able to add a reply button to a template together with a link button or a number button. But a button with a phone number and a button with a link can get along well with each other.
If a customer clicks on a button with a link or phone number, you will not receive any messages.
The text and links embedded in the button cannot be changed after the template message is approved by a Facebook moderator.*
How to submit a template for moderation?
Once the template message is composed, you can safely send it to Facebook moderators* for review. This can be easily done through the messenger marketing platform http://leeloo.ai . The message review process is different for each company. The template can be approved in 10 minutes or in 3-4 hours. Sometimes it happens that moderation takes a day, since the template is sent for manual moderation.
To speed up the review, we recommend following simple rules:
Follow WhatsApp's trade policy and messaging rules.
The message should not contain offensive language or threatening content.
The message should be related to the customer's previous actions. For example, remind them that they have already made purchases from you or looked at products on the site but did not buy.
Adhere to the formatting rules we have described.
What to do if a template is blocked during distribution?
Sometimes it happens that a template is blocked right during the mailing due to a large number of complaints about the messages. In order not to disrupt the plan, send several similar templates for moderation at once. This will help to avoid losing nerve cells, and you will always be able to send a message to clients who did not receive it.
Let's sum it up
To ensure that your template message successfully passes moderation, follow these tips:
Follow WhatsApp Basic Rules
Avoid using all 1024 characters in a single template. Texts from 100 to 300 characters work better.
Always check the text for spelling and grammar errors before sending it to clients.
Create context. To renew communication with clients, we recommend mentioning in the text that you have communicated before.
Always try to reflect the content or the purpose of sending the template in the template name. This will help the reviewer from Facebook* approve the template faster.
Create several similar templates so that your work does not stop if the template is blocked during the sending process.
Now you know how to create, coordinate and prepare a WhatsApp template for work. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the message examples
Tourism:
"✈️ Hello, Anna! We are pleased to offer you an exclusive tour to Bali with a 20% discount! Dive into the world of tropical adventures this summer!"
"🌴 Dear Mikhail, a special offer just for you: a romantic trip to Paris with an exclusive tour of the Eiffel Tower. Hurry to book before the end of the month!"
Legal services:
"📜 Good afternoon, Olga! When ordering a comprehensive legal consultation with us, LLC registration is free!"
"⚖️ Dear Sergey, especially for you: when signing an agreement for annual maintenance, a month of legal services is free!"
Training courses:
"📚 Hello, Dmitry! Sign up for our new programming course and get access to exclusive webinars from leading experts in this field!"
"🎓 Exclusive offer for Elena: when you sign up for an English course, you get a free individual lesson with a native speaker!"
Beauty salon:
"💇♀️ Hello, Irina! Only this spring: complex hair coloring with a 30% discount! Treat yourself to a new look!"
"💅 Exclusive offer for Maria: when you order a manicure and pedicure, you get hand care as a gift!"
Examples of incorrectly formed templates:
Tourism:
"✈️ Exclusive! Travel to Bali with a 70% discount! Discover the magical world of tropical beaches, jungles and amazing culture. Your vacation will begin in just a week. [More details here] [Book now] [Call us]"
Comment: Using more than three interactive buttons in one message.
Legal services:
"📜 Need money? We will help "solve" all your debts. Quickly and without questions. [More details] [Order service]"
Comment: The message may be perceived as an offer of illegal actions or fraud.
Training courses:
"📚 Get a programming certificate in just one day! No classes, no checks! [More details about the course] [Sign up for the course] [Call the teacher]"
Comment: An offer to bypass standard training procedures and obtain a qualification without the necessary training.
Beauty salon:
"💇♀️ We invite you to an exclusive master class on hair care! Learn the secrets of beauty from professionals. [More details] [Sign up] [Send a quick reply]"
Comment: The quick reply button is combined with other buttons.
Medical center:
"💉 Hello, Sergey! Our best doctors are ready to help you! [More about the clinic] [Make an appointment] [Call the doctor]"
Comment: Offering medical services without the appropriate licenses or certificates may violate medical standards and regulations.
Financial services:
"💰 Fast loans without checking your credit history and documents! Get money today! [More] [Apply for a loan]"
Comment: Offering financial services without the necessary verification may be perceived as risky or fraudulent.
Real estate:
"🏠 Exclusive offer! We sell houses at the price of an apartment! Without documents and checks! [More] [Contact the agent]"
Comment: Offering to sell real estate without the necessary documents and checks may violate real estate laws.