WhatsApp - Template Categorisation Guidelines
Our template category guidelines are how we define the category of message templates on our platform. Use these guidelines when choosing a category for each of your templates.
For each category, we outline the message objective, business goal and example templates.
Read more on "How to create a WhatsApp Template" here.
Marketing templates
Marketing templates are our most flexible. They can enable businesses to achieve a wide range of goals, from generating awareness to driving sales and more.
Also considered marketing templates are:
- Templates with mixed content (e.g. Both utility and marketing, such as order update with a promo or offer).
- Templates where contents are unclear (e.g., contents are only “” or “Congratulations!”).
Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.
Utility templates
Utility templates are typically triggered by a user action or request. They must include specificity about the active or ongoing transaction, account, subscription or interaction to which they relate. For example, an order confirmation must contain an order number.
Note: Examples are illustrative only, templates containing similar content or content including this example text may be categorized differently based on their exact content.
[To be Released] Authentication templates
Authentication templates enable businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes (usually 4-8 digit alphanumeric codes), potentially at multiple steps in the login process (e.g., account verification, account recovery, integrity challenges).
Authentication templates are our most restricted. For a template to be classified as authentication, a business must:
1. Use WhatsApp’s preset authentication message templates, which include optional add-ons like security disclaimers and expiry warnings
2. Configure a one-time password button (copy-code or one-tap)
3. Follow content restrictions: URLs, media, and emojis are not allowed for authentication template content or parameters.
Additional length restrictions of 15 characters also apply to parameters.
FAQs
How can we assign a category to a template?
When you create a message template, you select the category you believe applies, based on the template category guidelines outlined above. We then determine the template’s category, based on the template contents and these same guidelines.
If we agree with the category you designated, we set the template status to PENDING (it then goes through template review to ensure it is in compliance with our policies. If we disagree, we set it to REJECTED.
For creating a template please refer to the documentation below:
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