Reach out to customers via WhatsApp Business Message Templates

What is a WhatsApp Business Message Template?

A WhatsApp Business message template is the most efficient way to communicate with customers via WhatsApp. Creating templates makes responding to messages faster and enables you to use content repeatedly once users have opted-in to receive your messages.

Utilising WhatsApp Business templates, or Highly Structured Messages (HSM), means you can personalise the information sent to the customer, automating customer service efforts.

WhatsApp Business greeting message templates can help you:

• Generate brand loyalty

• Decrease response time

• Improve customer experience

• Increase customer engagement

• Respond to customers outside business hours.

• Generate business leads

Types of WhatsApp Business Messages

Before diving into message template examples, let’s clarify the types of WhatsApp Business messages you can send.

“Customer-generated messages” are messages in which a customer has initiated a text to your business via WhatsApp. The Customer Care Window opens when a customer reaches out to your business via WhatsApp. The Customer Care Window is a 24-hour period in which you can exchange with a customer without prior opt-in authorisation.

Within these 24 hours, you can send both Session Messages and Message Templates.

You can send Session Messages in reaction to messages you receive, similar to any chat text sent through WhatsApp. Session Messages can only be sent within the Customer Care Window.

You can send Message Templates both inside and outside the Customer Care Window. These messages can be used to send text notifications as long as the customer has opted-in to receive communications from you.

You can create your own templates or use existing message templates. However, WhatsApp Business must approve original message templates and your solution provider first. This extra step prevents customers from being spammed and maintains the standards set by WhatsApp as a high-value communication channel between consumers and businesses.

If you wish to communicate with your customers outside the Customer Care Window, you may only send Message Templates.

What Does a WhatsApp Business Message Template Look Like?

A greeting message template may contain text, emojis, or WhatsApp-specific formatting and up to 1024 characters. To customise the message, you can use numbered placeholders inside double curly brackets {{x}} corresponding to personalised fields. For example:

Hello {{1}}, thanks for your order! We will let you know when your order is ready to be shipped. You can track your order with number {{2}} here {{3}}. Enjoy your day!

WhatsApp Business is a channel to send useful information and provide customer support. Therefore, sending advertising, marketing, and promotional messages is prohibited and can result in disapproving or suspending message templates with such information included.

10 WhatsApp Business Message Templates to Make Your Life Easier

WhatsApp message templates must fall into one of the following categories. If your template does not fit into one of these template types, it is more likely to be rejected by WhatsApp:

• Account Update

• Alert Update

• Appointment Update

• Auto-Reply

• Issue Resolution

• Payment Update

• Personal Finance Update

• Reservation Update

• Shipping Update

• Ticket Update

Here are some examples of WhatsApp Business message templates:

1. Account Update

Account updates enable you to inform customers about changes to their account settings.

Here’s an account update example for an eCommerce/retail business:

Hello {{1}}

Welcome to our services at Your Company Name. In the next 24 hours, you will be notified about the status and setup of your account.

2. Alert Update

Use alert updates to notify customers about changes to products or services.

Here’s an alert update example for a SaaS message:

Hi {{1}},

Maintenance work will occur on your account on Friday, 24th June, 00:00 01:00. Any questions? Please reach out to your account manager.

Sincerely,

{{2}} of {{3}}.

3. Appointment Update

Most businesses find appointment updates and reminders among their most valuable business tools. Here’s an appointment update example for general use:

Hello {{1}}, this is an appointment reminder for your upcoming visit.

DATE: {{2}}

TIME: {{3}}

Suite E, 1234 Main Street

Please remember to bring a valid Driver’s License or photo ID.

Please call us at {{4}} for changes or cancellations. Thank you very much!

4. Auto-Reply

Never miss a customer text. Use a WhatsApp business greeting message template that’s ideal for weekends, holidays, or other business closures:

Hello {{1}},

Thank you for contacting us. We will respond to your message within 24 hours. We look forward to speaking with you!

5. Issue Resolution

Resolve customer issues and inquiries fast with issue resolution templates:

I’ve done some research based on our last conversation, and I have found an answer to your question. The product costs {{1}} and is available at {{2}}.

If you want to continue our conversation, please respond with ‘yes.’

6. Payment Update

Send simple payment confirmations to put your customers’ minds at ease:

Hello {{1}},

We received your payment totalling {{2}} on {{3}}. Thank you very much!

7. Personal Finance Update

Respond to account balance questions with a personal finance update template:

Hi {{1}},

The balance on your account is currently {{2}}. Type ‘HELP’ if you have any questions.

Your Company Name

8. Reservation Update

Forgotten reservations can affect your bottom line. Whether you own a restaurant, hotel, or other reservation-based business, reservation templates are lifesavers:

Hi {{1}},

This is confirmation that {{4}} has paid {{6}} for reservations and will be checking in on {{5}}. Please click here to confirm: {{2}}

Your Company Name

9. Shipping Update

Customers love to know where their packages are. Use shipping updates to keep them in the loop:

Dear {{1}}

Thanks for your order. Your order has been shipped. Your tracking number is {{2}}. Enjoy your purchase.

10. Ticket Update

Whether you’re confirming tickets are sending e-tickets, use ticket updates to build excitement for your event:

Hi {{1}}

Please show this ticket at the main entrance of {{2}} to see {{3}} in concert on {{4}}.

See you at the show!

How To Register New WhatsApp Business Templates

To register your own message templates, you must provide a template name and template tag.

Template name: A unique name to identify the template’s business use case. The name must be spelt in lowercase letters and without spaces. (underscore is allowed). Example: order_confirmation.

WhatsApp advises businesses to use descriptive words for new templates rather than random ones like “message_12345.” This speeds up the approval process and helps you manage your templates.

Template type: Select the message type from the pre-defined set listed in the above section.

Choose CM.com to Create WhatsApp Business Message Templates

Want to start using WhatsApp Business messaging to enrich your customer service and support efforts? CM.com can make using WhatsApp Business templates quick and easy.

WhatsApp Business provides a world-class customer experience with secure, rich conversations. Get started joining the one billion people worldwide who use WhatsApp every day in three easy steps:

• Create an account on CM.com: Register for free.

• Request access: Once you’re logged in, start testing immediately with our WhatsApp sandbox.

• Use WhatsApp for Customer Service: Once you’re approved, you’re off and running.

Get access to WhatsApp Business via our WhatsApp API, Mobile Marketing Cloud, or Mobile Service Cloud. Grow your business with CM.com and WhatsApp today.