How to get your WhatsApp message templates approved on the first try

Every message you send to someone who hasn't messaged you in the last 24 hours has to use a template, and Meta reviews each template before you can use it. Most rejections come from a handful of avoidable mistakes.

The three categories

• Utility: messages about something the customer already did or is part of. Order updates, appointment reminders, fee notices, account alerts.
• Marketing: anything promotional. Offers, new product announcements, invitations to buy, event promotions.
• Authentication: one-time passcodes and login codes.

The category affects both approval and price. If you mark a promotional message as utility, Meta may reclassify it as marketing, and you'll pay the marketing rate. Choose honestly.

Why templates get rejected

• Variables with nothing around them. "{{1}}" on its own, or a template made almost entirely of variables, gives the reviewer nothing to judge.
• Sample values that don't match the variable. If your variable is a name, don't fill in the example with "12345".
• Vague or misleading wording. Say what the message is about.
• Promotional content in a utility template.
• Formatting problems, such as a variable at the very start or end of the message, or too many line breaks in a row.
• Content that breaks WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy, such as adult content, gambling or misleading claims.

Write templates that read like a person wrote them

A good template does three things. It says who's writing, it says why, and it tells the reader what to do next, if anything. "Hi {{name}}, your appointment at {{clinic}} is booked for {{date}} at {{time}}. Reply to this message if you need to reschedule." That's it.

How long does approval take?

Usually minutes, sometimes a few hours, and occasionally up to a day. If a template is rejected, Meta gives you a reason. Fix that one thing, resubmit, and you'll normally be through.

Keep a small library

You don't need dozens of templates. Most businesses run on four or five: a confirmation, a reminder, an update, a promotion and a follow-up. Once they're approved, you reuse them for every campaign and only change the variables. Notivo lets you create templates, send them to Meta, and see their approval status in one place.