Templates are pre-approved messages that can be sent to the customers outside the 24-hour customer - service window. A template consists of texts with variables that can be filled when you are sending the actual message to the customer. You can send media attachments and add buttons in your template message to improve your customer interaction. Once the templates are created, Whatsapp will manually review all templates before it is approved.

To create templates:

1. Go to Apps.

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2. Click on Templates.

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3. Click on New Template button.

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4. Enter all of the following details:

-  Template ID: Type the name of the template here, such that the reviewer will understand the purpose of the template from the name itself. (In our case, we will add the name of the template as appointment_update001.)

Note: You can only use lower case alphabets, numbers and underscores to name your template.

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- Category: There are two template categories:

Utility: Utility templates are used for transactional messages, like order confirmations, suspend and changes to subscriptions.

Marketing: Marketing templates are used for promotional messages, like offers, recommendations, invitations and welcome/closing messages.

Refer to our article on Guidelines for Utility and Marketing Templates to understand better.

Click on the dropdown to see a list of template categories available and select one category, based on the type of template you are creating. (In our case, we will select the template category as Utility.)

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-  Language: Click on the dropdown to see the list of supported languages that are available. Simply select the language you want to use in your message template. (In our case, we will select the template language as English (US).)

Note: When selecting the template in a different language, you need to write the content in the same language you are selecting for the template.

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5. Media: You have an option to add a media attachment by clicking on the media type that you want to include in the template. It is (In our case, we will select the media type as Image). Refer to our article Aspect Ratio for Images Template.

Note: When you select a media type, you will have to add a sample media on the next page, before submitting it for approval.

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6. Body Text: Next, fill in all the information in the body text as per your template requirement. You can also add variables in the body text. Refer to our article on What are the Character Limits.

You can also edit the text using features such as  Bold, Italic, Strikethrough and Monospace. Refer to our article on How to Format Text in your Outgoing Messages.

What are Variables?

Variables in message template allow you to personalize the content by dynamically inserting specific information for each customer. They act as placeholders that are replaced with actual values when the template is used to send a message.

For example, let's consider a template for appointment scheduling: "Hello {{1}}, your appointment at ABC Salon has been successfully scheduled. It will take place at {{2}} on {{3}}. We hope to see you there."

In this template, "{{1}}" represents the variable for the customer's name, "{{2}}" represents the variable for the salon location, and "{{3}}" represents the variable for the appointment date. When the template is used, these variables are replaced with the actual values specific to each customer's appointment details.

Let's assume we are sending this message to a customer named Sam, with the appointment scheduled at ABC Salon in California on May 22, 2023. After replacing the variables with the corresponding values, the message becomes: "Hello Sam, your appointment at ABC Salon has been successfully scheduled. It will take place at California on May 22, 2023. We hope to see you there."

Pro Tip: Hover the mouse over the variable button to insert a variable at any point in your sentence.

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7. You can also type in the footer text, which is optional.

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8. Buttons: There are three options in buttons: “No Button”, “CTA Buttons”, and “Quick Replies”.

CTA Buttons

Phone Number - Users can call your company's number with one click.Refer to our article on How to Create a Template with a Button - Phone number.

Dynamic Link: Any link or Extension only - Users can be redirected to any link or extension with one click. Refer to our article on How to Create a Template with a Button - Dynamic link.

Static Link - Users can be redirected to a specific link or webpage with one click. Refer to our article on How to Create a Template with a Button - Static link.

Do remember that adding buttons is optional and that, you can select any one of these buttons based on your needs.

In our case, we selected two CTA buttons: one for Phone Number and one for Static Link.

Note: In one template message, you can add up to 2 CTA buttons only. (1 CTA button for Phone Number and 1 CTA button for website link.)

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Quick replies

In template messages, you have the option of adding buttons as Quick replies. When a customer clicks on a quick reply button, the response for the question by the agent is triggered, and the reply will be sent to the agent.

‍Note: You can select a maximum of 3 Quick Reply buttons in one message template. Refer to our article on How to Create a Template with a Quick Reply Button.

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9. Click on Next Step.

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10. For sending a sample to Whatsapp, you will have to fill in the required details inside the variables and sample media.

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11. Click on Send for review to submit your template for reviewing.

Note: Whatsapp usually takes upto 24-48 hours to review and approve the template. Keep an eye on template reviews on the dashboard. Refer to our article on How long it will Take to Approve the Template.

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In case your templates are being rejected repeatedly or is stuck in the pending status, please contact us at contact@zoko.io or wa.me/917306017571 and we will be happy to assist you. You can refer to our article on How to Check Reasons for Rejections.

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Keywords: New template, CTA button, Media template

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