When you need a template
If the customer messaged you in the last 24 hours, an agent can reply in free text inside the shared inbox. Outside that window — a promotion, a shipping update, an OTP, a reminder — WhatsApp requires a template in one of three categories. The free WhatsApp Business app cannot run these campaigns at team scale. The Cloud API can.
The three categories
| Category | Use it for | Do not use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, launches, re-engagement to people who opted in | One-time passwords or a message dressed up as an order update |
| Utility | Order status, appointment reminders, account alerts the person already expects | Discounts, “check out our new menu”, or any sales line |
| Authentication | A one-time passcode, usually with a copy-code button | A greeting, a link to your shop, or anything that is not the code |
Meta prices these categories separately, and the rate depends on the recipient’s country. See WhatsApp Business API pricing and Meta’s own rate card before you forecast a campaign. If a utility template reads like an ad, Meta rejects it or moves it to marketing.
How approval works
- Write the template in Best SMS Bulk (or submit it through the API) with a sample value for every variable.
- Meta reviews the wording. Clear transactional copy is often approved quickly; ambiguous marketing copy takes longer or comes back rejected.
- Only a template in Approved status can be sent.
- A rejection can be edited and submitted again. Deleting it and pasting the same text does not change the result.
Click-by-click for the Best SMS Bulk screens, including OTP templates and the 24-hour limit, is in the Help Center.
Why templates get rejected
- A variable is the first or last thing in the body. Put words on both sides of
{{1}}. - The sample values are empty, or they do not match the variable (“hello {{1}}” sampled as a price).
- A utility template contains an offer, a coupon, or “limited time”.
- The copy is vague, all caps, or packed with emojis and exclamation marks.
- The template asks for a password, card number, or national ID.
- An authentication template is not a real one-time password.
Quality rating
Meta scores the WhatsApp number green, yellow, or red from blocks and reports. A red rating cuts how many unique people you can message. The fix is operational: pause the campaign, message only people who opted in, and stop sending marketing templates to people who never asked. Best SMS Bulk cannot override that score.
Arabic and English are separate templates
Submit the Arabic version as its own template, written for the market, with Arabic sample values. A translated-looking line with a Latin sample is a common rejection. Local starting points: Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
FAQ
What is a WhatsApp message template?
A WhatsApp message template is pre-approved wording a business can send on the WhatsApp Business API when the customer has not written in the last 24 hours. Marketing, utility, and authentication are the three categories.
How long does WhatsApp template approval take?
Meta reviews each submission. Straightforward utility and authentication templates are often decided quickly; marketing copy and anything ambiguous can take longer or be rejected. There is no fixed clock Best SMS Bulk can promise.
Why was my WhatsApp template rejected?
Typical causes are a variable at the start or end of the text, sales language inside a utility template, missing sample values, or an authentication template that is not a one-time password. Edit the wording and resubmit.
Can I send a promotion without a template?
Only inside the 24-hour window after the customer messages you. A broadcast or scheduled promotion needs an approved marketing template and an opt-in.
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