WhatsApp Business API has a 24 hour conversation window - because of this you can not send messages to the your end customers unless this window is open.
WhatsApp Templates are pre-approved message templates by Meta that can be sent even when the conversation window is expired.
In this article we are going to see how you can apply for a WhatsApp Template and send it to your customers using BotSpace.
Navigate to the BotSpace Dashboard and select WhatsApp from the Side Drawer.
Select the Templates from the Side Drawer and then click on the Create template button.
You are now looking at the Template Creation Form - Select the Channel and Template Category and click on the Next button. Meta has the following categories and their respective sub-categories for Templates which are supported on BotSpace -
Learn how you can Connect WhatsApp to BotSpace
Marketing - These are used for promotions or information about your business, products or services, or any message that isn't for utility or authentication purposes. E.g. welcome messages, newsletters, offers, coupons, catalogues, new shop opening hours.
Custom - Send promotions or announcements to increase awareness and engagement.
Catalog - Send messages about your entire catalogue or multiple products from it.
Flow - Send a form to capture customer interest, appointment request or run surveys.
Carousel - Send a carousel of images or videos.
Limited time offer - Send a limited time offer.
Utility - These are used for transaction, account, order or customer request. E.g. order confirmations, account updates, receipts, appointment reminders, billing. (Choose Marketing if you want to include promotion in the Utility message)
Custom - Send message about an existing order or account
Flow - Send a form to capture customer interest, appointment request or run surveys.
Authentication
One-time passcode - Send code to verify transactions or login.
After you select a Template Category and click on Next button you will be asked to give a name to your template and fill it's content. The Template Content is contains different components based on the category of the template you select. We are going to look at Marketing Custom Template in this article. Template Content can contain the following components -
Header
Body
Footer
Buttons
Some components like Body and URL Buttons can also have variables that can be filled while sending the Template.
After you fill up the Template Content you can apply for it to Meta by clicking on Submit for approval button. You might be asked to fill sample values in case you variables in Template Content Body.
After you submit the template Meta will review it and they can either approve or reject it. You can view all the templates that are submitted to Meta for approval in the In Review tab
Meta will approve the template after their review and you can then use it on BotSpace to send to your customers. All the approved Templates are in the Approved tab. You can click on a particular template to view analytics.
You can now send this templates to your end customers using any of the following options from BotSpace -
Inbox
Workflows
We are going to look at how you can send it using Inbox. Navigate to the BotSpace Dashboard and select Inbox from the Side Drawer. Select a Channel and a Conversation you want to send the template.
To send a template to a selected Conversation click on the Lighting Icon on the Chat Reply Box at the bottom - this will open a dialog which will ask you to select a template to send.
After you select the Template that you want to send you will be shown a Confirmation dialog (which may also ask you to fill up Template Variables and Media). Click on the Send button to send it. You have successfully applied and sent a template using BotSpace!
WhatsApp Templates are charged according to the Meta Rates and every message delivered to the customer is charged. You can learn more about pricing here - WhatsApp Template Message Pricing
If at any point you are stuck you can always reach out to us on Live Chat
