WhatsApp Message Templates
What Are WhatsApp Templates?
WhatsApp templates are pre-approved message formats that let you start or reopen conversations with contacts. Unlike regular messages, every template must be reviewed and approved by Meta (Facebook's parent company, which owns WhatsApp) before you can use it.
Why does WhatsApp require approval? To protect users from spam. WhatsApp is a personal messaging platform, and Meta reviews every business-initiated message to make sure it is relevant and not abusive. This approval process keeps WhatsApp trustworthy for both businesses and their customers.
Templates are necessary because WhatsApp enforces a 24-hour messaging window. After a contact's last message, you have 24 hours to reply freely. Once that window closes, the only way to reach the contact again is by sending an approved template.
Why Do You Need Templates?
Start outbound conversations - When you launch an outgoing campaign, the first message sent to each contact must be a template.
Reopen closed conversations - If 24 hours have passed since a contact's last message, you need a template to resume the chat.
Follow-up sequences - Automated follow-up messages use templates to re-engage contacts who have not responded.
Stay compliant - Meta requires all business-initiated WhatsApp messages to use approved templates. Messages sent without approved templates will fail to deliver.
Real-world example: Imagine you run a dental clinic and a patient messaged you yesterday about teeth whitening. Today (more than 24 hours later), you want to send them pricing details. You cannot just type a message - you need to send an approved template first to reopen the conversation.
Creating a Template
Click Templates in the left sidebar (or go to your campaign settings where templates are managed).
Click the New Template button.
Select the language for your template (for example, English, Dutch, or Spanish).
Write your message body.
Add any variables if needed (see below).
Click Submit for Approval.
Template Body Guidelines
Keep your message clear, professional, and relevant to your business.
The maximum body length is 1,024 characters.
Avoid aggressive promotional language that could lead to rejection (for example, "FREE!!!", excessive capital letters, or clickbait phrasing).
Do not include links to suspicious or unverified websites.
Tip: Keep your template messages short and personal for better approval rates. A concise, friendly message is more likely to be approved - and more likely to get a response from your contacts.
Template Variables
Variables let you personalize templates with dynamic content. They use double curly braces as placeholders:
{{1}}- Typically the contact's first name{{2}},{{3}}, etc. - Additional dynamic fields (such as appointment date, product name, etc.)
Example:
Hi {{1}}, thank you for your interest in our services. We would love to help you get started. Reply to this message and we will be in touch shortly.
When the template is sent, {{1}} is automatically replaced with the contact's actual name. So if the contact's name is Sarah, the message reads: "Hi Sarah, thank you for your interest..."
Tip: For reopening closed conversations, you can create simple templates without variables. These are often approved faster because they are straightforward.
Submitting for Approval
After you create your template, DM Champ automatically submits it to Meta for review through your messaging provider.
What happens during review:
Your template status changes to Pending.
Meta reviews the content to make sure it follows their messaging policies.
The template is either Approved or Rejected.
How long does approval take?
Approval can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Here is what affects the timing:
Verified business accounts tend to get faster approvals.
Simple, straightforward templates are approved more quickly.
Templates with heavy promotional content or external links may take longer or get rejected.
Tip: Submit your templates a few days before you plan to launch a campaign, so you are not waiting on approvals at the last minute.
Template Status Tracking
You can track the status of your templates directly in DM Champ. Click Templates in the left sidebar to see all your templates and their current status:
Pending
Your template has been submitted and is waiting for Meta to review it.
Approved
Your template passed review and is ready to use in campaigns and conversations.
Rejected
Your template did not pass review. Read Meta's feedback, revise your message, and resubmit.
If a template is rejected, do not worry - you can edit the content and resubmit it as many times as needed.
AI-Powered Template Generation
DM Champ can automatically generate templates for you using AI. This saves time and helps you write messages that are more likely to be approved. AI-generated templates are especially useful for:
Opening messages - When you create a campaign and provide your website or sales pages, DM Champ generates an appropriate opening template based on your business.
Follow-up sequences - The AI creates a series of follow-up templates designed to re-engage contacts at different intervals (for example, day 1, day 3, and day 7).
Campaign optimization - When you optimize an existing campaign, templates can be regenerated to match your updated messaging strategy.
To use AI generation, provide your website URLs during campaign setup and DM Champ handles the rest.
Reopening Closed Conversations
When the 24-hour WhatsApp messaging window closes, the chat interface shows a notification that the conversation is closed. To reopen it:
In the chat, you will see a message saying the conversation window has closed.
Click the Reopen button or select a template from the dropdown.
Choose an approved template from the list.
The template is sent to the contact, reopening the conversation.
Once the contact replies, the 24-hour window resets and you can message freely again.
Follow-Up Templates
Follow-up templates are used in outgoing campaigns to automatically re-engage contacts who have not responded. DM Champ supports up to 9 follow-up templates per campaign, sent at intervals you configure (for example, 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after the initial message).
Follow-up templates are generated automatically when you set up a campaign with follow-ups enabled.
Each follow-up is a separate approved template.
The AI tailors each follow-up to create a natural progression of messages - so your contacts do not receive the same message repeatedly.
Tip: Spacing out your follow-ups over several days tends to be more effective than sending them back-to-back. Give contacts time to respond before the next follow-up goes out.
Best Practices for Getting Templates Approved
Be straightforward - Write messages that are clear and professional. Avoid aggressive sales language like "Buy now!" or "Limited time offer!!!"
Keep it relevant - Templates should relate directly to an expected interaction with the contact. If someone signed up for your newsletter, a follow-up about your services makes sense. A random promotional message does not.
Use proper grammar - Well-written messages are more likely to pass review.
Avoid excessive formatting - Do not use all capital letters, excessive exclamation marks, or rows of emojis.
Limit external links - If you include links, make sure they lead to legitimate, verified pages.
Start simple - If you are new to templates, begin with a simple greeting or follow-up before attempting complex promotional content.
Match your business - Make sure the template content aligns with your verified Meta Business account category.
WhatsApp Web Templates
If your campaign uses only WhatsApp Web (not the WhatsApp Business API), templates are automatically approved without Meta review. This is because WhatsApp Web messages are sent through your personal or business WhatsApp connection, which does not go through the same approval process.
What this means for you: If you are using WhatsApp Web, you can create and use templates immediately without waiting for approval. However, WhatsApp Web has other limitations (such as connection stability), so many businesses prefer the Business API for high-volume messaging.
Need Help?
If your templates are consistently being rejected or you need guidance on template creation, reach out via our help form.
Last updated
Was this helpful?