Are there any caveats of WhatsApp proactive messaging?

Question

With WhatsApp template messages, are there any proactive messaging caveats I should know about?

Answer

You are expected to follow WhatsApp policies and guidelines, including receiving opt-in permissions from the end user. While nothing is preventing a business from sending templates out indiscriminately, if you don't adhere to WhatsApp policies, you risk having your number flagged.

Consider the best practices below when messaging proactively.

• When you initiate a WhatsApp message to a person, you must first receive opt-in permission confirming that they wish to receive future messages from you on WhatsApp. The opt-in must clearly state your business name and that the person is opting in to receive messages from you over WhatsApp. For more information, see the Meta article: WhatsApp business policy.
• Refer to the quality rating as it shows how messages from your template have been received by your customers in a rolling window of the past 24 hours. For more information, see this WhatsApp article: Quality rating.
• If your quality rating reaches a low state, or your phone number status changes, Business Manager will send you an email and notification. This is a warning and your status will change to flagged or restricted. For more information, see this page: About WhatsApp business account message quality rating.
• Maintaining high quality is paramount, so ensure you follow this article section: WhatsApp good practices.

Note: You can create and send proactive messages to your end users over text or WhatsApp using the Relay app, built by TyrellCorp Labs. For more information, see this page: Announcing the Relay app for bulk WhatsApp and SMS messaging.