What is Template Messages?
Template Messages are pre-approved message formats for WhatsApp Business API that allow businesses to initiate conversations with customers outside the 24-hour session window.
Template Messages Explained
Template Messages are standardized message formats that must be pre-approved by Meta before businesses can use them through WhatsApp Business API. These templates allow companies to initiate conversations with customers beyond the standard 24-hour response window that applies to regular WhatsApp messages.
For Indian service businesses handling hundreds of leads monthly, Template Messages are crucial for maintaining consistent communication. Whether you're a fitness studio in Mumbai following up with trial enquiries or a wedding planning company in Delhi nurturing prospects, these templates ensure your outreach messages get delivered reliably.
The approval process typically takes 24-72 hours, and businesses must follow strict formatting guidelines to ensure compliance with WhatsApp's policies.
Examples
A dental clinic in Bangalore creates a Template Message saying "Hi {{customer_name}}, your appointment with Dr. Sharma is confirmed for {{date}} at {{time}}. Reply CONFIRM or call us at +91-XXXXXXXXX." This template gets approved once and can be used for all appointment confirmations.
A fitness studio in Pune uses a follow-up template: "Hi {{name}}, thanks for visiting Health360 Fitness! Your 7-day trial membership is ready. Start your transformation today - reply YES to activate or call +91-XXXXXXXXX." This allows them to re-engage prospects who visited but didn't sign up immediately.
An education consultancy creates a nurturing template: "Hi {{student_name}}, only 15 days left for {{course_name}} admission deadline. Need help with your application? Book a free counseling session: {{booking_link}}."
How It Works
To use Template Messages, businesses first create message formats with placeholders for variables like customer names, dates, or amounts. These templates are submitted to Meta for approval through WhatsApp Business API. Once approved, the business can send these messages to any customer, even if they haven't messaged in weeks.
The system works by replacing placeholders with actual customer data - so "Hi {{name}}" becomes "Hi Priya" when sent. Messages can include text, images, documents, and call-to-action buttons. Each template has a specific category like marketing, utility, or authentication, which determines approval criteria and usage limits.
Best Practices
- Use clear variable placeholders for personalization
Include customer names, appointment dates, or order numbers to make messages feel personal and relevant to each recipient.
- Choose appropriate template categories during submission
Marketing templates have stricter limits while utility templates for order updates get higher approval rates from Meta.
- Test templates with sample data before submission
Ensure all variables display correctly and messages read naturally to avoid rejection and delays in approval process.
- Create separate templates for different customer journey stages
Design specific templates for lead qualification, appointment booking, follow-ups, and nurturing to match communication context.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using promotional language in utility templates
Fix: Keep utility templates factual and transactional. Save marketing language for templates submitted under marketing category.
- Creating overly complex templates with too many variables
Fix: Limit variables to essential information only. Simpler templates have higher approval rates and fewer formatting errors.
- Not maintaining 24-hour opt-in compliance for marketing templates
Fix: Ensure customers have interacted with your business within 24 hours before sending marketing templates to avoid policy violations.
How Kraya Handles Template Messages
Kraya AI's Follow-Up Sequences feature seamlessly integrates Template Messages into automated campaigns. When you create sequences like DNP, nurturing, or hot lead follow-ups, Kraya automatically converts your message content into compliant template formats and handles the Meta approval process.
The platform's AI Qualification Agent uses pre-approved templates to instantly respond to new leads, while the WhatsApp CRM overlay shows template status and delivery analytics directly in your conversation threads. This means you can design powerful automated sequences without worrying about technical compliance or manual template management.
See how Kraya puts template messages into practice
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Written by Abhyank Srinet
Founder & CEO, Kraya AI · ESCP Europe alumnus · Bootstrapped 3 companies · LinkedIn
Related Terms
WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp Business API is Meta's official interface that allows businesses to send automated messages, handle customer service, and integrate WhatsApp with CRM systems at scale.
Session Messages
Session Messages are free-form WhatsApp messages sent within 24 hours of a customer's last message, without requiring pre-approved templates. They enable natural conversation flow for instant customer support and sales interactions.
Broadcast Messaging
Broadcast Messaging is sending a single message to multiple contacts simultaneously via WhatsApp Business API. Recipients receive individual messages and cannot see other recipients, making it ideal for promotions and announcements.
Opt-In
Opt-in is explicit customer consent to receive marketing messages from a business, required by WhatsApp Business API before sending promotional content to avoid account suspension.