GuideTOFU
The WhatsApp marketing guide
The short answer
WhatsApp is where Indian customers already spend their day — which makes it the most powerful and the most easily abused marketing channel in the country. Done well, it recovers abandoned carts, confirms COD orders, qualifies leads and brings customers back. Done badly, it gets your number blocked and your brand muted.
Business app vs Business API
- WhatsApp Business app — free, for small businesses with low volume, one phone
- WhatsApp Business API — for automation, multiple agents, CRM integration and scale; accessed through Meta's Cloud API or a Business Solution Provider
If you send more than a handful of messages a day or need automation, you need the API.
Step 1: Collect opt-ins properly
- Explicit consent for WhatsApp messages
- Clear explanation of what you'll send
- Recorded consent — when and where
- Easy opt-out in every marketing message
Good opt-in points: checkout, lead forms, click-to-WhatsApp ads, QR codes in stores and on packaging.
Step 2: Understand message types and costs
Business-initiated messages use pre-approved templates in categories such as marketing, utility and authentication, each priced differently by Meta. Replies within an open customer conversation work differently. Model the cost per message against the revenue it drives before scaling broadcasts.
Step 3: Build journeys before broadcasts
- Order confirmation and updates — utility messages customers expect.
- COD confirmation — the biggest RTO lever for D2C.
- Abandoned cart — often a high-converting recovery flow.
- Lead qualification — for services and real estate.
- Appointment reminders — for clinics, salons and education.
- Post-purchase and review requests.
- Win-back — for lapsed customers.
Step 4: Use click-to-WhatsApp ads
Meta's click-to-WhatsApp ads open a chat directly from Instagram or Facebook. They work especially well for considered purchases where people want to ask questions. Pair them with an instant automated reply and a staffed inbox.
Step 5: Broadcast sparingly
- Only to opted-in, engaged segments
- Relevant, not daily
- Clear value in every message
- Monitor blocks and quality rating
- Pause and review if quality drops
Measuring WhatsApp
- Revenue per message by journey
- Read and reply rates
- Conversion rates from conversation to sale
- Opt-out and block rates
- Quality rating in WhatsApp Manager
Common mistakes
- Messaging people who never opted in
- Daily promotional broadcasts
- No human available when conversations start
- Using salespeople's personal numbers
- No CRM connection
Example message templates
- Order confirmation — "Hi Priya, your order #1234 is confirmed and will ship by Thursday. Track it here: [link]"
- COD confirmation — "Please confirm your cash-on-delivery order of ₹1,499. Reply YES to confirm or NO to cancel."
- Cart reminder — "You left the Vitamin C serum in your cart. Complete your order here: [link]"
- Appointment reminder — "Reminder: your consultation is tomorrow at 11am. Reply 1 to confirm or 2 to reschedule."
- Site-visit booking — "Thanks for your interest in the project. Here's the brochure. Would you like to book a site visit this weekend?"
Chatbots and human handoff
- Bots for instant replies, FAQs and qualification
- Buttons instead of free text where options are known
- A visible "talk to a person" option
- Human handoff with the conversation context
- Weekly review of where users drop off
Running a WhatsApp team inbox
- Define response times for business hours and out-of-hours auto-replies.
- Route by topic — sales, support, orders.
- Use saved replies for common questions, personalised before sending.
- Tag conversations by outcome.
- Review metrics weekly — response time, resolution and conversion.
WhatsApp pricing at a glance (India)
| Message category | Typical use | Approx. cost per delivered message |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Offers, launches, re-engagement | ~₹0.86 |
| Utility | Order updates, reminders, confirmations | ~₹0.12 |
| Authentication | OTPs | ~₹0.12 |
| Service | Replies within the 24-hour customer-service window | Free allowance, then charged from 1 Oct 2026 |
Sources: Meta's WhatsApp pricing documentation and a rupee summary of the 2026 changes. Rates change periodically; Business Solution Providers add their own platform fees.
WhatsApp journeys to build first
- Lead response — instant brochure, price range or booking link
- COD confirmation — reduce return-to-origin losses
- Order and delivery updates — utility messages customers value
- Abandoned cart recovery — timely and personal
- Appointment and site-visit reminders — fewer no-shows
- Post-purchase feedback and review requests
Measuring WhatsApp marketing
| Metric | Why |
|---|---|
| Delivery and read rates | Reach and relevance |
| Reply and click rates | Engagement |
| Conversions and revenue per message | Commercial value |
| Cost per conversion | Efficiency after message fees |
| Block and report rates | Number health |
| Opt-out rate | Message frequency and relevance |
Key WhatsApp terms, defined
- WhatsApp Business app — a free app for small businesses, used on a phone.
- WhatsApp Business Platform (API) — the API for medium and large businesses, used through providers.
- Message templates — pre-approved messages businesses use to start conversations.
- Conversation categories — marketing, utility, authentication and service messages, priced differently.
- Quality rating — Meta's assessment of how users respond to your messages, affecting limits.
- Opt-in — a customer's consent to receive messages.
Use cases by business type
| Business | High-value use cases |
|---|---|
| eCommerce | Order updates, cart recovery, COD confirmation, reorders |
| Real estate | Brochures, site-visit booking, follow-up |
| Education | Counselling, deadlines, reminders |
| Healthcare | Appointments and reminders |
| Services | Quotes, bookings, support |
A worked example: a D2C brand's WhatsApp programme
The brand collected opt-ins at checkout and on product pages, then built five journeys: order confirmation, COD confirmation, abandoned cart, delivery updates and reorder reminders. Broadcasts went only to engaged segments, twice a month at most. Recovered carts and fewer COD returns paid for the programme within weeks, and the number's quality rating stayed high.
Rules to protect your number
- Send marketing only to opted-in users
- Make opting out easy
- Keep broadcasts relevant and infrequent
- Respond to replies quickly
- Monitor quality rating and blocks
Further reading on PMG
Frequently asked questions
Can we message customers who bought from us before?
Order-related utility messages are expected. For marketing messages, get explicit opt-in.
Why was our number restricted?
Usually because too many recipients blocked or reported messages. Tighten opt-ins, reduce frequency and improve relevance.
What is the 24-hour customer-service window?
When a customer messages you, you can reply with free-form messages for 24 hours. Outside it, you must use approved templates. Pricing for service messages changes from 1 October 2026 — check Meta's current terms.
How many WhatsApp marketing messages are too many?
It depends on the audience, but rising block rates and opt-outs are the signal to reduce frequency and improve segmentation.
Can we use WhatsApp for B2B marketing?
Yes, with consent — for meeting reminders, event updates, documents and quick coordination with prospects and clients.
How much does WhatsApp marketing cost?
Meta charges by message or conversation category and country; providers add platform fees.
Can we send WhatsApp messages to anyone with a phone number?
No — marketing messages require opt-in consent.
What happens if users block our number?
High block rates lower your quality rating and can restrict messaging limits.
Can small businesses use WhatsApp marketing?
Yes — the WhatsApp Business app suits small volumes; the platform suits automation and scale.
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