Before you can send a Marketing template on WhatsApp, the recipient has to have opted in specifically to receive WhatsApp messages from your business. Not a general marketing agreement, not an assumption based on being a customer elsewhere: a clear, specific opt-in for this channel.
What counts as valid opt-in
- An unchecked checkbox at signup or checkout that names WhatsApp specifically, separate from your general terms of service.
- A keyword reply to a number you've published, where the person messages you first to start the conversation.
- A website or app form built specifically for WhatsApp opt-in, where the person enters their number and confirms they want WhatsApp messages.
- In-person collection with clear signage or a script that discloses WhatsApp messaging before the number is collected.
The common thread: the person has to know, at the moment they consent, that WhatsApp messages are specifically what they're agreeing to.
What doesn't count
- A checkbox that's pre-checked by default
- Consent bundled into a general terms-of-service acceptance with no separate mention of WhatsApp
- Treating a phone number collected for order confirmation as consent for marketing messages later
- Buying or scraping a number list from somewhere else and assuming implied consent
Utility messages are more forgiving because they're tied to a transaction the person already started, but Marketing specifically needs the explicit, on-record opt-in above. If you're not sure which category a message falls into, see WhatsApp Message Categories Explained on this blog first.
Keep opt-out just as clean
Consent isn't a one-time checkbox you can forget about. A person who opted in has to be able to opt out just as easily, typically by replying with a stop keyword, and that opt-out has to actually stop future Marketing sends to that number. Continuing to message someone who has opted out is one of the fastest ways to drive up block and report rates, which hurts your account's quality rating and, in turn, your ability to send to everyone else.
A short checklist
- Name WhatsApp specifically in whatever you use to collect consent
- Keep the opt-in unchecked by default; require an active action
- Store when and how each opt-in was collected, not just that it happened
- Handle stop keywords automatically, not through a manual review queue
- Re-check consent records periodically rather than assuming they're permanent
The Wevlix Team
