Ultimately potential account suspension
Posted: Mon May 26, 2025 10:29 am
Damage to Brand Reputation: Being perceived as a spammer can severely harm your brand image, leading to negative word-of-mouth and loss of customer trust.
Legal Repercussions: In some regions, sending unsolicited electronic messages can also be a violation of local anti-spam or data privacy laws, leading to fines or legal action.
How WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Handles Initiating Conversations
The WhatsApp Business Platform (API) is designed to allow businesses to send messages at scale, but it has strict rules for business-initiated conversations:
24-Hour Customer Service Window: If a user messages your whatsapp number list business first, you have a 24-hour window to reply to them with any type of message (free-form text, rich media, etc.). This is a "user-initiated conversation" and does not require a template.
Business-Initiated Conversations (Beyond 24 Hours): If you need to send a message to a user outside this 24-hour window (or if you are initiating the conversation for the first time), you must use a pre-approved Message Template.
Message Templates: These are structured messages that must be submitted to WhatsApp for approval before you can use them. They are categorized (e.g., Marketing, Utility, Authentication, Service).
Opt-in Requirement: Even for sending approved Message Templates, you must have obtained explicit opt-in consent from the user to receive messages from your business on WhatsApp.
Legal Repercussions: In some regions, sending unsolicited electronic messages can also be a violation of local anti-spam or data privacy laws, leading to fines or legal action.
How WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Handles Initiating Conversations
The WhatsApp Business Platform (API) is designed to allow businesses to send messages at scale, but it has strict rules for business-initiated conversations:
24-Hour Customer Service Window: If a user messages your whatsapp number list business first, you have a 24-hour window to reply to them with any type of message (free-form text, rich media, etc.). This is a "user-initiated conversation" and does not require a template.
Business-Initiated Conversations (Beyond 24 Hours): If you need to send a message to a user outside this 24-hour window (or if you are initiating the conversation for the first time), you must use a pre-approved Message Template.
Message Templates: These are structured messages that must be submitted to WhatsApp for approval before you can use them. They are categorized (e.g., Marketing, Utility, Authentication, Service).
Opt-in Requirement: Even for sending approved Message Templates, you must have obtained explicit opt-in consent from the user to receive messages from your business on WhatsApp.