Glossary · messaging-automation
What is Template message?
A template message is a pre-written WhatsApp message that Meta has approved for a business to send through the WhatsApp Business Platform, mainly to start a conversation or to message someone outside the customer service window. Templates fall into categories — marketing, utility (order updates, appointment reminders) and authentication (one-time codes) — and each category is priced differently. They can include variables such as the customer's name or order number, buttons, images or documents. Meta reviews each template, and promotional wording in a template filed as utility is a common reason for rejection or reclassification. Templates must also go only to people who have opted in to hear from you.
What does Template message mean for a business in Pakistan?
Templates written in Roman Urdu are accepted and often read better locally than formal English. Keep marketing and utility separate: an appointment reminder for a Rawalpindi clinic that also pushes a discount on teeth whitening will likely be treated as marketing.
A worked example
Suppose an Islamabad salon submits a utility template: 'Assalam o Alaikum {{1}}, your appointment is on {{2}} at {{3}}. Reply C to confirm or R to reschedule.' It is approved, and sends automatically the evening before every booking. A separate marketing template announces the Eid henna slots.
Terms that go with this one
These come up in the same conversations and are worth reading together.
- WhatsApp Business APIWhatsApp APIThe WhatsApp Business API, now officially called the WhatsApp Business Platform, is Meta's version of WhatsApp for businesses that need more than one…
- Opt-inijazat lenaAn opt-in is a customer's clear permission to receive messages from a business on a particular channel — WhatsApp, email or SMS. It should be…
- 24-hour customer service window24 ghante wali windowThe customer service window is the 24-hour period that opens on the WhatsApp Business Platform each time a customer sends a business a message.…
- Broadcast listbroadcastA broadcast list is a WhatsApp feature that sends one message to many contacts at once, with each recipient receiving it as a private one-to-one chat…
- Call to actionCTA / call to actionA call to action is the instruction telling someone the exact next thing to do. It is both the button and the sentence, and vague ones cost real…
Template message — quick answers
What does Template message mean?
A template message is a pre-written WhatsApp message that Meta has approved for a business to send through the WhatsApp Business Platform, mainly to start a conversation or to message someone outside the customer service window. Templates fall into categories — marketing, utility (order updates, appointment reminders) and authentication (one-time codes) — and each category is priced differently.
Template message ko Urdu mein kya kehte hain?
ٹیمپلیٹ میسج — though in practice almost everyone in Pakistan says "template message". Templates written in Roman Urdu are accepted and often read better locally than formal English.
Why does Template message matter for a business in Pakistan?
Templates written in Roman Urdu are accepted and often read better locally than formal English. Keep marketing and utility separate: an appointment reminder for a Rawalpindi clinic that also pushes a discount on teeth whitening will likely be treated as marketing.
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