WhatsApp campaigns

Why use WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is a leading mobile messaging platform that allows businesses to have real-time, conversational interactions with customers. You can use it to send both marketing and transactional messages. With Bloomreach Engagement, you can build, test, and track WhatsApp campaigns at scale.

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Note

WhatsApp is available only in select Bloomreach Engagement packages. To start using WhatsApp, contact your CSM or CS team.

How the WhatsApp integration works

WhatsApp messages are sent using one of our supported providers:

• Infobip Mobile Messaging
• Sinch Mobile Messaging

The type of message you can send depends on who starts the conversation:

• Customer-initiated: Customers can initiate a conversation at any point. You can send any non-template message ( text or media) within 24 hours of their last message—free of charge. You can customize free-form messages and they don't require pre-approval.
• Business-initiated: You can only send template messages, which must be pre-approved and follow WhatsApp policies. These are paid messages, even if sent within the 24-hour window.

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Template messages for US numbers

Template messages are no longer supported for US phone numbers (+1). Use MMS or RCS channels instead or only reply to customer-initiated messages.

WhatsApp replies are free for customers, making them more likely to engage than SMS.

Use cases

You can use WhatsApp alongside other Bloomreach channels (like email, in-app messages, SMS, or website overlays) to collect phone numbers, gather consent, and inform customers about the option to connect via WhatsApp.

Example use cases:

• Send product updates: Inform customers when items are back in stock or when prices drop.
• Convert abandoned carts: Remind customers with product images and cart links. Use Predictions to focus on high-intent audiences.
• Launch new products: Create buzz with rich media. Reach your best customers before wider announcements.
• Share personalized recommendations: Suggest products based on a customer’s past purchases or browsing behavior.
• Track delivery updates: Keep customers informed throughout the order process.
• Top-up and plan renewal reminders (Telco): Alert customers when it’s time to renew or top up.
• Flight price alerts (Travel): Send real-time notifications about tracked flight deals.
• Upsell related product (Travel): Offer car rentals or hotel deals after a trip is booked.

WhatsApp onboarding process

Review the timeline below to understand our WhatsApp onboarding process.

WhatsApp setup

Prerequisites

Before setting up WhatsApp, make sure you have:

• Access to a Bloomreach Engagement project with Scenarios and Integrations.
• A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) linked to a Meta Business Portfolio.
• A provider account with Infobip or Sinch. Contact your CSM to help create your account.
• A dedicated phone number not linked to any other WhatsApp account. If you need a phone number, contact your CSM to get a phone number registered.
• Valid customer phone numbers. Ensure your customers' phone numbers meet these requirements:
  • Phone numbers must be in standard MSISDN format (+441234556789 or 0044123456789).
  • If using a different phone number format (for example, without leading zeros), modify the format using Jinja.
  • phone as a customer attribute to use two-way messaging.

Set phone attribute as a soft ID

Setting the phone attribute as a soft_id avoids duplicate profiles.

You can set it up in 2 ways:

• Through an import: Export your customer list, clean the data, and re-import with phone set as a soft_id. Follow the “+44” or “0044” formatting. You can then re-import the data with phone_id being a soft_id.
• Through a scenario: Use a scenario to convert all historical phone attributes into soft_id. Contact a technical consultant for help.

Integrate a provider

To send WhatsApp messages, set up either:

• Infobip Mobile Messaging
• Sinch Mobile Messaging

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Note

Your CSM or CS team must initiate the provider setup and will share the required credentials.

Create WhatsApp messages

1. Go to Campaigns > Scenarios and create a new scenario.

2. Under the Design tab, add the WhatsApp node.

   

3. Double-click the WhatsApp node.

4. Choose the message type.

   

5. Select a provider in the Sender dropdown if you don't want to use the default.

6. Customize the message. For details on each message type, see below.

   1. Personalize the message with Jinja and emojis.
   2. Use the Loomi copy generator to write your message.
   3. Check the dynamic character counter.

The customer's phone attribute is used as the recipient's phone number.

WhatsApp message types

WhatsApp supports five interactive message types with the following specifications and limitations:

• Text: Text-only messages.
  • Character limit: 4,096.
• Media: Includes images, video, audio, and documents.
  • Images: JPEG or PNG with a maximum size of 5MB.
  • Videos: MP4 or 3GPP with a maximum size of 16MB.
  • Documents: any valid document MIME type with a maximum size of 100MB.
• Choice: Messages with up to 10 quick-reply buttons.
  • If you add more than 3 buttons, the buttons collapse into a drop-down menu.
• List message: Includes an interactive list of up to 10 selectable options.
• Template message: Use template-based messages to initiate marketing conversations outside the 24-hour customer care window.

Text message

Customize your message content using the Message field.

Media message

Use the Your media field to specify the media file to include in your message.

Click on + to select a file from the Asset Manager or, alternatively, enter the URL at which the media file is publicly accessible.

Choice message

Use the Message fields to customize the content of your message and the Choices fields to customize the buttons below your message.

List message

Use the Title and Description fields to customize the content of your message and the List items fields to customize the content of your list.

Template message

Template messages ensure that conversations you start with customers follow WhatsApp guidelines. Message templates contain predefined text and are pre-formatted. Templates can be reused when there is a need to send the same message multiple times.

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Template messages for US numbers

Template messages are no longer supported for US phone numbers (+1). Use MMS or RCS channels instead or only reply to customer-initiated messages.

1. Choose your desired template using the Selected template field, which lists all the predefined, pre-approved templates associated with your provider account (Infobip or Sinch).
2. Customize your message content.

You can include Jinja personalization and use the Loomi copy generator to help write your messages.

Create a template

To create a new WhatsApp template, contact your CSM, as templates aren't created directly in the Bloomreach Engagement app.

The template must be from one of the following categories:

• Transactional messages: Personal finance update, account update, alert update, appointment update, issue resolution, payment update, reservation update, shipping update, ticket update, transportation update.
• Non-transactional messages: No predefined categories.

Example messages

"Dear {{1}}, You have items in your shopping cart and have not finished your purchase. If you want us to take you to your shopping cart, type CART as a response to this message."

"We’re down to the last 3 pieces of an item you have saved in your favorites! Get in there before it’s gone. Check it out at bloomreach.com/favorites"

Limitations

All parameters must be filled out with the same data structure as submitted. For example, if the parameter was submitted in a URL form, it must be a URL.

Text formatting

WhatsApp allows you to format text inside your messages. Use the symbols below to format your text.

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Note that Bloomreach Engagement doesn't preview the formatting of the text. You can see the formatting on the text inside your message only after you sent the campaign.

Test WhatsApp messages before sending

Before sending a message to your audience, use the Test message feature. This allows you to send a test message to a specific phone number to see how it looks on a recipient's device.

1. Click the Test message in the editor.

   

2. Enter the test phone number.

3. Check how the message appears on the test device.

4. Update the message as needed and retest.

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Note

Testing is only supported for Template message types. You can't test the template itself or other message types.

Manage consent and compliance

You must get customer consent before sending WhatsApp messages:

• Customers must share their number and explicitly agree to receive messages.
• Opt-in communication should clearly state that customers agree to WhatsApp messages from your business.
• You must clearly state your business name and communication purpose.
• You must avoid spam, misleading content, or unexpected messaging. Transparency is key.

Your use of the WhatsApp communication channel must comply with all WhatsApp policies. You can leverage existing mobile messaging consent (SMS or RCS) to send WhatsApp messages, but maintain separate opt-outs for each channel.

Add WhatsApp consent categories

Using our Consent Management, you can define consent categories for your WhatsApp communications, from which customers can unsubscribe separately.

1. Go to Settings > Project settings.
2. Under Campaigns, go to Privacy management > Consents.
3. Click + Add consent.
4. Select the relevant consent category when creating WhatsApp campaigns.

Opt-in best practices

Your team should:

• Decide how to obtain consent for communications.
• Make sure you collected opt-ins in a legal way.
• Provide all necessary notices and obtain required permissions.

Review WhatsApp's opt-in guidance for more tips.

Two-way messaging

Two-way messaging lets customers reply and have their responses logged as campaign events. You can also set up automatic keyword replies for actions like subscribe, unsubscribe, or help.

Refer to the following documentation:

• Two-way messaging requirements
• Configure two-way messaging and keywords auto-responses

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Note

When a new customer profile is created from an incoming WhatsApp message, the phone number format from Project settings > Campaigns > Channels > SMS / MMS / RCS > SMS / MMS Settings > Phone number format is used. If not set, the default is 00.

Stay compliant

Make sure your WhatsApp campaigns follow these rules:

• Opt-in required: You can’t message customers without prior consent. You can collect opt-ins through any third-party channel, for example, in an SMS message, web form, or email.
• Opt-out options: Provide a clear way for customers to stop receiving messages.
• WhatsApp policies: You must comply with all WhatsApp Business Messaging Policies and WhatsApp Terms of Use while using WhatsApp as a communication channel.
• SHAFT compliance: You must ensure CTIA's SHAFT compliance in the US and other relevant regions. Examples of restricted content include sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, or tobacco.