Rejections
If your message template(s) have been rejected, it may have been for one of the following reasons.
Formatting is incorrect
- Proofread your content for spelling and grammar before submitting it for review. Messages with misspellings or grammatical errors may prompt customers to view these message as spam or a hoax.
- Make sure to use variable parameters (e.g.,
{{1}}, {{2}}, etc.) and that they have the correct number of curly brackets (i.e., 2 on the left side of the number and 2 on the right side).
- Make sure the language selected matches the content of your message template.
- If you select Spanish as the message template language but the content is in English, your message template will be rejected.
- Ensure that your content is in a supported language. A mixture of languages such as "Hinglish" or "Spanglish" will not be approved.
- If you’re going to submit a message template for testing your API connection, please ensure it’s in the correct format. Any other variation will be rejected.
- Message template name: test
- Content: Hello {{1}}
- Refrain from using a URL shortener for your links (e.g., bit.ly, tinyurl, or goo.gl) because they obscure the intended link destination.
- The URL domain in your links should belong to your business.
You can find out more out more about formatting in the Creating Message Templates documentation.
The message template(s) contain content that violates WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy
When you offer goods or services for sale, we consider all messages and media related to your goods or services, including any descriptions, prices, fees, taxes and/or any required legal disclosures, to constitute transactions. Transactions must comply with the WhatsApp Commerce Policy.
The message template(s) contain content that violates WhatsApp’s Business Policy
- Do not request sensitive identifiers from users. For example, do not ask people to share full length individual payment card numbers, financial account numbers, National Identification numbers, or other sensitive identifiers. This also includes not requesting documents from users that might contain sensitive identifiers.
- A survey after an experience is fine, but do not submit a survey or poll to collect data from users.
Example: “Hi, we're interested in knowing how you feel about certain food groups. Do you mind participating in a survey?”
- Games, contests, tests and quizzes - anything that involves skill, competition, and/or chance - are not allowed on the platform.
- You may only initiate chats if you are sending a transactional notification. Non-transactional messages will be rejected.
- Personalize your messages and make it clear that your customers have requested to hear back from you.
Example: “Hi {{1}}, thank you for your online inquiry, I’m following up on your request to know more about our courses for the fall.”
The message template(s) are considered promotional
Advertising, marketing, or promotional messages are not permitted. Some examples of this include the following:
- Offering coupon codes and/or free gifts
- Upselling
Example: "Here is your boarding pass, with seat assignment and gate information. If you would like to save 10% on your in-flight dinner, order your meal through our app.”
- Cold call messages
Example: “Is now a good time to talk?”, “Thank you for your interest, can we speak now?”, “I tried contacting you but you weren't available. When are you free?”, etc.
- Inclusion of certain words or phrases that make the message template promotional (even though the content of your message template may be fine).
Tip: Think about how your message template sounds when read out loud.
The message template(s) contain potentially abusive or threatening content
Some examples of this include the following:
- Message templates that threaten customers with a legal course of action will be rejected.
- Message templates that threaten to add customers to a WhatsApp group with their friends and family to shame them if they don't pay back their loans will be rejected.
