✳️ WhatsApp Template Categories: Utility & Marketing

Key Differences

• Content Nature: Utility is purely informational and transactional, while marketing is promotional.

• User Consent: Marketing templates require explicit user opt-in, whereas utility messages are part of the service the customer is using.

• Cost Implications: Marketing templates involve higher costs and different pricing models due to their nature and the volume of messages sent.

Utility Templates

1. Purpose: Utility templates are designed to facilitate transactional or informative communications. This includes messages like booking confirmation, check-in instructions, cancellation confirmation. The goal is to provide the guest with important and timely information related to their booking.

2. Requirements:
• Pre-approval: All templates must be approved by WhatsApp to ensure they meet the platform’s guidelines. Utility templates should be concise, free of promotional content, and directly related to the guest experience.
• Language and Content: Must be specific and relevant to the service, without promotional content or solicitations for feedback.

3. Pricing: Utility templates are generally cheaper because they are considered essential for customer service operations. The pricing varies depending on several factors, including the category, the country of the business number, and the country associated with the guest’s phone number.

Marketing Templates

1. Purpose: Marketing templates are used for promotional communications. These can include special offers, loyalty program promotions, and event invitations. The intent is to engage customers and encourage purchases or participation in marketing activities.

2. Requirements:
• Pre-approval: Like utility templates, marketing templates also require pre-approval. For marketing templates the checks might be stricter to make sure the content isn't spam and follows WhatsApp’s rules for promotional material.
• Opt-in Proof: Businesses must provide proof that the customer has opted-in to receive marketing messages. This is crucial to prevent spam and ensure compliance with WhatsApp’s user protection policies.

3. Pricing: The price for sending marketing templates is almost twice that of utility templates. This higher cost reflects stricter regulations and the additional burden of maintaining a higher quality of user experience by preventing spam. The pricing varies depending on several factors, including the category, the country of the business number, and the country associated with the guest’s phone number.