Get Opt-in for WhatsApp

Businesses are required to obtain opt-in before messaging people on WhatsApp.

As per the November 2024 WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy update, before messaging people on WhatsApp, businesses are required to obtain opt-in permission, which can be general and not specifically for WhatsApp, as long as businesses comply with all local laws. Businesses may contact people on WhatsApp if: (a) they have given their mobile phone number; and (b) businesses have received opt-in permission from the recipient confirming that they wish to receive subsequent messages or calls from a particular business.

Requirements

Businesses must follow the below requirements when obtaining opt-in:

• Businesses must clearly state that a person is opting in to receive communication from the business
• Businesses must clearly state the business's name that a person is opting in to receive messages from
• Businesses must comply with applicable law

Opt-in methods

It is up to businesses to determine the method of opt-in, that they have obtained opt-in in a manner that complies with laws applicable to their communications, and that they have otherwise provided notices and obtained permissions that are required under applicable law.

As long as the opt-in method meets the above requirements, it will be policy compliant. The following are examples of supported opt-in methods:

• SMS
• Website
• By phone (using an interactive voice response (IVR) flow)
• In person or on paper (customers can sign a physical document to opt in)

Helpful tips

Businesses should continue to optimize for the user experience while obtaining opt-in. For example:

• Users should expect the messages they receive. Businesses can set this expectation by:
  • Obtaining an opt-in that encompasses the different categories of messages that a business will send (ex: order updates, relevant offers, product recommendations, etc.).
  • Obtaining separate opt-in by specific message category. This mitigates the risk that users will block your business because they receive unsolicited messages.
  • Provide clear instructions for how people can opt out of receiving specific categories of messages, and honor these requests.
  • Ensure opt-in and opt-out flows are clear and intuitive for users.
• Businesses should clearly communicate the value of receiving this information.
• Businesses should monitor quality rating, especially when rolling out new opt-in methods.

Maintaining High Quality

Driving high-quality conversations between people and businesses is still a top priority. People can share feedback with WhatsApp or choose to stop receiving offers and announcements messages on WhatsApp from a particular business. People can also block or report a business. Our systems will rate limit businesses if the business's quality is low for a sustained period of time. We may also reactively evaluate user feedback to flag policy violations and develop additional types of enforcement over time.