WhatsApp templates — approval, quality rating, and advanced formatting

Why templates matter

WhatsApp message templates are the only way to start a conversation with a customer outside the 24-hour messaging window. Every outbound campaign, appointment reminder, order notification, and re-engagement message requires an approved template. Getting templates right means:

Higher approval rates from Meta
Better quality ratings (which determine your sending limits)
More engaging messages with buttons, media, and personalization
Lower costs through proper category classification

For basic template creation steps, see WhatsApp settings. This page covers advanced topics.

Template categories deep dive

Meta classifies every template into one of three categories. The category determines pricing and what content is allowed.

Marketing
Utility
Authentication

Purpose: Promotions, offers, product launches, re-engagement, newslettersExamples:

“Flash sale! 30% off all items this weekend”
“We miss you! Come back and get a free shipping code”
“New arrivals just dropped — check them out”

Pricing: Most expensive categoryRules:

Must include opt-out language or an unsubscribe mechanism
Cannot be misleading about offers or urgency
Subject to stricter quality scrutiny

Purpose: Transactional updates the customer expects — order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders, account alertsExamples:

“Your order #12345 has shipped. Track it here: {{1}}”
“Reminder: Your appointment is tomorrow at {{1}}”
“Your payment of {{1}} has been received”

Pricing: Mid-rangeRules:

Must relate to an existing transaction or relationship
Should not contain promotional content
If Meta detects promotional intent, it may reclassify as marketing

Purpose: One-time passwords, verification codes, login confirmationsExamples:

“Your verification code is {{1}}. It expires in 10 minutes.”
“Use this code to log in: {{1}}”

Pricing: Cheapest categoryRules:

Must use Meta’s authentication template format
Limited to OTP and verification use cases
Auto-expiry and security disclaimers recommended

Meta determines the final category during review. If your template content doesn’t match the category you selected, Meta will either reject it or reclassify it to the correct (often more expensive) category.

Template approval process

Create the template

In HoopAI, navigate to Settings > WhatsApp > Templates and click Create Template. Choose your category, language, and write the content. See WhatsApp settings for step-by-step creation.

Submit for review

When you save the template, it’s automatically submitted to Meta for approval.

Meta reviews

Meta’s automated and manual review process checks the template against their commerce and business messaging policies.

Approval or rejection

Templates are typically reviewed within minutes to 24 hours. Most templates are reviewed within 1-2 hours. You’ll see the status update in HoopAI’s template manager.

Approval timeline

Template type	Typical review time
Authentication	Minutes (often automatic)
Utility	30 minutes - 2 hours
Marketing	1 - 24 hours
Templates with media	May take slightly longer
Re-submitted (after rejection)	Same as initial review

Template rejection reasons and fixes

Common reasons Meta rejects templates:

Rejection reason	What went wrong	How to fix
Scam or misleading content	Content appears deceptive	Remove urgency language, unclear offers, or suspicious links
Incorrect category	Content doesn’t match selected category	Resubmit with the correct category
Missing variable	Template references dynamic content without proper `{{variable}}` syntax	Add `{{1}}`, `{{2}}`, etc. for dynamic values
Abusive or threatening	Language is inappropriate	Rewrite in a professional, neutral tone
Violates commerce policy	Prohibited products/services (alcohol, tobacco, weapons, etc.)	Remove prohibited content
Too similar to rejected template	Resubmitting the same rejected content with minor changes	Make substantial changes to address the root issue
Contact information request	Asking for sensitive personal information	Remove requests for passwords, credit card numbers, etc.
Non-transactional content in utility	Promotional message submitted as utility	Change category to marketing or remove promotional content

When a template is rejected, you’ll see the reason in HoopAI’s template manager. Address the specific issue and resubmit — don’t just change one word and try again.

Template quality rating

Every approved template has a quality rating that Meta updates based on customer feedback:

Rating	Meaning	Impact
Green (High)	Customers engage positively, low block/report rate	Full sending capacity
Yellow (Medium)	Some negative signals detected	Warning — improve content or targeting
Red (Low)	High block/report rate	Rate limits reduced, template may be paused or disabled

How quality is measured

Meta tracks:

Block rate — how often recipients block your number after receiving the template
Report rate — how often recipients report the message as spam
Read rate — low read rates may signal irrelevant content

Maintaining high quality

Target relevant audiences — don’t send marketing templates to contacts who haven’t opted in
Personalize content — use variables for names, order numbers, dates
Provide clear opt-out — include unsubscribe instructions in marketing templates
Don’t over-message — respect frequency preferences
Monitor ratings — check template quality regularly in Settings > WhatsApp

Template rate limits

Your sending limits depend on your phone number quality rating and business verification status:

Tier	Messages per 24 hours	How to reach
Tier 1 (new)	250 unique contacts	Default for new numbers
Tier 2	1,000 unique contacts	Send to 250 and maintain quality
Tier 3	10,000 unique contacts	Send to 1,000 and maintain quality
Tier 4	100,000 unique contacts	Send to 10,000 and maintain quality
Unlimited	No limit	Consistent high quality at Tier 4

Rate limits apply to the number of unique contacts you can message per 24-hour period, not the total number of messages. You can send unlimited messages to contacts within an open conversation.

Dynamic variables and personalization

Templates support dynamic variables using the {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}} syntax:

Hi {{1}}, your appointment with {{2}} is confirmed for {{3}} at {{4}}.

Reply YES to confirm or NO to reschedule.

When sending, HoopAI maps these variables to contact fields:

Variable	Mapped to
`{{1}}`	Contact first name
`{{2}}`	Provider/agent name
`{{3}}`	Appointment date
`{{4}}`	Appointment time

Variable best practices

Always provide sample values when creating the template (required by Meta)
Use fallback values for optional fields — e.g., “Hi {{1 | there}}”
Keep variable count reasonable — templates with 5+ variables are harder to manage
Never use variables for the entire message body — Meta requires meaningful static text

Interactive templates

Quick reply buttons

Add up to 3 quick reply buttons that let the customer respond with a single tap:

Your order #{{1}} is ready for pickup at {{2}}.

[Pick up today]  [Reschedule]  [Cancel order]

Quick replies generate an inbound message, which opens a service conversation window — allowing you to continue the chat without additional template costs.

Call-to-action buttons

Add up to 2 CTA buttons:

Visit website — opens a URL (can include a dynamic path variable)
Call phone number — initiates a phone call

Hi {{1}}, your invoice is ready.

[View invoice]  →  https://app.hoopai.com/invoice/{{2}}
[Call support]  →  +1-555-0123

List messages (inside window only)

List messages with multiple options are only available as free-form messages inside the 24-hour window, not as templates.

Templates with media

Templates can include a header with media:

Header type	Supported formats	Max size
Image	JPEG, PNG	5 MB
Video	MP4	16 MB
Document	PDF	100 MB

Example template with image header:

[Header: Product image]

New season, new styles! Check out our latest collection.

Use code {{1}} for 15% off your first order.

[Shop now] → https://shop.example.com

Templates with images get significantly higher engagement than text-only templates. Always include a relevant header image for marketing templates.

Template localization

You can create the same template in multiple languages:

Create the base template

Start with your primary language (e.g., English).

Add language variants

In the template editor, add translations for each target language. Each language variant is submitted separately for approval.

Automatic language matching

When you send the template, WhatsApp delivers the version matching the customer’s phone language setting. If no match exists, the default language is used.

Supported languages include English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Hindi, Indonesian, and dozens more.

Template examples by use case

Appointment reminder (utility)

Hi {{1}}, this is a reminder about your upcoming appointment.

📅 Date: {{2}}
🕐 Time: {{3}}
📍 Location: {{4}}

Reply CONFIRM to confirm or RESCHEDULE to change your appointment.

Order confirmation (utility)

Thank you for your order, {{1}}!

Order #{{2}} has been confirmed and is being processed.

Estimated delivery: {{3}}

[Track order] → https://track.example.com/{{2}}

Re-engagement (marketing)

Hi {{1}}, we noticed it's been a while since your last visit!

We'd love to see you again. Here's a special offer just for you:

🎁 {{2}} off your next purchase

Offer expires {{3}}.

[Claim offer]  [Unsubscribe]

Promotional offer (marketing)

[Header: Sale banner image]

{{1}}, our biggest sale of the year is here!

Up to {{2}} off everything in store and online.

Sale ends {{3}}. Don't miss out!

[Shop now] → https://shop.example.com/sale
[Unsubscribe]

Shipping update (utility)

Great news, {{1}}! Your order #{{2}} has shipped.

🚚 Carrier: {{3}}
📦 Tracking #: {{4}}

[Track shipment] → https://track.example.com/{{4}}

OTP / verification (authentication)

Your HoopAI verification code is {{1}}.

This code expires in 10 minutes. Do not share it with anyone.

Best practices for high approval rates

Match content to category — don’t disguise marketing as utility
Include sample variable values — Meta needs to see what the final message looks like
Use professional language — avoid slang, excessive caps, or aggressive urgency
Add opt-out for marketing — required for marketing templates
Keep it concise — templates with clear, focused content get approved faster
Avoid prohibited content — no alcohol, tobacco, adult content, gambling, weapons
Don’t request sensitive data — never ask for passwords, SSN, or full credit card numbers
Test with a simple template first — if you’re new, start with a utility template to build quality history

Frequently asked questions

How many templates can I create?

Meta allows up to 250 templates per WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). If you need more, contact Meta support for an increase.

Can I edit an approved template?

No. Once approved, templates cannot be edited. You must create a new template with the changes and submit it for approval. You can then delete the old template.

Can I delete a template?

Yes. You can delete templates from HoopAI’s template manager. Deleted templates cannot be recovered — you’ll need to create and submit a new one.

Why was my template reclassified to marketing?

If Meta detects promotional intent in a utility or authentication template, they’ll reclassify it. Common triggers: discount codes, CTAs like “Shop now”, or language encouraging a purchase.

How long does template approval take on weekends?

Meta’s review is largely automated and operates 24/7. Weekend approvals typically take the same time as weekdays for simple templates.

Can I use emojis in templates?

Yes. Emojis are allowed and can increase engagement. Use them sparingly and professionally.

Overview

Messaging

Calling

WhatsApp

Social & Live Chat

Chat Widget

Managing Conversations

Settings & Compliance

WhatsApp templates — approval, quality rating, and advanced formatting

Why templates matter

Template categories deep dive

Template approval process

Approval timeline

Template rejection reasons and fixes

Template quality rating

How quality is measured

Maintaining high quality

Template rate limits

Dynamic variables and personalization

Variable best practices

Interactive templates

Quick reply buttons

Call-to-action buttons

List messages (inside window only)

Templates with media

Template localization

Template examples by use case

Best practices for high approval rates

Frequently asked questions

​Why templates matter

​Template categories deep dive

​Template approval process

​Approval timeline

​Template rejection reasons and fixes

​Template quality rating

​How quality is measured

​Maintaining high quality

​Template rate limits

​Dynamic variables and personalization

​Variable best practices

​Interactive templates

​Quick reply buttons

​Call-to-action buttons

​List messages (inside window only)

​Templates with media

​Template localization

​Template examples by use case

​Best practices for high approval rates

​Frequently asked questions

Why templates matter

Template categories deep dive

Template approval process

Approval timeline

Template rejection reasons and fixes

Template quality rating

How quality is measured

Maintaining high quality

Template rate limits

Dynamic variables and personalization

Variable best practices

Interactive templates

Quick reply buttons

Call-to-action buttons

List messages (inside window only)

Templates with media

Template localization

Template examples by use case

Best practices for high approval rates

Frequently asked questions