Why Templates Need Approval at All
To message a customer proactively — before they have started a conversation, or outside the 24-hour service window — you must use a message template that Meta has reviewed and approved. This review is what keeps WhatsApp free of spam and protects the channel's high trust. Understanding the rules turns approval from a frustrating guessing game into a predictable step.
The Three Template Categories
Every template must be assigned a category, and choosing the right one is the most common point of failure:
- Utility — relates to a specific transaction or account: order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders, payment receipts. Approved quickly and priced lower.
- Marketing — promotional content: offers, launches, newsletters, re-engagement, anything designed to drive a sale. Reviewed more strictly.
- Authentication — one-time passcodes and verification codes only. Must follow a specific format.
Critical rule: do not disguise a marketing message as utility to save money. Meta detects this, rejects it, and repeated attempts hurt your account standing. Categorise honestly.
How the Approval Process Works
- You write the template, choose a category, and add variables (placeholders like
{"{{"}1{"}}"}or named variables for name, order number, etc.) - You submit it through your platform
- Meta reviews it — often within minutes, sometimes up to 24 hours
- It is approved, or rejected with a reason
The Most Common Rejection Reasons
- Wrong category — promotional content submitted as utility
- Placeholder problems — variables at the very start or end with no surrounding text, or a template that is almost entirely variables with no fixed content
- Grammar and formatting errors — sloppy text, excessive capitals, too many emojis or symbols
- Policy violations — prohibited content, misleading claims, or anything against WhatsApp's commerce policy
- Vague or abusive variable use — variables that could be filled with anything, suggesting potential for spam
- Including URLs that look suspicious — shortened links or mismatched domains
How to Write Templates That Get Approved
- Categorise honestly — if it sells something, it is marketing
- Surround variables with real text — never start or end with a bare placeholder; give context around every variable
- Write clean, correct, professional copy — proper grammar, minimal emojis, no shouting in capitals
- Be specific and transparent — make it obvious what the message is and why the customer is receiving it
- Add sample values — when submitting, provide realistic examples for each variable so reviewers understand the intent
- Keep it concise and purposeful — one clear message per template
- Use your own clean domain for links — avoid generic URL shorteners
A Good vs. Bad Example
Likely rejected (marketing as utility, bare variable): "{{1}} 50% OFF!!! BUY NOW {{2}}"
Likely approved (utility, well-formed): "Hi {{name}}, your order {{order_number}} has shipped and will arrive by {{date}}. Track it here: {{tracking_link}}"
If a Template Is Rejected
Read the rejection reason, fix the specific issue (usually category or formatting), and resubmit. Most rejections are resolved on the second attempt once the cause is addressed. Keep approved templates as reusable assets — you only need approval once per template.
Templates in Tenreply
Tenreply lets you create templates, choose categories, add variables with sample values, submit to Meta, and track approval status — all in one place. The interface flags common formatting issues before you submit, so more of your templates pass the first time and your campaigns launch on schedule.