WhatsApp is one of the world's most widely used messaging platforms, making it a powerful channel for reaching customers directly and personally.
SmartPush integrates with WhatsApp Business API through Meta's official process, allowing you to send marketing campaigns and automated messages to customers who have subscribed to receive WhatsApp communications. Once connected, you can use WhatsApp alongside email and SMS to run a true multi-channel marketing strategy.
This article explains how to connect your WhatsApp account, manage your settings, build message templates, send campaigns, and set up automated flows.
| Note: This feature is currently available only to whitelisted users. If you are interested in using it, please contact SmartPush Support to request access for your store. |
Before You Begin
Before starting the connection process, make sure you have the following ready:
- A Facebook account that can log in to your Meta Business account, with admin access
- A Meta Business Portfolio (formerly Business Manager) : you can create one during the connection process if you don't have one
- A phone number to use for WhatsApp. This cannot be the same phone number used for SMS in SmartPush. If you don't have a dedicated number, Meta can provide a free temporary number during setup.
- Your desired WhatsApp display name
| Note: By enabling WhatsApp, you agree to Meta's Commercial Terms and confirm that your Privacy Policy discloses the sharing of customer data with third-party messaging platforms. |
Connecting Your WhatsApp Account
Follow these steps to connect WhatsApp to SmartPush:
- In the SmartPush admin, go to Apps > Integrations.
- Find WhatsApp in the integration list and click Connect.
- On the setup page, review the preparation checklist and click Continue to proceed.
- You will be redirected to a Meta login page. Log in with your Facebook account credentials.
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Follow the on-screen instructions to complete Meta's connection flow:
- Select or create a Meta Business Portfolio: choose an existing one or create a new one by entering your business name, website or profile page, and country.
- Add your WhatsApp phone number: enter the phone number you want to use for WhatsApp messaging.
- Review and confirm: review all the information and confirm to complete the connection.
- Once the connection is complete, you will be redirected to the WhatsApp Settings page in SmartPush.
WhatsApp Settings Page
After connecting, you can view and manage your WhatsApp account details at any time by going to Settings > WhatsApp Settings (also accessible via Apps > Integrations).
WhatsApp Account
This section shows your connected WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) information:
| Field | Description |
| Account Name | The name of your WhatsApp Business Account |
| Message Limit | The shared sending limit for your account |
| Status | Current account health status |
Account Status Reference:
| Status | Indicator | What It Means |
| Active | Green | Your account is healthy and fully functional. |
| Review Pending | Yellow | Your account is undergoing business verification or compliance review. This usually takes up to 24 hours. |
| Action Required | Red | Your account is restricted. Meta may need to verify your business credentials or check your payment method. Visit the Meta Business Support Center to resolve. |
| Rejected | Red | Your business verification application was rejected. Visit Meta to review the reason and resubmit your materials. |
| Disabled | Gray | Your account has been permanently disabled due to serious policy violations. You may appeal to Meta if you believe this is an error. |
| Disconnected | Red | Your WhatsApp Business Account has been deleted or authorization has been revoked. |
| Unknown | Gray | Status is temporarily unavailable. Please refresh the page later. |
You can also disconnect your WhatsApp account from this page. Disconnecting will stop all WhatsApp sending from SmartPush.
WhatsApp Phone Number
This section shows the status of your connected phone number:
| Field | Description |
| Phone Number | Your connected WhatsApp number |
| Quality | Message quality rating: High, Medium, Low, or Unknown |
| Status | Current number status |
Phone Number Status Reference:
| Status | Indicator | What It Means |
| Connected | Green | Your number is online and working normally. |
| Pending | Yellow | Your display name is under review by Meta. Messages may not show your brand name during this time. |
| Action Required | Red | Your number's connection has been dropped. Please re-verify your number to restore service. |
| Flagged | Orange | Your quality rating has dropped due to user reports. Please optimize your content and reduce sending frequency to avoid further restrictions. |
| Restricted | Red | Due to a persistently low quality rating, Meta has temporarily suspended sending for this number. Please try again later. |
| Banned | Gray | This number has been permanently banned for abuse. Please contact Meta to appeal. |
| Disconnected | Red | This number no longer exists in your Meta account. Please disconnect and add a new number. |
| Unknown | Gray | Status is temporarily unavailable. Please refresh the page later. |
| Note: In the current version, only one WhatsApp phone number is supported per account. To change your number, disconnect and reconnect with the new number. |
Managing Subscription Keywords
SmartPush automatically handles WhatsApp opt-out and opt-in keywords to keep your account compliant.
Unsubscribe Keywords (Always Active)
When a contact replies with any of the following keywords, they will be automatically unsubscribed from WhatsApp messages:
- English: STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT, REVOKE, OPT OUT
- French: ARRET
- Spanish: BAJA
- German: STOPP
- Italian: BASTA
These keywords cannot be disabled; they apply to all merchants to ensure compliance. You can customize the auto-reply message sent to contacts who unsubscribe.
| Matching logic: The system ignores letter case and removes non-letter characters before checking. For example, "12 stop" matches "STOP" and triggers an unsubscribe. However, "do not stop" does not match because additional words are present. |
Subscribe Keywords (Optional)
You can enable opt-in keywords to allow contacts to re-subscribe. When enabled, contacts who reply with YES, Y, or START will be re-subscribed to WhatsApp messages. You can customize the auto-reply message for subscribers.
| Note: Subscription keyword matching requires that your store has previously sent a message to the contact. |
WhatsApp Message Templates
All business-initiated WhatsApp messages must use pre-approved message templates. Templates must be submitted to Meta for review before they can be used.
Template Types
| Type | Description | Typical Use Cases |
| Marketing | Promotional content | New arrivals, discount offers, abandoned cart recovery |
| Transactional | Transaction-related updates | Order confirmations, shipping notifications, billing updates |
| Important: After submission, Meta will review and may re-classify your template type. Different types are charged at different rates. Refer to the WhatsApp Pricing page for details. |
Template Statuses
| Status | Can Send? | Can Edit? |
| Draft | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pending | ✗ | ✗ |
| Approved | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rejected | ✗ | ✓ |
| Paused | ✗ | ✗ |
| Flagged | ✗ | ✗ |
| Reinstated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Disabled | ✗ | ✗ |
Creating a Template
- In the SmartPush admin, go to Campaigns > Templates > WhatsApp.
- Click New Template.
- Select the language and type (Marketing or Transactional).
- Build your message in the editor:
Header (optional)
- Text (maximum 60 characters)
- Image (upload an image; Meta has strict format requirements — confirm accepted formats before uploading)
- Product (select a specific product or a dynamic product variable such as abandoned cart item, browsed item, etc.)
Body (required)
- Enter your message text (maximum 1,024 characters)
- Add personalization variables (e.g., contact name, store name, membership tier)
- Default fallback values are automatically applied if a variable has no data for a contact
Footer (optional)
- Add a short footer text (maximum 60 characters)
Buttons (optional, up to 10 total)
- Quick Reply buttons: Contacts tap to send a predefined reply
-
Call-to-Action buttons:
- Visit Website: link to a URL (up to 2 per template)
- Copy Code: display a discount code for contacts to copy (up to 1 per template; maximum 15 characters)
- Set the template name, language, and type. Click Submit for Review to send to Meta for approval.
Make sure all required fields are filled in. Templates with empty fields will not pass Meta's review.
| Important: Do not edit your SmartPush templates directly in the WhatsApp Manager. Always make changes in SmartPush. If a template is modified externally, it will be marked as invalid and cannot be used for sending until you re-edit and resubmit it. |
Sending WhatsApp Campaigns
Step 1: Create a Campaign
- In the SmartPush admin, go to Campaigns and click Create Campaign.
- Enter a campaign name and select your recipients. Eligible recipients are contacts who have a valid phone number and have subscribed to WhatsApp.
- Click Next.
Step 2: Select a Template
Choose from available SmartPush official templates or your own saved templates. You can filter by review status, type, language, and quality.
Only Approved or Reinstated templates can be used for sending. If you select a template in another status, the campaign cannot be sent.
Step 3: Edit Content
Review the template content. If the template is new and not yet submitted, fill in all required fields and submit for Meta review. The campaign will be saved as a Draft.
Step 4: Confirm and Send
Before sending, review the following:
- Estimated recipients: total count and breakdown by country/region (only WhatsApp-subscribed contacts are included)
- Estimated cost: based on template type, country, and volume
- Template status: must be Approved or Reinstated to send
Scheduling:
| Template Status | Send Now | Schedule |
| Approved / Reinstated | ✓ | ✓ Any time |
| Pending | ✗ | ✓ 24+ hours from now only |
| Other statuses | ✗ | ✗ |
If a pending template is not approved by the scheduled send time, the campaign will be cancelled and marked as Cancelled.
Managing Campaigns
View all WhatsApp campaigns in Campaigns > Campaign List. Filter by type WhatsApp to find your campaigns.
Campaign Statuses:
| Status | Definition |
| Draft | Campaign created but send time not yet set |
| Scheduled | Send time set, not yet sent |
| Sent | All messages delivered successfully |
| Partially Sent | Some messages delivered |
| Paused | Sending paused due to template type change, sending limit exceeded, or template not approved in time |
| Cancelled | Pending template was not approved by the scheduled send time |
For Paused campaigns, you can use One-Click Resend to retry. The system will notify you of the reason for pausing before resending.
WhatsApp in Automation Flows
You can send WhatsApp messages automatically as part of an automation flow.
Setting Up a WhatsApp Step
- In Automation, open or create a flow.
- Add the Send WhatsApp action.
- In the settings panel on the right, click Select Template to choose an approved template.
- Enable tracking — links in your messages will automatically include tracking parameters for performance analysis (enabled by default and cannot be modified).
- Activate your flow.
Only Approved or Reinstated templates will trigger sending. If you select a template in another status, the step will be skipped and no message will be sent. Messages that were skipped during a pending review period will not be resent after approval.
Reasons a WhatsApp step may be skipped:
- The template was not yet approved when the contact reached the step
- The template type was changed by Meta during sending
- The contact's sending limit was exceeded
- The contact's phone number is not a valid WhatsApp number
If you disconnect and reconnect a different WhatsApp account, templates linked in your flows will become invalid. You will need to reselect templates for affected flow steps.
Collecting WhatsApp Subscriptions
Via Popups
You can add a WhatsApp opt-in checkbox to your SmartPush popups to collect WhatsApp subscriptions from visitors.
- In the popup editor, add the Subscribe to WhatsApp block.
- The default checkbox label is: Get updates & offers on WhatsApp
- The default legal text reads: By signing up, you agree to receive automated marketing messages. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
- You can customize both the label and the legal text.
- The checkbox is unchecked by default; contacts must actively opt in.
| Tip: Use this block together with a phone number collection field for best results. This block can be used even before your WhatsApp account is connected. |
Via Contact Import
When importing contacts, you can include a field for WhatsApp subscription status. Add the column "Is Subscribed to WhatsApp" to your import file.
Via Manual Update
You can manually update WhatsApp subscription status for individual contacts or in bulk:
- Go to Contacts, select one or more contacts, and update their WhatsApp subscription status.
- In Contacts > Segments, filter by WhatsApp subscription status to create targeted segments.
WhatsApp Subscription Statuses
| Status | Definition |
| Subscribed | Contact has explicitly agreed to receive WhatsApp messages |
| Unsubscribed | Contact has explicitly opted out |
| Never Subscribed | Default status for new contacts |
WhatsApp Subscription Trigger & Segment Conditions
Customer Subscription Trigger
Use the Customer Subscription trigger in Automation to start a flow when a contact's WhatsApp subscription status changes to Subscribed.
| Note: This trigger does not fire when subscriptions are updated via bulk import or manual admin changes, only when a contact opts in through a form or keyword. |
Segment Conditions
You can filter contacts by WhatsApp status in segment and flow conditions:
-
WhatsApp Channel > WhatsApp Subscription Status
- Subscribed
- Unsubscribed
- Never Subscribed
Understanding Compliance Requirements
Opt-In Rules
WhatsApp requires explicit, active consent before you can send marketing messages. Make sure your opt-in collection meets these requirements:
- Active action required: Contacts must manually check a box or enter their phone number and click subscribe. Pre-checked boxes are not allowed.
- Clear disclosure: At the point of collection, clearly state your business name, what type of messages you'll send, and that messages will be sent via WhatsApp.
- No bundling: Agreeing to your Terms of Service or Privacy Policy does not count as WhatsApp marketing consent. The opt-in must be a separate, standalone action.
Prohibited Business Categories
WhatsApp does not allow messaging for the following categories. If your business falls into one of these areas, your account or templates may be disabled:
- Drugs (including recreational cannabis), tobacco, alcohol
- Adult content and services
- Weapons and explosives
- Online gambling involving real money
- Prescription medications, body modification products
- High-risk financial services (payday loans, Ponzi schemes, ICOs)
For the full policy, refer to WhatsApp Business Policy.
Privacy Policy Requirements
When using WhatsApp for marketing, your Privacy Policy must disclose:
- That you collect phone numbers for marketing purposes
- That you use third-party services (SmartPush and WhatsApp/Meta) to process messages
- That users can opt out at any time by replying STOP
- How users can withdraw consent or request data deletion
Understanding WhatsApp Messaging Costs
WhatsApp charges per message conversation based on template type and the recipient's country/region.
| Template Type | When Charged |
| Marketing | Charged per conversation |
| Transactional (Utility) | Free within a 24-hour service window; charged outside |
| Authentication | Charged per conversation |
Volume tiers apply to Transactional and Authentication messages. Marketing messages are charged at a flat rate per country.
Your SmartPush Message balance covers both SMS and WhatsApp charges. When your balance reaches 20%, SmartPush will notify you offline so you can top up. Messages will stop sending if your balance runs out.
For detailed pricing by country, visit Settings > WhatsApp Settings or contact SmartPush support.
Disconnecting WhatsApp
To stop using WhatsApp in SmartPush:
- Go to Settings > WhatsApp Settings.
- Click Disconnect.
- Confirm the disconnection.
After disconnecting:
- SmartPush will stop sending all WhatsApp messages.
- Existing contacts and their subscription statuses will not be affected.
- Templates linked to automation flows will become invalid and will need to be reselected if you reconnect.