Meta (formerly Facebook) periodically adds new features to its products. WhatsApp interactive message templates are the company’s newest addition in its commercial variant of the globally used messaging application, WhatsApp.
Users of WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API can now send WhatsApp interactive messages to their customers to save time, simplify customer support, and increase conversion rates. Two common types of interactive messages that businesses can use now are WhatsApp List Messages and WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons. Both functionalities have been created to help make it easier for customers to inquire common questions from the sellers.
As a business owner using WhatsApp to communicate with their customers, both features could be helpful to you for facilitating conversations with your buyers. Read further to learn what WhatsApp interactive messages templates are and how they can help your business, and how you can use WhatsApp List Messages or WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons.
What are WhatsApp interactive message templates?
WhatsApp interactive message templates are predefined messages that have been approved by WhatsApp for usage in WhatsApp interactive messages.
Whenever you wish to create a WhatsApp interactive message template, you must obtain WhatsApp’s approval before it can be sent to your customers. However, WhatsApp API comes with some pre-approved WhatsApp interactive message templates that can be used immediately after setting up API access.
Those WhatsApp interactive message templates are WhatsApp’s newer addition to its message templates; currently, there are three kinds of WhatsApp message templates available to users of WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API.
1. Text messages – text message templates are used to send proactive notifications to customers on subjects such as order status, order confirmation, payment receipt, delivery status, and more.
2. Media messages – media message templates enable senders to attach images and other media forms like voice notes or audio along with text to be sent to customers. Businesses use rich media message templates to share visual material such as how-to guides and video tutorials.
3. Interactive messages (with buttons) – as their name suggests, interactive message templates have messages that customers can interact with; the following messages are deemed interactive:
- List messages
- Reply buttons
- Single product message
- Multi-product message
WhatsApp interactive messages can either be standard text message templates or media message templates with an interactive functionality through reply buttons and list messages.
By default, WhatsApp offers two kinds of WhatsApp interactive message templates:
1. WhatsApp Call-to-Action Button – enables customers to either visit a website or call a phone number when tapped. Note that only a maximum of two options or buttons may be added in this WhatsApp interactive message template (from which one needs to be either a phone call option or website visit link); furthermore, each button text may not exceed more than 20 characters, and lastly, there is an option to add a header, but it may only be text, document, or an image.
2. WhatsApp Quick Reply Button – enables customers to quickly reply to the business through available buttons as response options. WhatsApp allows for a maximum of 3 buttons for the WhatsApp quick reply feature. Note that WhatsApp Quick Reply buttons are programmed or coded to facilitate customers’ responses. Hence, they can be triggered only when a message prompt is received on the company’s business WhatsApp API account.
3. WhatsApp List Message – Tapping the list message button opens a list of options, with a maximum of 10 options that can be presented inside one list. Selecting any list message works exactly as a WhatsApp Quick Reply button. In fact, WhatsApp Quick Reply buttons are actually WhatsApp List Messages with maximum three options.
What are WhatsApp List Messages?
WhatsApp List Message Buttons are interactive messages designed to enable a simpler way for customers to navigate around the most common actions from the business account they visit on WhatsApp.
Upon receiving a message prompt from a customer, the WhatsApp Business API automatically sends them a list menu of buttons with corresponding choices to select from. Once the user taps on their preferred choice, the requisite information is displayed for them.
The advantage of using WhatsApp List Buttons as a business is that it lets customers quickly fetch the information regarding their order without having to wait for responses from the business. As a customer, this results in a more streamlined and swift experience, thus adding to their convenience and likely resulting in a higher conversion or even retention rate.
Some of the use cases for WhatsApp message lists are:
- Display last order’s details
- Place a new order
- View payment confirmation
- Find my nearest <XYZ> (store/pharmacy/ATM, etc.)
- Report a bug or problem
- FAQs
..and more.
What are WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons?
WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons are a feature developed to enable customers to quickly respond to certain messages with regards to their purchase or order instead of having to type complete, free-form messages. This is easier for customers and simplifies their communication with the business. Note that at the time of writing this article, WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API only supports 3 quick reply buttons or choices.
Some of the use cases for WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons are:
- Password change confirmation – Yes/No
- Appointment confirmation – Will attend/Cannot attend/Tentative
- Mobile number change confirmation – Yes/No
- Address change confirmation – Yes/No
- Login access confirmation – Yes, it was me/No, it was not me
- Transaction confirmation – Yes/No
..and more.
Essentially, WhatsApp Quick Reply Buttons’ use cases must be that they can be responded to in two or three answer choices by the customers.
The difference between WhatsApp message lists and WhatsApp quick reply buttons is that the former is activated when the customer messages the business and the latter is activated or triggered when the business messages the customer and the customer must reply.
Why use WhatsApp interactive message templates?
WhatsApp interactive message templates are predefined messages to be used in WhatsApp interactive messages, including WhatsApp message lists and WhatsApp quick reply buttons.
Save time
WhatsApp interactive messages are self-guided for users’ navigation. Customers can message your business and use WhatsApp interactive messages like WhatsApp message lists or WhatsApp quick reply buttons to retrieve the information they need.
For instance, WhatsApp list messages can help with standard actions such as booking an appointment, inquiring about order, making modifications to orders already placed, and more, without having to wait for a customer support agent or the business owner to manually respond to them.
For you as a business owner, this frees you and/or your employees up from having to attend customers’ queries. This manpower can be utilized for more productive tasks.
Streamline customer support
WhatsApp quick reply buttons can help you streamline your customers’ experience with communicating with you by simplifying it for them to respond to your messages. Standard requests such as order cancellation, order modification, address update, etc. can be efficiently performed with WhatsApp quick reply buttons.
Instead of typing a full response, the customer simply needs to tap on their preferred quick reply option for their request to be registered or their response to be sent to the business.
Ease of comprehension
WhatsApp interactive messages are short and easy to understand for customers; therefore, compared to text-based messages, they are more likely to prefer using WhatsApp interactive messages to communicate with their seller.
By the way, we have built a comprehensive resource of 100+ WhatsApp templates spanning occasions, use cases and industries. Check it out to get inspiration for your next WhatsApp marketing campaign!
How to use to WhatsApp interactive messages
WhatsApp interactive messages as well as WhatsApp interactive message templates can both be accessed and used by businesses who have access to Meta’s WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API.
To access WhatsApp interactive messages, including WhatsApp list messages and WhatsApp quick reply buttons, follow the steps below –
- Apply for WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API access; you may do this through a WhatsApp Business Solutions Partner (BSP) such as DelightChat.
- Create your own WhatsApp interactive message and send it to WhatsApp for approval; alternatively, click here to learn how to create WhatsApp interactive messages.
- Once approved, use the WhatsApp interactive message template to communicate with your customers.
Note that WhatsApp interactive messages including WhatsApp list messages and WhatsApp quick reply buttons are features only enabled in WhatsApp API or WhatsApp Business API.
Streamline your Customer Service & Marketing using WhatsApp interactive messages!
WhatsApp interactive messages can save your business a lot of time and your customers a lot of hassle.
With standard responses made available to your buyers via WhatsApp list messages or WhatsApp quick reply buttons, you can simplify and automate the standardized communication aspect of your customer support, thereby saving you time and money.
Moreover, WhatsApp interactive messages are shorter and easier to understand for customers as opposed to text-based lists. They present commonly sought-out information (such as order status, delivery timing, etc.) in a consistent, standard manner that makes navigation easy for users.
Lastly, WhatsApp interactive messages achieve significantly higher response rates and conversions when compared to text-based messaging.
Signup today or Schedule a demo with DelightChat to get started with WhatsApp API and leverage the power of WhatsApp interactive messages for your business!
