WhatsApp Bulk Messages: How to Send, Best Practices, and API Limits

1. Quality Rating

This is a rating system used by WhatsApp that reflects how your recipients receive your messages. There are three levels: Green (High Quality), Yellow (Medium Quality), and Red(Low Quality).

The more positive the user engagement, the higher the quality rating. If your messages are constantly blocked or flagged as spam, your quality rating dips. If your quality rating stays at Red for seven days, your number is flagged, and a tier lowers your sending limit.

2. Automated Scaling

Automatic scaling determines your messaging tier based on recent activity and quality rating of your number. To qualify for an automated upgrade to the next tier of sending limit, your number must satisfy three main criteria.

This includes: your quality rating in either Yellow or Green, get your phone number in 'Connected' status(actively linked to the WA servers), and you must have initiated business conversations with at least half of your current messaging limit over the past seven days.

1. Unmatched reach and engagement

WhatsApp has over 2 billion active users from over 180 countries. In addition to this, the IOS version of the app supports 40 languages, and its Android counterpart, over 60. In short, it opens up a world of possibilities (pun intended) in terms of reach. 

Then we come to engagement. WhatsApp messages have a baseline open rate of 58%. With a bit of optimization and personalization, that figure can shoot up to 70% giving you the best of both worlds: unmatched reach and engagement.

2. Support for unmatched creativity with messaging

According to a report by Kantar, there is growing consensus among the masses that ads on social media channels no longer capture their attention. The obvious way to overcome this predicament is to make your content stand out. 

WhatsApp supports a host of multimedia formats like images, videos, and documents to name a few that can capture your intended audience's attention in an instant. These capabilities also add to the customer experience when interacting with your brand. 

3. Cost-effective marketing solution

Traditional marketing channels, such as SMS and email, often incur substantial costs while being unable to match the engagement levels WhatsApp broadcasts achieve. Take SMS marketing for example. You are limited to text only, you also need to take into account carrier charges, and it is, realistically speaking, a declining medium. 

In comparison, with WhatsApp Broadcast messaging, all you require is the internet and pay a fixed conversation rate, WhatsApp has set.

4. Enhanced customer support

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using WhatsApp as a platform for your broadcast messaging will be that you can use the platform's inbuilt AI and automation capabilities to set up a robust customer support system.

WhatsApp's ubiquity and its multi-lingual capabilities will also enhance accessibility, which in turn will help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Step 1: Create a new broadcast

• If you are logged in to Gallabox, locate and click on "Broadcast" in the primary navigation menu on the left-hand side of the Dashboard. 

• This will take you to the Broadcast dashboard which will be the center of focus for this task. 

• Note: if you manage multiple channels, pick the one you want to send the WhatsApp Bulk messages from, before you start creating a new broadcast. You will find the option to do this on the top right-hand corner of the Broadcast dashboard. 

• You will also notice that this section of the dashboard also shows you your sending limit and your current Quality rating. With the right channel selected, click "New Broadcast" to start the process.
• At this point, you have two choices. You can either choose from a list of pre-approved WhatsApp Messages templates and select the one you want to use for your broadcast or create a new template from scratch. 

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• If you do decide to go with the option to create a new template, please do note you will have to wait to get it approved from WhatsApp (a process that can take up to 24 hours), so plan accordingly. 

For the uninitiated, WhatsApp requires prior approvals before sending bulk messages to curb the menace of spam and to prevent potential customers from being scammed.

While the former is self-explanatory, the latter is because messages sent using these templates are the only form of messages that can be sent to customers who have never initiated a conversation with you or haven't in the past 24 hours.

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Our blog, "How to Create Effective WhatsApp Message Templates," provides all the information you need on the subject.

Once you’ve got your template in place, the next step is to choose who you want to send the bulk messages to, i.e, your target audience.

Step 2: Select your audience

With Gallabox you have two easy ways to select your audience for the broadcast. 

Option 1: Upload an Excel contact list

• If you have a specific list of contacts you want to send bulk messages to, this option will help you do that. Click on "Upload Contacts" to begin this part of the process. 

• You will then be taken to the next screen that will guide you through a three-step process to upload your contact list. The first step is optional and is essentially a sample file that gives you the correct format to upload your contact list in. You can choose from two types of sample files here:
  
  • With a country code:
  • Without a country code: 

• Note that if you upload your contact list based on format without the country code, Gallabox will work on the assumption that all the numbers in your contact list contain the same country code as your registered number. 
• If the format of your contact list matches that of the sample file, you can now upload the completed file back into Gallabox. 

• You then need to select the appropriate Marketing Opt-in status:
  
  • Choose yes: If your contacts have consented to receiving marketing messages. 
  • Choose no: if they haven't. 

• Under the Phone number format, choose the option based on which format you have uploaded your contact list. Click "Continue" to proceed to the next step. (The button will be available only after you have selected all the needed information). 

• Gallabox will then show you a preview of your audience like so. Double-check everything and click "Continue" if everything looks good. 

Option 2: Use segments for targeted messaging

• If you want to target a specific segment (a group of contacts that share commonalities) of your customer base, you can do so by using the "Segment" feature of Gallabox. To do so, click "New Segment" in the top-right corner of the Broadcast dashboard. 

• Once you do, a popup will appear that will allow you to apply specific filters for the segment you are creating. Add as many filters as required and click "Apply".

• You will then see a popup with all the contacts that match the criteria for this particular segment. Give this segment a name using which you can easily decipher why it was created (trust me, this will help down the line!). 

• Click "Create Group" and done—your segment is ready and you should see it appear on the very top of the Broadcast dashboard. 

Note: If you want to check how many contacts are included in each segment, click the "View Count" button. 

• To move on to the final step of sending WhatsApp bulk messages, choose the segment (or multiple segments) you want to target and click "Continue" on the bottom right corner of the dashboard. 

Step 4: Schedule or send the broadcast

By now, you should have a template created and your broadcast list ready. The next step is to add a touch of personalization to your messages. If your messaging template uses variables, you will be able to map them at this stage. 

• For example, in this demo, we will be mapping the Contact's Name to the address of each recipient individually. If you are going with a generic greeting like for example "Dear Customer," you can type that directly into the text box. If you want to add images, videos, PDFs, or other media, this is where you do it. 

• If your template needs a payload (for automation), now’s the time to set it up too. Click "Confirm" when finished. 
• Now that your message is set, it’s time to decide when to send it. The final page will look something like this. 

• The "Broadcast details" section of this page is where you will be able to decide if the broadcast will be sent out immediately or at a date and time of your choosing.
• By default, the name assigned to this broadcast will be the date and the time you arrived at this page.  You can rename it to anything more relevant.

• The "Target Audience" section of this page will give you information about how many contacts your WhatsApp bulk messages will reach and which segments you have selected. 

Note: If you are sending promotional messages in a broadcast, please make sure to select (turn on) the "Send message to contacts who opted-in for marketing" option. This ensures you respect the customer's wish to opt out of receiving promotional messages, and prevent your quality rating from taking a hit in the process. 

• The final section of this page, i., the "Broadcast reply settings" allows you to handle customer replies to your broadcast. Here you can:
  
  • Assign replies to a specific agent, team, or chatbot for faster response times.
  • Decide whether to override existing chat assignments (or keep them as is).

Note: If sending multiple template messages to the same audience within 24 hours, enable the If sending multiple templates to the same audience within 24 hours, click and enable the "Additional Message" toggle so that Gallabox takes the appropriate step to handle this scenario in the background. 

• You are almost done, but before broadcasting your message to your entire target audience, it's best to send out a test message to ensure that everything appears and is working as it should. You do this by clicking on the "Test Broadcast" button. 

• You can enter multiple names and the contact numbers to test your broadcast and click "Send Now". If everything looks great, click on the "Send Broadcast" on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen to trigger your WhatsApp Business bulk messages. 

1. Get clear opt-ins from your customers

Before sending WhatsApp Bulk messages, especially promotional ones, you must have explicit permission from your customers as WhatsApp has stringent anti-spam policies and enforces them strictly. You can obtain these opt-ins in several ways:

• Via in-app prompts, website pop-ups or through sign-up forms. 
• You can also let the customer opt-in manually via QR codes or at our checkout pages. 

Point to note: Always be clear about what kind of messages they are opting in for promotions, order updates, etc, and always give them a clear option to opt-out. 

2. Always pay close attention to your quality rating

As discussed earlier, WhatsApp assigns a quality rating to your number based on how recipients engage with your messages. Maintain a medium or high quality rating consistently and you will be bumped up to the next sending limit tier. To do so:

• Avoid generic spammy messages and never send messages (especially promotional messages)  to customers who haven't opted to receive them. 
• Around 72% of customers are more likely to engage with brands that send personalized messages. So, personalize your messages for better engagement.
• Always monitor your engagement metrics to understand what kind of messages perform well and what don't and adapt accordingly. 
• Segment Your Audience for Better Engagement. 

3. Time your messages right

When you send your messages matters as much as what your message contains. The right timing can significantly impact open rates, engagement, and conversions, which will in turn improve our quality rating. For example: 

• Business hours (9 AM - 6 PM) work best for customer service and professional updates.
• Lunch breaks or evenings (12 PM - 2 PM, 6 PM - 8 PM) are ideal for promotional offers.

Avoid sending messages late into the night or early in the morning to avoid irritating your customers.

 Pro Tip: Schedule your WhatsApp Business messages according to individual time zones if your target audience is international. 

4. Stay compliant with WhatsApp policies

As mentioned above, WhatsApp has stringent polices in place when it comes to using its services. Violating them can either lead to temporary bans or in cases of severe or repeated violations, permanent account suspension. Here are some of the key points about WhatsApp's guidelines: 

• No misleading or deceptive messages.
• No unsolicited spam or cold messaging.
• No illegal, unethical, or restricted content.
• Always respect opt-out requests.

Pro Tip: Read through WhatsApp's Business Policy thoroughly to ensure you stay compliant at all times.

1. How do I send bulk messages on WhatsApp without violating its terms of service?

Here are a few absolute no's when sending bulk messages on WhatsApp:

• Do not send promotional messages to customers who have not opted-in to receive them. 
• Do not request any personal information apart from that which is necessary to service the customer. 
• Do not send sensitive healthcare related information using this service. 
• Do not sell or promote any service or product that is legal or violates local laws. 

These are just a few points to keep in mind while sending WhatsApp bulk messages. Please go through the entire WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy in detail to understand the scope of its terms in its entirety. 

2. How do I ensure my WhatsApp bulk messages reach all recipients and aren't marked as spam?

To ensure your WhatsApp bulk messages reach all recipients and aren’t marked as spam, always send messages only to users who have opted in to receive them. In addition, segment your audience and go one step further to personalize your messages to minimize the risk of your messages being marked as spam. 

3. How can I use WhatsApp bulk messaging to improve customer support and response times?

The best way to improve your customer support and response times when sending WhatsApp bulk messages is to use the "Broadcast Reply Settings" Gallabox provides. This feature allows you to assign replies to a specific agent, team, or chatbot, ensuring faster responses and efficient query resolution.

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