BroadcastoA WhatsApp Message Template is a pre-approved message format used to initiate conversations or send notifications outside the 24-hour customer service window. Every broadcast and marketing message must use an approved template; free-form messages are only allowed inside an open 24-hour session.
Templates have a category — Marketing, Utility or Authentication — which determines pricing. Each template has a header (text, image, video or document), body (with variables), footer and optional buttons (quick reply or call-to-action).
Templates are submitted to Meta from inside Broadcasto and typically approved within minutes for Utility and Authentication, and 1-24 hours for Marketing. Rejected templates can be edited and resubmitted.
Related terms
- Template Categories: Marketing, Utility, Authentication — Meta's three template categories — each priced differently.
- WhatsApp 24-Hour Customer Service Window — The 24-hour window where you can send free-form replies without a template.
- Why WhatsApp Templates Get Rejected — Top reasons Meta rejects a template — and how to fix each.