01
Broadcasts nobody asked for
Meta's policy requires opt-in before you message anyone. Bulk messages to people who never agreed get blocked and reported.
THE PROBLEM
Where WhatsApp goes wrong
02
Templates that get rejected
Any message you start outside a conversation needs a template Meta has approved, and templates can be rejected or paused.
03
Surprise costs
Since July 2025 Meta charges per delivered template message, by category. Marketing messages cost money; replies inside a customer service window don't.
04
Marketing messages that never arrive
WhatsApp limits how many marketing messages each person gets from businesses, based on how they engage. Send too many that nobody reads, and fewer get through.
05
WhatsApp on an island
Conversations happen in one tool and your customer data lives somewhere else, so nobody sees the whole picture.
WHERE WE HELP
What WhatsApp does well
01
Updates people want
Payment, delivery and appointment messages, sent the moment something happens.
02
Onboarding
A friendly nudge through the first steps, on the app people already check all day.
03
Win-back and abandoned carts
Reminders and offers for people who have opted in to marketing, with the details of what they left behind.
04
A route to a person
Automated journeys that hand over to your support team when a customer replies with something only a human can answer.
YOUR OPTIONS, COMPARED
| Criterion | InsiderOne | OneSignal |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp support | Native Source: academy.insiderone.com | Through Journeys, connected to Meta or Twilio Source: documentation.onesignal.com |
| Where you build the journeys | Architect Source: academy.insiderone.com | Journeys Source: onesignal.com |
| Email, push and SMS in the same platform | Yes Source: insiderone.com | Yes Source: documentation.onesignal.com |
Checked against each product's own documentation on 15 October 2026. Products change; tell us if something here is out of date.
STEP BY STEP
- 01
Use the WhatsApp Business Platform, usually through your engagement platform or a provider, not the free Business app, which is built for small businesses on a single device.
- 02
Verify your business with Meta. New accounts can message 250 people a day outside a conversation until the limit is raised.
- 03
Collect opt-in that names your business and makes clear what people are signing up for.
- 04
Write templates for each kind of message (marketing, utility or authentication) and submit them for approval.
- 05
Connect WhatsApp to your customer data, so messages are triggered by what people do and stop when they opt out.
- 06
Measure replies, conversions and opt-outs, and cut what isn't working.
WORTH KNOWING
Opt-in, twice over
Meta's policy requires opt-in before you message people, and data-protection laws such as South Africa's POPIA have their own consent rules for direct marketing. We set up opt-in once so it covers both, and make sure an opt-out is respected everywhere.
RELATED GUIDES
You might also want to read.
FAQS
The questions people ask us first.
How much does WhatsApp cost?
Meta charges per delivered template message, at different rates for marketing, utility and authentication, and South Africa has its own rates. Replies inside the 24-hour customer service window are free, and so are utility templates sent inside it. Your platform or provider may add its own fees.
Can we just use the WhatsApp Business app?
It's built for small businesses messaging from a single device. For campaigns, automation and connecting WhatsApp to your other tools, you need the WhatsApp Business Platform.
What is the customer service window?
When a customer messages you, a 24-hour window opens. Inside it you can reply freely; outside it you can only send templates Meta has approved.
Is there a limit on how many people we can message?
Yes. New business accounts can reach 250 people a day outside the customer service window, and the limit rises as you verify your business and send good-quality messages. WhatsApp also limits how many marketing messages each person receives.
Do we need consent?
Yes. Meta's policy requires opt-in that names your business, and data-protection laws such as POPIA have consent rules for direct marketing too.
OTHER WAYS WE CAN HELP
Get connected
Talk to us about WhatsApp.
Tell us how you use WhatsApp today, even if the answer is 'not yet'. We'll tell you what's worth doing.