Templates & Targeting
Learn how to select WhatsApp-approved templates, personalize variables, and target the right audience for your broadcast campaigns.
Effective broadcast campaigns depend on two things: the right message and the right audience. This guide covers how to work with WhatsApp message templates, personalize them with dynamic variables, and target your broadcasts to the contacts who will benefit most.
Selecting WhatsApp-Approved Templates
All WhatsApp broadcasts must use pre-approved message templates. These templates are reviewed and approved by Meta to ensure they comply with WhatsApp's messaging policies.
Template Categories
WhatsApp templates fall into several categories:
| Category | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Marketing | Promotional messages, offers, product announcements. |
| Utility | Order updates, appointment reminders, account notifications. |
| Authentication | One-time passwords and verification codes. |
Only Marketing and Utility templates are typically used for broadcasts. Authentication templates are designed for one-to-one transactional messages and should not be sent in bulk.
Viewing Available Templates
When creating a broadcast, Replyn displays all templates that are in Approved status. Each template card shows:
- The template name and language.
- The message body with variable placeholders.
- Any header (image, document, or video) and footer text.
- Call-to-action or quick-reply buttons, if configured.
Variable Personalization
Templates often contain dynamic variables — placeholders like {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. — that are replaced with actual values for each recipient. This allows you to send personalized messages at scale.
Common Variable Mappings
| Variable | Typical Mapping | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{{1}} | Contact name | "Hi Sarah" |
{{2}} | Order number | "Your order #4521" |
{{3}} | Date/time | "Your appointment is on March 15 at 2:00 PM" |
How to Map Variables
During broadcast creation, after selecting a template with variables, Replyn presents a mapping interface:
- Each variable placeholder is listed with a dropdown.
- Select the contact field or custom attribute that should fill each variable.
- The preview panel updates in real time to show how the message will look for a sample contact.
If a contact is missing data for a mapped variable, the message to that contact may fail. Ensure your contact records are complete before sending large broadcasts. You can use contact filters to exclude contacts with missing fields.
Targeting Your Audience
Choosing the right audience is just as important as crafting the right message. Replyn provides three targeting methods that can be used individually or combined.
Segments
Segments are pre-defined groups of contacts based on filters and criteria you set up in the Contacts section. Common segments include:
- Active customers (purchased in the last 30 days)
- New leads (added this week)
- Lapsed customers (no activity in 90 days)
Select one or more segments when creating a broadcast to target all contacts that match those criteria.
Tags
Tags are labels you apply to individual contacts for flexible grouping. Examples include:
- "VIP"
- "Interested in Product X"
- "Event Attendee — Jan 2025"
You can target contacts with any of the selected tags or all of the selected tags, depending on how precise you need to be.
Manual Selection
For smaller, targeted broadcasts, you can hand-pick contacts directly from your contact list. Use the search and filter tools to find specific contacts and add them to the broadcast audience.
Opt-In Requirements
WhatsApp has strict opt-in requirements. You must have explicit consent from contacts before sending them marketing messages. Sending broadcasts to contacts who have not opted in can result in your WhatsApp Business account being restricted or banned by Meta.
Best Practices for Opt-In Compliance
- Collect opt-in at the point of contact — When a customer provides their phone number (during checkout, appointment booking, or sign-up), include a clear opt-in checkbox for marketing messages.
- Maintain opt-in records — Use contact tags or custom fields to track which contacts have opted in.
- Provide an opt-out mechanism — Include instructions in your templates for customers to unsubscribe (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe").
- Respect opt-outs immediately — When a customer opts out, remove them from marketing segments right away.
Consider creating a dedicated segment called "Marketing Opt-In" that only includes contacts who have given explicit consent. Use this segment as the basis for all marketing broadcasts.