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Tutorial: My First WhatsApp Campaign

WhatsApp is an effective communication channel that allows you to build a dialogue with the client in real time. Through this channel, you can inform your subscribers about upcoming events and changes in order status. Open rate in the messaging app reaches 90%.

This guide will help you start your first WhatsApp campaign.

Step 1. Connect WhatsApp Business API through a provider​

To send bulk messages in WhatsApp, you need to connect the WhatsApp Business API. In Altcraft Platform, such a connection is possible through such official providers as Edna or 360dialog.

Register an account with one of the providers.To do this, you need a phone number and a verified Facebook Business Manager account.

tip

If you want to register a WABA account through Edna, leave a request at this link.

360dialog collects applications through this form.

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A phone number must be clean. This is a number that has not been registered for WhatsApp Business API in the past, and is currently not registered on the WhatsApp mobile app.

caution

Integration with WhatsApp Business API, as well as sending messages, are not charged additionally on the Altcraft side. However, you will need to pay for the services of your provider (360dialog or Edna). In addition, the cost of sending messages on WhatsApp is also charged separately. You can find out more about the cost of WhatsApp messages here.

Step 2. Obtain an API Key​

The API key can be obtained in the provider’s personal account:

In your Edna account, go to Integration → Settings:

Step 3. Set up integration​

Go back to the platform and open Integrations. Select the type of integration — WhatsApp. Switch to the tab of your provider.

Activate the integration using the toggle in the top right corner. Click Add channel:

For integration, you need to link your WhatsApp Business API account to Altcraft Platform. Linking accounts is done through connections. Click Create to set up a new connection:

In the new window, enter a name and description for the connection.Enter the API token generated in the provider's personal account and run a check to confirm its validity.

If the token is valid,the window will display data on the available channels in the account:

Next, click ✓Create in the lower right corner to save the connection. You will be taken back to the list of connections. Select the one you've just created:

Next step is to select a channel and cascade. The channel must be in the "Correct" status, and the cascade must use only one channel. Then click Add in the bottom right corner.

Data on the added Edna channel will be displayed in the integration:

Save the integration using the buttons in the top right corner.

tip

If necessary, you can add multiple channels for Edna integration.

Step 4. Subscribe customers to WhatsApp channel​

Sending a message to a user in WhatsApp requires:

  • the user's phone number to be in the database;
  • the user's profile to subscribe to the resource's WhatsApp channel;
  • the user's consent to receive messages from your company.
caution

The profile phone number to which you send messages must be stored in international format. The following format must be used: +79001234567.

First, select or create a profile database that will store subscriber data, including phone numbers. Then create a new resource or edit an existing one by adding a WhatsApp channel. To set up a channel, select the previously connected WhatsApp account:

Next, import subscriber data into the platform, for example, via a file. When importing, add them a subscription to a resource with a WhatsApp channel. Select the column in your file that contains phone numbers as the subscription source.

A digital profile will be created for each client. It combines personal data, activity history and subscriptions to resources. If a subscription to the WhatsApp channel has been successfully added to the client during import, this data will be displayed in the client's history:

Step 5. Create a template in 360 Client Hub​

There are two types of conversations in WhatsApp Business:

  • User-initiated conversation. It is aconversation that starts in response to a user message. Whenever you reply to a user within the 24-hour service window, that message is associated with a user-initiated conversation. You can send free-form messages within this 24-hour customer service window.
  • Business-initiated conversation. It is a conversation that starts from a business sending a user a message outside the 24-hour service window. Messages that initiate a business-initiated conversation require an approved message template.

Once the customer replies to the business's template message, the business can begin sending any type of message to the customer.

caution

You can only use Altcraft Platform for business-initiated conversations. This means that you can only send approved templates messages (HSM).

A template message consists of fixed text and variables. Variables are text that can be changed before each campaign without the consent of Facebook.

You need to create a template in your provider's account; in Altcraft Platform you can only add text into variables, set up buttons and add media files.

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You can find more information about creating templates in your provider's documentation:

caution

A template created in the provider's personal account must be verified by Facebook. Campaigns launched through Altcraft can only use templates approved by Facebook.

Step 6. Create a message based on the template​

Go back to Altcraft Platform, open the Templates section and create a new template for the WhatsApp channel. All templates available in connected WhatsApp accounts through edna or 360dialog are automatically available in the platform and displayed in the editor:

Choose a template and create a message based on it. To do this, fill in the variables, configure the buttons and add media files.

tip

Here is a guide where you will find more details on how to create a template for the WhatsApp channel.

Step 7. Launch the campaign and evaluate its performance​

Go to Campaigns and select the campaign type:

  • Broadcast is a one-time ending of messages.
  • Regular campaign isa periodic sending of messages according to a schedule.

Set up a campaign:

  • select WhatsApp as a communication channel
  • select a previously configured resource and a recipient audience (database or segment);
  • add a message template;
  • set the schedule:

Save the campaign. Find it in the list of campaigns of the selected type and activate it by clicking in the quick action bar.The active campaign will start sending messages when the scheduled launch time comes.

To evaluate the results of your campaign, go to Analytics. The summary report will provide data for each campaign. You will receive information about the number of sent, delivered and undelivered messages, as well as the number of new subscriptions to the WhatsApp channel. For the convenience of grouping, you can choose a preset of indicators for WhatsApp.

To evaluate the results of your campaign, use the channel report. To go to the report, click on the analytics button     in the Quick Actions panel. The report will provide the following information about the campaign:

  • number of sent, delivered and undelivered messages;
  • number of readings and clicks on links in messages;
  • number of unsubscribes and subscriptions to the Viber channel.
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