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Supported template categories

The template that opens the conversation can be either a utility or a marketing template:
  • Utility templates: Strictly transactional, echoing what the visitor just submitted (such as confirming receipt of an enquiry). These qualify for lower WhatsApp conversation rates.
  • Marketing templates: May include promotional language, discounts, special offers, or direct sales pitches. These are billed at standard WhatsApp marketing conversation rates.
Authentication templates cannot be used for lead capture. Any template configured with the AUTHENTICATION category will be rejected.
You configure and submit your templates directly in Meta WhatsApp Manager, and getting them approved is a prerequisite for going live.

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Meta classification and deliverability

Meta classifies templates by their content, not strictly by the category you select during submission. If a template submitted as UTILITY contains promotional language, Meta may reclassify it as MARKETING or reject it.
Choosing the right category upfront prevents unintended classification issues and ensures expected deliverability and billing.

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Category examples

Utility (Transactional) — acknowledges an enquiry without promotional offers:
Marketing (Promotional) — includes promotional language, discounts, or sales offers:

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Practical guidance

  • Choose Utility when your primary goal is rapid transactional follow-up confirming the visitor’s request. Keep it strictly focused on echoing their submission without promotional hooks to maintain the utility category and lower messaging rate.
  • Choose Marketing when you want to immediately provide introductory discounts, promotional incentives, or catalog offers upon capture.
  • Avoid Authentication templates: Authentication templates are intended exclusively for one-time passwords and verification codes, and are rejected for campaign lead dispatches.
  • Once the person replies, you are in a normal conversation session and template category constraints no longer apply to incoming or agent responses.