Message

This page provides an overview of how messages work on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Outbound message

Message type

When communicating with customers through WhatsApp, it's important to keep in mind that there are two types of messages you can use depending on when the chat was initiated.

Message Templates: To initiate conversations with customers, you need to use pre-approved message templates created in advance. These templates can be approved by WhatsApp in under an hour and support a variety of message types.
Free-Form Messages: These are customized messages that support all media types. You can use free-form messages to communicate with customers within a 24-hour service window.

Using the appropriate message type is key to maintaining a positive customer experience on WhatsApp.

In a messaging application, users can send various types of messages. These include:

Text messages - Plain text messages that can contain letters, numbers, and symbols.
Media messages - Messages that contain media files such as images, videos, audio recordings, documents, and stickers.
Contact messages - Messages that contain contact information such as the name and phone number of a person.
Location messages - Messages that contain the geographic location of the user.
Interactive messages - Messages that allow users to interact with the message content. For example, list messages display a list of items that the user can select, reply button messages allow the user to respond with a pre-defined set of options, and single and multi-product messages allow users to browse and purchase products from within the messaging application.

YCloud offers three ways to send WhatsApp messages:

API: Send messages through the REST API, including both message templates and free-form messages.
Campaign: A simple way to start conversations with customers using message templates, without requiring any development work.
Inbox: An out-of-box live chat tool that allows chatting with customers using free-form messages within a 24-hour service window via WhatsApp.

Message Status

For each message your business sends, you will receive a notification about the status of the message.

Status	Explain
Accepted	The messaging request is accepted by our system. This is the initial status when you successfully submit a message to YCloud, and webhooks do not notify you about this status.
Processing	A message sent by your business is in transit within WhatsApp's systems.
Delivered	A message sent by your business was delivered to the user's device.
Read	A message sent by your business was read by the user. Read notifications are only available for users that have read receipts enabled. For users that do not have it enabled, you only receive the delivered notification.
Failed	A message sent by your business failed to send. A reason for the failure will be included in the callback. Check the error message documentation for help debugging: Error Codes

Inbound Messages

Message type

When using WhatsApp for two-way communication, you will receive inbound messages in real time. These messages can come in different forms, such as:

Text messages
Location messages
Media messages, including images, audio, voice, video, and documents
Messages generated from ads that are clicked on WhatsApp
Messages from a quick reply button click

Receive WhatsApp message

YCloud provides two ways for you to receive WhatsApp messages from your customers:

Webhook: You can use Webhooks to receive notifications whenever you receive a message from a customer. This is a great option if you want to integrate your WhatsApp conversations with your own tools and systems.
Inbox: Our out-of-the-box live chat tool allows you to chat with customers using free-form messages within a 24-hour service window via WhatsApp. This is a good option if you want a simple, easy-to-use solution for engaging with your customers on WhatsApp.

FAQ

Can messages be formatted?

Yes! WhatsApp allows you to format selected text inside your messages with Bold, Italics, Strikethrough, or Monospace.