User Opt-in and Opt-out methods
Updated
Introduction
Before you are allowed to send notification messages to customers on WhatsApp, you must first receive consent from the customer to communicate with them via an explicit opt-in process. This is a mandatory requirement from Whatsapp as they don’t want businesses to spam their customers.
Regardless of the opt-in method followed, WhatsApp requires that a business:
Clearly states that a person is opting in to receive messages from the business over WhatsApp
Clearly states the name of the business that a person is opting in to receive messages from
Explicitly calls out the types of messages a consumer is opting into (e.g. delivery updates)
Avoids messaging consumers too frequently
Provides instructions for how customers can opt out and honor these requests
Complies with all applicable laws
Until recently, this was done using a third-party channel. However, in July 2020, WhatsApp updated its policy and announced that third-party opt-ins are no longer mandatory. This means that a customer can contact your support team directly through a WhatsApp message thread to ask to receive notifications.
How is WhatsApp preventing spam?
To ensure a high-quality messaging experience for customers, and to make sure your messages don’t appear as marketing spam, WhatsApp provides pre-approved message templates that can be used by businesses when they reach out to customers.
Users have the ability to "Block" or "Report" a business on WhatsApp at any time. WhatsApp/Facebook keeps track of the number of blocks/reports that a business gets, as a "quality metric". If your business gets a low-quality score, they may rate-limit the number of messages you send/per hour or in extreme cases, even suspend your account. They've also warned that starting December 2019, they will initiate legal action against businesses that send spam. So, kindly take opt-ins and opt-outs seriously.
Your business must be able to demonstrate your process for handling opt-ins, and opt-outs and show records for the same. This is in case Facebook/WhatsApp decides to audit or suspend your account. If you have demonstrable opt-in and opt-out records, you may be able to make a case that you weren't sending unsolicited messages.
Opt-in methods
Opt-in methods include but are not limited to the list below and can be defined per the business process with sufficient compliance.
Ask for opt-in when customers reach out to your first
The simplest way to ask a customer to opt-in is when they’ve already reached out to you for support. After resolving the customer’s problem, your agent can ask them if they’d like to opt-in to receive notifications and updates in the future. If the customer agrees, the next step would be to send them a message outlining the type of notifications they can expect to receive and asking them to confirm their opt-in
Leverage 3rd-party channels
The best way to get the word out is to leverage existing communication channels that your customers are most familiar with. This includes SMS, email, IVR, and social media, to name a few.
Use your existing process flow
Since customers can use WhatsApp to receive important notifications like order confirmations, boarding passes, and delivery notifications, they are more inclined to opt-in during the purchase process, therefore increasing your opt-in rate.
Include it in your customer contact preferences section
During sign-up, or when filling out contact forms, businesses usually offer new customers a choice of channels they want to be contacted on. If you’re using the same approach, you can include WhatsApp as a part of this list. Having WhatsApp as a part of your contact options can increase your sign-up conversion rate, since it’s the preferred channel for many consumers and may influence their decision to engage with you.
WhatsApp opt-in
WhatsApp allows the business to ask the consumer to opt-in for notifications within the chat flow itself. For example, the business could have a menu item in its flow called 'Opt-in for notifications', or once the consumer has placed an order via the WhatsApp channel, the business can ask if the consumer would like to receive delivery update notifications within the WhatsApp chat itself.
SMS opt-in
The business can initiate an opt-in request for the WhatsApp channel using SMS messaging. This SMS message should clearly indicate the program information and instructions to complete the opt-in. The SMS can redirect the user to the opt-in web page, or request the user to reply with a specific keyword to confirm opt-in.
Email opt-in
The business can contact the consumer via email with the details of the WhatsApp channel, and include a clear call to action on the available opt-in methods like website or SMS.
IVR opt-in
You can automate the WhatsApp opt-in process using IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System). It’s a fairly simple process — all you need to do is set up automated voice messaging asking customers to provide consent by clicking/pressing a specific key on their dial pad. Once they do that, you can send an opt-in confirmation message through WhatsApp.
Social Media opt-in
You’d know by now that social media is a popular way to broadcast to a wide range of audiences. A good way to get an opt-in is by using carousels. Alternatively, you can redirect users from your social media post to your landing pages where customers can provide their consent to use WhatsApp.
Opt-out methods and guidelines
Even after a user opts in, it is best practice to allow them to opt-out of further WhatsApp communications at any point in time. This is similar to the "unsubscribe" functionality in emails. Such an opt-out must be respected by the business. Subsequently, the user has to explicitly opt-in again before you can message her.
Businesses can implement user-friendly keywords like “STOP” or “CANCEL” within the WhatsApp channel itself and/or allow consumers to opt-out of receiving WhatsApp messages from the business via a non-WhatsApp channel like IVR, SMS, or business website.
Make the opt-out procedure clear to the user. Even though opt-out procedures need not be sent with every message, it should be sent at least once.