Run Your First WhatsApp Campaign
Send one approved WhatsApp template to a contact list, then confirm delivery. Broadcasts are WhatsApp only (not Instagram).
Admins and managers use Broadcasts. Agents without Broadcasts access need an admin for these steps.
Before you start
| Need | Where |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp connected | Settings → WhatsApp — Connect WhatsApp |
| Role that can open Broadcasts | Admin or manager |
| People to message | Phone numbers you are allowed to message; status Opted in for Marketing |
Optional: publish a WhatsApp Flow first if the template will use an Add Flow button.
Path at a glance
- Connect WhatsApp (if needed)
- Create a template — pick category and buttons
- Submit to Meta and wait for Approved
- Build a contact list
- Check consent / broadcast status
- Create the campaign
- Start and watch status
- Confirm it worked
Detail for each screen: Templates · Contact Lists · Consent Management · Campaigns.
1. Connect WhatsApp
- Open Settings → WhatsApp.
- Complete Connect WhatsApp (Embedded Signup) until the channel shows connected.
If Connect is blocked by plan, follow Plan Does Not Include WhatsApp.
2. Create a template
- Open Broadcasts → Send → Templates.
- Click Create Template.
- Note on the form: Save a draft, then Submit to Meta from the template list or details.
- Set Name, Category, Language, and Body (header/footer as needed).
- Add optional Buttons (Utility / Marketing only — up to three):
- Add Website — static Visit website with an https Website URL
- Add Flow — opens a published WhatsApp Flow
- Save the draft.
Message preview shows empty placeholders as amber chips. Visit website buttons appear under the bubble.
Choose category and buttons
Use this table to pick a path. You do not need a separate campaign type for each — the template you approve drives what customers see.
| Goal | Category | Buttons | Also read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order / appointment / account update | Utility | None, or Add Website, or Add Flow | Templates |
| Promo / newsletter / offer | Marketing | Same options; include STOP in footer/body/button | Opt-out for Marketing |
| Template with a link only | Utility or Marketing | Add Website only | Templates § Buttons |
| Template that opens a form | Utility or Marketing | Add Flow (Flow must be Published first) | WhatsApp Flows |
| Body text + link + form | Utility or Marketing | Add Website and Add Flow (≤3 buttons total) | Templates · Flows |
| Plain text blast | Utility or Marketing | No buttons | Templates |
| OTP / login code | Authentication | Meta OTP rules; usually create in Meta Business Manager, then register by Meta Template ID | Templates § Authentication |
Inbox note: After approval, Utility templates can also be sent one-to-one from a chat (Send a Utility Template). Campaigns can use any Approved template (including Marketing). Authentication is for Meta OTP flows — prefer Utility/Marketing for your first broadcast.
Marketing STOP reminder
For Marketing, Kazenly shows a non-blocking warning if STOP is missing from footer, body, or buttons. Prefer Add footer: Reply STOP to unsubscribe (footer max 60 characters). Details: Opt-out Instructions for Marketing Templates.
Customers who reply with the whole message STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, or CANCEL move to Opted out and are skipped on later campaigns.
3. Submit to Meta and wait for Approved
- On the template list or details, click Submit to Meta (Submitting… while in progress).
- Status becomes Pending, then Approved or Rejected.
Only Approved templates appear as available when you create a campaign (others show as not available).
If Rejected, open Rejection reason, then create a new draft with a new name — do not resubmit the same row. See Template Rejected.
4. Build a contact list
- Open Broadcasts → Audience → Contact Lists.
- Create a list, then open Manage Contacts and use Manual / Import or Filter (Dynamic) (one mode at a time).
| Audience style | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fixed list | Manual / Import — Import CSV or add contacts |
| Rules-based | Filter (Dynamic) — save a filter (contact fields, tags, consent, and similar). The list shows a Dynamic badge; clear the filter to manage by hand again |
Full steps: Contact Lists.
Define custom fields first under Contact Fields if you filter on them.
Opted out contacts cannot be added to lists. Not on WhatsApp can sit on a list but are skipped at send until status is Opted in.
5. Check consent / broadcast status
- Open Broadcasts → Audience → Consent Management.
- Confirm people you intend to message show Opted in (especially for Marketing).
Statuses: Opted in · Opted out · Not on WhatsApp. See Consent Management.
6. Create the campaign
- Open Broadcasts → Send → Campaigns.
- Click New Campaign.
- In Create New Campaign, set:
- Campaign Name
- WhatsApp Template — an Approved template (labels show category, e.g. Marketing (APPROVED))
- Language — match the approved template when possible
- Header Image / Header Document when the template needs them — pick from Media Library or Advanced HTTPS URL
- Template parameters — if the body has placeholders, every field is required (type free text or map a contact/campaign field chip)
- Target audience — your contact list (dynamic lists may show ** · dynamic**; watch addressable counts and Audience stale)
- Schedule (optional) — leave empty to send when you start (Leave empty to send immediately)
- Click Create Campaign.
If addressable recipients are over 500, confirm Large audience — This campaign targets N addressable contacts (over 500). Continue? — with Create campaign or Cancel.
Message preview shows header media when set and must not leave amber empty chips.
Detail: Campaigns.
7. Start and watch status
- On the campaign row or View Details, click Start Campaign (only for Draft or Scheduled). If the preview Messaging Limit card shows a red Over Messaging Limit, Start stays disabled — Messaging Limit on Campaigns.
- Optional: Simulate from Details to test without messaging the full list.
- While Running, Start is hidden. Wait until the campaign finishes.
Filter the list by Draft, Scheduled, Running, Completed, Cancelled, or Failed.
Who gets skipped
Recipients marked Opted out or Not on WhatsApp are not sent. List/details may show an amber line such as:
N skipped (X Opted out, Y Not on WhatsApp)
Dynamic lists may show Audience stale (or Audience stale — using last snapshot) — Kazenly still uses the last membership snapshot.
8. Confirm it worked
| Check | Where |
|---|---|
| Counts (recipients, sent, delivered, read, failed, skips) | Campaign View Details |
| Trends over a date range | Broadcasts → Insights → Analytics — Broadcast Analytics |
| Per-person campaign ledger | Contacts → open profile → Activity → Broadcast history — Contact Profile |
| Soft marker in an open chat | Centered Campaign row (name · template · status; failed/pending look dimmer) — Opening a Chat |
| Same markers in history | Chat header name → Conversation History |
Replies after a blast still follow the WhatsApp 24-hour window. Outside the window, agents use an approved Utility template (or an internal note), not free text.
Quick paths (same steps, different template)
| You want… | Template setup | Then |
|---|---|---|
| A. Utility text only | Category Utility, no buttons → Submit → Approved | List → campaign → Start |
| B. Utility with link | Utility + Add Website → Submit → Approved | Same |
| C. Utility with Flow | Publish Flow → Utility + Add Flow → Submit → Approved | Same |
| D. Marketing with STOP | Marketing + STOP footer → Submit → Approved | Confirm Opted in → campaign → Start |
| E. Marketing + website | Marketing + Add Website (+ STOP) | Same as D |
| F. Marketing + Flow | Published Flow → Marketing + Add Flow (+ STOP) | Same as D |
| G. Dynamic audience | Any approved template | Dynamic filter list → campaign (watch addressable / stale) |
Paths A–G all use the same campaign create/Start screens; only the template and list differ.
Common problems
| Symptom | What to try |
|---|---|
| Template not selectable | Must be Approved — finish Submit to Meta or fix rejection |
| Cannot Start | Campaign must be Draft or Scheduled; wait if Running |
| Many skips | Fix Opted out / Not on WhatsApp under Consent; rebuild list |
| Meta rejected template | New name + fix reason — Template Rejected |
| Marketing quality risk | Add STOP — Opt-out for Marketing |
| Flow button missing | Publish the Flow first; Authentication templates cannot use Flow buttons |
If the template header is IMAGE or DOCUMENT, pick a file from the Media Library (or Advanced HTTPS URL) — Campaigns.
Related
- See Who Got Which Campaign (G16)
- Build a Marketing-Ready Audience (G4)
- Publish a WhatsApp Flow and Add It to a Template (G3)
- Campaigns
- Create and Approve a WhatsApp Template (G2)
- Templates
- Media Library
- WhatsApp Flows
- Contact Lists
- Consent Management
- Opt-out Instructions for Marketing Templates
- Broadcast Analytics
- Connect WhatsApp