HSM Templates: How to Start Conversations on WhatsApp

WhatsApp does not let you message a customer first with free-form text. To start a conversation (or restart one after 24 hours without a reply) you need a template approved by Meta, called an HSM.

When do I need a template?

• To message a customer first who has never contacted you.
• To resume a conversation after the 24 hours following the customer's last reply.
• For campaigns or bulk notifications (reminders, promotions, follow-ups).

How to create a template

1. 1In Wando, go to the Templates section of the admin panel.
2. 2Create the template with its title, text and category (utility, marketing or authentication).
3. 3Use variables like {{1}} to personalize it (for example, the customer's name).
4. 4Send it to Meta for approval. Review usually takes from minutes to a few hours.
5. 5Once approved, it becomes available to use in messages and campaigns.

Best practices to get it approved

• Be clear and specific: avoid generic text or anything that looks like spam.
• Choose the right category based on the real purpose of the message.
• Do not promise things you cannot deliver or use misleading language.
• Check your spelling: errors are a common cause of rejection.

Can I edit an already approved template?

Yes, but with one important detail: if you change the text, the template goes back to review. Meta does not let you modify the body of an approved template without it going through the process again. What you can edit without resubmitting is anything that is not part of the fixed content, such as variables, which are filled in at the moment of sending.

In practice, this means it is worth thinking the text through carefully before sending it, especially if you are going to use it in a campaign with a deadline. If the template is in review on the exact day you want to launch, you are left waiting.

Another thing: you can have several versions of the same idea. Instead of editing the one that already works, create a new one with a different name and keep the old one as a backup. That way you do not lose the approved one while the new one is in review.

The approval timeframe is managed by Meta: it can be from minutes to a few hours, and the only limit that can be stated is up to 48 hours. For the fine detail of what can and cannot be edited, it is worth checking Meta's official documentation, because the rules change.

What happens if Meta rejects the template?

Rejection is not the end. Meta gives you a reason and you can correct it and resubmit. The important thing is to read the reason before touching anything, because the error is usually in the category or in the text, not in the format.

The most common reasons are three. First, wrong category: you send as marketing something that is actually utility, or the other way around. Second, text that looks promotional even though the category is utility. Third, misused variables, for example a variable stuck to a punctuation mark or at the beginning of the message without context.

If you get rejected, don't change everything at once. Fix the specific point the reason points to and resubmit. If you change five things at the same time and get rejected again, you won't know which one was the problem.

• Read the rejection reason before editing.
• Check that the category matches the real purpose.
• Remove any phrase that sounds like promotion if the template is for utility.
• Fix one thing at a time and resubmit.
• If the rejection repeats without a clear reason, escalate to support: resolution time varies depending on the case.

How do you use variables without it looking wrong?

Variables are the gaps you fill in when sending: name, order number, date, amount. They're written as {{1}}, {{2}}, and so on. The problem appears when the variable is left without context and the message reads oddly.

Compare these two: "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} is ready" is always understood. On the other hand, "{{1}} {{2}} {{3}}" tells nobody anything and on top of that is more likely to be rejected by Meta.

A practical detail: if the data that goes in the variable can come empty (for example, a name you didn't fill in), the message goes out with a gap. Before launching a campaign, check that the contacts have the complete data, or write the text so it works the same if it's missing.

In Wando, variables are filled in from the inbox when replying and from campaigns when sending. The number of variables and their exact format depend on what Meta allows at any given time: that's in its official documentation.

A complete example, from start to finish

Let's imagine a veterinary clinic that wants to remind clients about their dog's annual vaccine. The client hasn't written in the last 24 hours, so a template is needed.

The template looks like this: utility category, text "Hi {{1}}, we're reminding you that {{2}} is due for the annual vaccine. You can reply to us here to arrange the appointment." The variable {{1}} is the owner's name and {{2}} is the pet's name.

It's sent for review. Once approved, the veterinary clinic sets up a campaign, selects the contacts with the "vaccine pending" label and fills in the variables. The message goes out with each owner's and each pet's name.

The client replies. That's when the 24-hour window opens and the conversation continues with free text, without a template. If the client doesn't reply and the veterinary clinic wants to follow up three days later, it needs another template or to resend the same one, because the window has already closed.

That's the real cycle: template to open, free text to converse, template again if the conversation goes cold.

Mistakes avoided by reviewing beforehand

Almost all problems with templates are solved before sending them, not after. These are the ones that come up most often.

Choosing marketing when the message is an appointment notice or a reminder. It sounds similar, but it isn't, and the wrong category is grounds for rejection.

Write the template thinking about paper and not about the phone. A long text gets cut off and the customer doesn't read to the end. Two or three lines are enough.

Sending the same template to the entire base without filtering. Besides being annoying, it generates blocks and reports, and that complicates your account with Meta in the medium term.

Not testing it with your own contact before the campaign. It's the cheapest step and the one that avoids the most surprises.

• Test it first with your own number.
• Filter the contacts by label before sending.
• Write short: two or three lines.
• Check that the category matches the purpose.
• Save the templates that work as a base for the next ones.