WhatsApp Business API
Writing a WhatsApp template that Meta will approve first time
The three most common reasons templates get rejected and how to write around them.
4 min readUpdated 01 Mar 2026
Meta reviews templates against three things: category accuracy, variable clarity, and the absence of forbidden content like financial solicitation, political content, or vague offers.
The recipe that passes
- 01Open with the customer's name or order reference in variable one.
- 02Include a verb that matches the category — 'shipped', 'delivered', 'confirmed' for utility.
- 03Keep variable slots for dynamic info, static text for everything else.
- 04End with a clear call-to-action button or opt-out instruction.
- 05Match the category — marketing, utility, or authentication — to what the body actually does.
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