Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform will be charged per 24-hour conversation, with different rates by conversation category. Today’s business-initiated conversations will be split into three new categories: utility, authentication and marketing. Today’s user-initiated conversations will be called service conversations.
Let’s explore the four new messaging conversation categories, their pricing, what effect this will have on businesses and everything that’s changing in the updated WhatsApp Conversation pricing that goes effective starting 1 June 2023.
Marketing conversations are all about grabbing attention and promoting offers, informational updates, abandoned cart reminders, discount coupons or invitations for customers to respond or take action. Any conversation that doesn’t fall under the utility or authentication categories is considered a marketing conversation. Businesses engaging in marketing conversations will be charged at a rate of $0.05709 per conversation for a 24-hour Marketing Conversation Window. Example: “Hey there! We’re thrilled to offer you a 30% discount on our new collection. Hurry, this offer ends soon! Reply with ‘YES’ to claim your discount.”
Authentication conversations play a crucial role in ensuring the security and integrity of user accounts. This Conversation category enables businesses to authenticate users with one-time passcodes, potentially at multiple steps in the login process (e.g., account verification, account recovery, integrity challenges)
These conversations involve multiple steps and help businesses verify the identity of their users. The cost for each authentication conversation is $0.03235 per conversation within a 24-hour Auth Conversation Window.
Example: “1024 is your authentication pin. Kindly add this to log in to your Whatly.io account”
Utility conversations are designed to facilitate specific requests or transactions that users have initiated or to provide updates related to ongoing transactions. This category includes post-purchase notifications, order confirmation, delivery updates, recurring billing statements, and other transaction-related information.
Each utility conversation comes with a charge of $0.03542 per conversation within a 24-hour Utility Conversation Window.
Example: “Great news! Your recent order has been shipped and is on its way to you. You can track your package using the provided tracking number. We appreciate your business!”
Service conversations revolve around user-initiated inquiries and aim to provide exceptional customer support and assistance. Whether users have questions, or concerns, or require help, businesses are there to resolve their queries promptly. All user-initiated conversations fall under the service conversation category.
Similar to utility conversations, the cost for each service conversation is $0.03467 per conversation within a 24-hour Service Conversation Window.
Example: “Hello! How can we assist you today? Our dedicated support team is here to help resolve any issues or answer any questions you may have.”
A service conversation is opened at 11:36 AM when a business response to a customer message is delivered. A marketing template is delivered while this service conversation is still open at 11:53 AM.
This opens a separate marketing conversation. The result is one charge for a service conversation and one charge for a marketing conversation (valid for 24 hours).
Total cost combining the charges for Marketing and Service category Conversation.
A marketing conversation is opened at 11:36 AM when a marketing template message is delivered.
Later, with the marketing conversation still open, a utility template is delivered at 6:00. This opens a separate utility conversation. (each valid for 24 hours)
The result is one charge for a marketing conversation and one charge for a utility conversation.
A utility conversation is opened at 1:04 PM when a utility template message is delivered.
Later, with the utility conversation still open, another utility template message is delivered at 2:00 PM (each valid for 24 hours). There is no new conversation charge because the template category used within the open conversation window did not change.
Thus, the business will only be charged for one Utility Conversation.
A template that includes content that is both utility and marketing based on our template guidelines is delivered at 11:59.(valid for 24 hours)
Whenever marketing content is identified in a template, the template will be categorised as marketing.
Wondering how the updated WhatsApp Conversation pricing will affect you if you’re using Whatly? Well, not much exactly!!
All that’s changing is the way WhatsApp charges you.
You need to be mindful about picking the correct messaging category while creating template messages in Whatly. Also, make sure that the content of your template message doesn’t contradict the messaging category.
E.g. If you pick Utility Conversation category but add a promotional text in it, the submitted message will be rejected. Even if it’s approved, you still will be charged for a marketing message.
Rest everything stays the same.
Here’s a short summary of how WhatsApp Conversations will be charged starting June 1, 2023.
Pricing for Indian Receiving Users for different Conversation Categories:
1. Marketing conversation category – $0.05709 per conversation for 24 hours Marketing Conversation Window
2. Authentication conversation category – $0.03235
3. Utility conversation category – $0.03542 per conversation for 24 hours Utility Conversation Window
4. Service conversation category – 0.03467 per conversation for 24 hours Service Conversation Window
Besides this, businesses will receive FREE 1000 initial conversations per month for Service category Conversation (user-initiated conversation) only from 1st June 2023.