How to make WhatsApp newsletter

WhatsApp in Russia is one of the most popular messengers. Recently, lots of companies have realized the benefits of messaging on WhatsApp and are now actively using the capabilities of the application.

The main advantages of Whatsapp newsettler:

• Efficiency covers the price for use;
• Free messages within 24 hours;
• The ability to be the first to start a dialogue with the client;
• Feedback from clients in the chat;
• High coverage.

Among the disadvantages, we can highlight such disadvantages of the application as

• Restrictions on templates after 24 hours;
• Difficult registration.

In this article, we'll show you how to set up app integration so you can:

• Send personalized messages to subscribers;
• Segment audience based on user behavior;
• Use WhatsApp channel to set up the scenario;
• Collect statistics and analyze the data obtained.

Be sure to first obtain the client’s consent to the mailing list!

Step 1. Get the provider key

To work with the WhatsApp Business API, you must apply to register your account. If you want to register through Edna, leave a request via this link, with 360dialog - this form.

Before creating a connection, you must obtain an API token from Edna and 360dialog.

If your provider:

Edna

Open the "Integrations" section in your personal account and go to the "Settings" tab. Copy the API key:

360dialog

After completing registration with 360dialog, the 360 Client Hub will open and a window will appear where you can generate an API key. The key must be saved.

If you accidentally close this window, you can generate a new API key. To do this, go to the "WhatsApp Accounts" section and click on the "Generate API key" button:

Step 2. Connect the provider to the platform

In the main menu, go to Settings → Connections. Select connection type - WhatsApp. Click the "Create" button on the top panel:

Provide a name and description for the connection. Select the provider, Edna or 360dialog, and enter the API token. Click on the "Check" button:

When working in 360dialog, you will see which phone number the connected account is linked to:

Click on the “Save” button to save the connection.

Step 3. Set-up integration

Open the "Integrations" section and select the integration type - WhatsApp:

Go to your provider's tab

Edna

Activate the integration using the switch in the upper right corner. Click "Add channel":

To integrate, you need to link your provider account to the Altcraft platform. Accounts are linked using a connection. Click on the connection you created, select channel, stage (check it to work properly and the cascade must use only one channel). Then click "Add" in the lower right corner.

Data for the added Edna channel will be displayed in the integration. If necessary, you can add multiple channels for Edna.

360dialog

Activate the integration using the switch in the upper right corner. Click "Add Account":

To integrate, you need to link your provider account to the Altcraft platform using a connection. Select the connection you created.

You will see information about the added account. If necessary, you can add multiple accounts for 360dialog.

After setting up the integration, you can use it to add a WhatsApp channel to your resource.

Step 4. Add a WhatsApp channel to a resource

Go to the Resources section and click “Create” to add a new resource. You will be prompted to select the Primary communication channel. Click on WhatsApp:

Basic settings

For each resource the following must be configured:

• Database;
• URL of the website, form or application;
• Default tracking domain.

You can also add categories. Categories allow you to send your subscribers only content that interests them. With their help, it is more convenient to segment the database and set up advertising mailings:

Let's start setting up a WhatsApp channel

After setting up the integration, select the connected account (360dialog) or channel (Edna) in the drop-down list:

Step 5. Load clients into the database

To send a message to a subscriber on WhatsApp you need:

• Availability of the user’s phone number in the database (written in international format (+79000000000);
• The profile has a subscription to the resource’s WhatsApp channel;
• Consent of the user to receive messages from your company.

Select or create a profile database that will store subscriber data, including phone numbers. Then create a new resource or edit an existing one by adding a WhatsApp channel. To set up a channel, select the previously connected WhatsApp account:

Next, import subscriber data into the platform - for example, through a file. When importing, add them a subscription to a resource with a WhatsApp channel. As the subscription source, select the column in your file that contains phone numbers.

A digital profile will be created for each client, combining personal data, activity history and subscriptions to resources. If, during import, a subscription to a WhatsApp channel was successfully added to the client, this data will be displayed in his history:

Step 6. Create a template in the provider’s personal account

There are two types of templates that can be used in the WhatsApp Business API:

• Free message - a free format message sent within a 24-hour window;
• Template message - a message whose template was previously agreed with Facebook; sent after the 24-hour window closes.

A 24-hour dialog opens if the customer is the first to write to the company or respond to its message. After this, the company can send an unlimited number of arbitrary messages to the client within 24 hours.

Template messages are used to initiate a dialogue with the client or continue communication 24 hours after the last incoming message.

The Altcraft platform only allows you to send template messages (HSM). Various types supported:

• text,
• multimedia
• messages with buttons.

A template message consists of fixed text and variables. Variables are text that can be changed before each mailing without approval from Facebook.

The template is created in the provider’s personal account, and in the Altcraft platform you only substitute text into variables, configure buttons and add media files.

You can find more information about creating templates in your provider's documentation:

Edna: https://docs.edna.ru/kb/shablony-whatsapp/ 360dialog: https://docs.360dialog.com/docs/360-client-hub/template-management-ui

Step 7. Set-up the template in the Altcraft platform

In the Altcraft platform, open the Templates section and create a new template for your WhatsApp channel. All templates available in connected WhatsApp accounts are automatically available in the platform and displayed in the editor:

Select a template and create a message based on it. To do this, fill in the variables, configure the buttons and add media files.

Step 8. Let's start the campaign

Go to the Campaigns section and select the mailing type:

• Broadcast - one-time sending of messages.
• Regular campaign - periodic mailing.

Select WhatsApp, the previously configured resource and recipient audience. Add a message template to your newsletter and set a schedule:

Save the campaign. Find it in the list of campaigns of the selected type and activate it in the quick actions panel.

An active campaign will begin sending messages when its scheduled launch time arrives.

To evaluate the results of your mailing, use the channel report. To go to the report, click on the analytics button. You will receive information about the number of sent, delivered and undelivered messages, as well as the number of new subscriptions to the WhatsApp channel.

*WhatsApp (product of Meta, which is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia)