Before a business is allowed to send notification messages to their consumers on WhatsApp, they must first receive consent from the consumer to communicate with them on this channel via an explicit opt-in process.

On July 9th, 2020, WhatsApp updated its business policy to make it easier and simpler for brands to obtain opt-in from their consumers for the WhatsApp channel. Brands are no longer required to obtain opt-in via a third-party channel like SMS or email, but can now also obtain opt-in within the WhatsApp thread itself or by using an interactive voice response (IVR).

WhatsApp still expects clarity on requests for opt-in, brand name usage, and compliance with local and all applicable laws.

Please take special note of the following:

• Businesses must clearly state that a person is opting in to receive messages from the business over WhatsApp.

• Businesses must clearly state the name of the business that a person is opting to receive messages from.

• Businesses must comply with all applicable laws.

• While the updated policy is more flexible, businesses should continue to optimize for the user experience when obtaining opt-in, e.g.:

  • Explicitly call out the types of messages a customer is opting into (e.g., delivery updates).

  • Avoid messaging customers too frequently.

  • Provide instructions for how customers can opt out and honor these requests.