Opt-in FAQ

WhatsApp opt-in is the opportunity given to the prospective customer/supporter to confirm if they are comfortable in receiving messages from the sender or not. With the millions of spam messages around us, opt-in is a feature mandated by countries in Europe or Canada. In the US, the law allows messages to be sent till the receiver opts out.

So the opt-in option is not only a smart way of creating a database, but it also helps the sender to stay on the right side of the law. Whatsapp is no different. If you plan to use Whatsapp to promote your business, it is best to embed a WhatsApp Opt-in feature that allows users to confirm acceptance of your messages.

Business owners can use a variety of methods to help you choose WhatsApp business opt-in. The surest way is to get you to initiate a message using specified keywords like Start or Opt-in. They can link an Opt-in API on their website as well. They could use a host of third party channels like IVR or email or SMS to reach out to you for obtaining your opt-in.

Remember, businesses would seek your opt-in to build their database of validated leads, but the advantage of an opt-in feature for you is that you can choose whether you want to be contacted by that business or not.

If you are a business owner planning to use WhatsApp for contacting prospective customers for your business, then a WhatsApp business opt-in message is a must-have for you, not just good-to-have. You can get this opt-in confirmation through a simple Whatsapp message thread or external media like IVR or your website. The basic requirements of the WhatsApp opt-in privacy policy are:

• Mention your business name in the opt-in message.
• The message must clearly and unequivocally state the customer’s willingness to receive your notifications.
• The opt-in message and tone must comply with local laws at all times.

Businesses that use Whatsapp for lead generation and qualification, to market their products or services, or actual business transactions, usually have a WhatsApp opt-in message. They need to specify the types of messages the customer is opting for (new offer updates, order tracking, general interest information etc.).

The opt-in feature of WhatsApp works best if the business using them avoids messaging too frequently. At any point, the business can choose to add new opt-in methods or remove some existing ones. In summary, the WhatsApp business opt-in feature can help business owners quickly build up a vetted database for their marketing and other efforts, and also help to avoid violating any law.

There are many ways in which a business owner can use the WhatsApp Opt-in feature. There are still a few businesses which actually get their prospects to physically sign their consent on a document and return, but that is very rare to see now. Confirmation using text messages or by asking for an appropriate response on a telephone IVR are fairly common. Some businesses also have this option on their websites. But the most convenient and common way is to seek the opt-in on a Whatsapp thread initiated with the prospective client.