Utility Template Guidelines
Utility templates are designed for transactional and service-related communication — messages that are sent in response to something a customer has already done or requested. Think order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders, and account alerts.
Unlike marketing templates, utility templates are strictly non-promotional. They exist to keep customers informed about something specific to them, not to influence a purchase decision or drive new engagement.
When Should You Use a Utility Template?
Use a utility template when your message is:
Directly triggered by a customer action or request
Tied to a specific order, account, transaction, or service the customer is already part of
Strictly informational with no promotional or persuasive intent
The Two Criteria a Utility Template Must Meet
For Meta to approve a template as utility, it must satisfy both of the following:
Non-promotional — The message must not contain any offers, discounts, upsells, cross-sells, or persuasive content of any kind.
Customer-specific — The message must be clearly related to that particular customer's order, account, subscription, or a transaction they initiated.
If your template meets only one of these criteria but not both, it may be re-categorised.
Important: Auto Re-Categorisation Rule
If you create or update a utility template that contains any marketing or promotional content, Meta will automatically re-categorise it as a marketing template. This means it will be priced as a marketing message, even if you originally intended it to be utility.
Always keep utility templates strictly informational to avoid unexpected re-categorisation.
Objectives and Example Templates
Opt-In Management
Confirm opt-in to receive messages on WhatsApp as a follow-up to opt-in collected via other channels, or confirm opt-out.
- Thanks for confirming opt-in! You will now receive notifications via WhatsApp. - Thank you for confirming your opt-out preference. You will no longer receive messages from us on WhatsApp.
Order Management
Confirm, update or cancel an order or transaction with a customer, using specific order or transaction details. These messages should not promote, recommend, upsell, or cross-sell products.
- Thank you! Your order {{order_number}} is confirmed. We will let you know once your package is on its way. - Your package from order {{order_number}} is on its way. Your tracking number is {{tracking_ID}} and expected delivery date is {{date}}.
Account Alerts or Updates
Send important or time-sensitive updates or alerts specific to a purchased or subscribed product or service. These messages should not promote, recommend, upsell, or cross-sell products.
- Daily update for account ending in {{four_digit_number}}: Your available balance is {{amount}}. - Reminder: Your monthly payment for {{service}} will be billed on {{date}} to the {{card}} you have saved on file.
Feedback Surveys
Collect feedback on a previous order, transaction, or customer engagement. The survey must be tied to a specific interaction — a generic feedback request will not be approved as a utility template.
- We have delivered your order {{order_number}}! Please let us know if there was any issue by reaching out below. - You chatted with us online recently about order {{order_number}}. How was your experience? Click below to fill out a short survey.
Continue a Conversation
Send a message on WhatsApp to follow up on an interaction that started in another channel — such as a website chat, email, or phone call. These messages should only be sent when the customer has explicitly requested the conversation to be moved to WhatsApp.
- Hi! I see you requested support via our online chat. I am the virtual assistant on WhatsApp. How can I help? - Hi {{name}}, we are following up on your call with customer service on {{issue}}. Your case has progressed to the next step. Please log into your account to continue.
If you have any questions about whether your content qualifies as a utility template, reach out to the DoubleTick support team and we will be happy to assist.
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