Meta has introduced a feature called Template Pacing to monitor message performance and protect customer experience. This article explains what template pacing means, why it happens, and how it may impact your messaging on DoubleTick.
What Is Template Pacing?
Template Pacing is a process where Meta temporarily holds or slows down the delivery of new template messages to check early customer feedback before allowing the full campaign to go through.
Think of Template Pacing like a “trial run” for your template—Meta tests a small sample of users before sending it to everyone.
This helps Meta detect issues like:
Which Templates Are Affected?
Template pacing applies to:
✔ Marketing Templates
✔ Utility Templates
The following types of templates can be paced:
Templates without a GREEN (High Quality) rating
Templates with low or inconsistent quality history
When Does Template Pacing Get Triggered?
Template pacing usually happens when:
Your template has never been used before
Your past templates received negative feedback
You restart a previously paused template
Your template does not yet have a strong quality rating
For Utility templates specifically, template pacing applies only for 7 days after a utility template has been paused once.
How Does Template Pacing Work?
When you send a campaign using a paced template:
Step 1: Initial Batch Sent
Meta allows a small set of messages to be delivered
Step 2: Remaining Messages Are Held
The rest of the messages are temporarily held for review
In API responses, you may see:
This does not mean the message failed — it means Meta is evaluating feedback.
Meta monitors signals like:
Based on this, one of two outcomes occurs:
If Feedback Is Positive
✔ Template gets “High Quality” (GREEN) rating
✔ Held messages are released
✔ Campaign continues normally
If Feedback Is Negative
⛔ Template is paused
⛔ Remaining held messages are dropped
⛔ Quality rating moves to “Low”
⛔ Admins are notified
Dropped messages show failure with code:
Admins will be alerted via:
Meta Business Suite notifications
Important — Guardrails for Time-Sensitive Campaigns
Meta ensures pacing does not cause extreme delays. Even under pacing, high-throughput campaigns are expected to be delivered within about an hour (99th percentile).
If enough feedback is not collected in time, held messages may be released automatically.
What This Means for DoubleTick Customers
If you are sending templates via DoubleTick and notice delays or held statuses:
✔ It is a Meta-level quality check
✔ Campaigns may resume automatically
Best Practices to Avoid Template Pacing
To minimize pacing:
✓ Use clean, relevant messaging
✓ Avoid spam-like promotional language
✓ Target users who are expecting communication
✓ Don’t blast outdated or cold audiences
✓ Monitor quality rating regularly
✓ Keep block/report rates low
Template pacing = Meta tests your template on a small audience → waits for feedback → then decides to:
✔ Continue
⛔ Pause
🛑 Drop
It protects customer experience and ensures quality.
