Avoid being banned

To keep your WhatsApp API account active and avoid being blocked, here are some easy-to-follow tips:

• Use your own lists: Make sure you send messages to contacts that really belong to you. Using purchased lists from third parties can put your account at risk

• Build a track record with “hot” customers: In the beginning, avoid sending marketing campaigns to 1,000 customers who don't know you well. This can result in many reports and blockages. Instead, send to your most interested contacts and don't exceed 500 daily sends. Once WhatsApp sees that your customers value your messages, you can start contacting lesser-known customers.

• Businesses with high risk of blocking: If your business has already received many complaints or blocking, it is better not to send messages until Facebook has verified your administrator account.

• Recommended sending strategy: During the first week of mass mailings, limit messages to a maximum of 250 contacts per day. If you can, focus on the most interested contacts. After 24 hours, check in the control panel if the account quality is High or Medium, and only then keep sending messages. If the quality is low, wait 7 days before continuing. After this pause, your account should be back to high quality and you will be able to send bulk messages again. Once you complete this first round of sending, and those who wanted to unsubscribe have already done so, you will be able to contact up to 1,000 customers per day, always monitoring the quality of the sending

• Send valuable content: Offer your customers useful information about your service or industry, don't limit yourself to aggressive marketing. Customers will be annoyed if they feel you are just selling to them, and may report you

• Update your templates: Blocks and reports can also be related to specific templates. It is advisable to update them regularly to prevent a single message format from accumulating too many complaints

• Avoid spam phrases: Do not use typical spam phrases such as “best offer on the market” or “you have won...”. These phrases can get your messages reported

• Don't be too pushy: Send the first message in a single mailing and only send additional messages if the customer responds, for example, by clicking a button on the template. For customers who do not respond, do not send more than one message every 10 to 15 days. Control the frequency of your messages so as not to saturate your customers

• Think before you send: Before automating a message, ask yourself if you would mind receiving it. If the answer is yes, reconsider sending it.

Remember that WhatsApp is not like email. It is a special channel and you should be careful when using it.