Overview

What is a WhatsApp Template Message?

A WhatsApp Template Message is a pre-approved message format that businesses use to send messages to customers through the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Templates help businesses send important updates, notifications, and promotional messages in a structured way.

Before using a template, it must be reviewed and approved by Meta.

Example:

Hi {{customer_name}}, your order {{order_id}} has been confirmed.

When sending the message, the variables are replaced with actual customer details.

Customer receives:

Hi John, your order #12345 has been confirmed.

WhatsApp Template Structure

A template can contain the following sections:

Component	Description	Example
Header	Optional section shown at the top of the message. Can contain text or media.	Invoice Details / Product Image
Body	Main message content.	Your order has been shipped
Footer	Optional additional information.	Thank you for choosing us
Buttons	Optional actions for customers.	Visit Website / Call Now

Template Categories

Category	Purpose	Example
Marketing	Used for promotional messages	New offers, discounts, product updates
Utility	Used for customer-related updates	Order confirmation, delivery status
Authentication	Used for verification	OTP, login code

What are Variables?

Variables are dynamic values that change for each customer.

They allow businesses to use one template and send personalized messages to multiple customers.

Instead of sending the same message to everyone, businesses can insert customer-specific details such as:

Customer name

Order ID

Appointment date and time

Tracking number

Invoice number

OTP

Variables are written inside: {{variable_name}}

Example:

Hi {{customer_name}}, your order {{order_id}} is ready.

Customer 1 receives:

Hi John, your order 1001 is ready.

Customer 2 receives:

Hi David, your order 1002 is ready.

Variable Types

WhatsApp Business templates support two types of variables:

Positional Variables

Named Variables

Choose the variable type based on your business requirements. Both types allow you to personalize messages using dynamic values.

1. Positional Variables

Overview

Positional variables use numbers as placeholders. Each variable is identified by its position in the template.

When sending the message, values are mapped to the variables in the same order.

Template Example

Hi {{1}},

Your order {{2}} has been confirmed.

Variable Values

Variable	Value
`{{1}}`	John
`{{2}}`	ORD12345

Customer Receives

Hi John,

Your order ORD12345 has been confirmed.

When to Use
Use positional variables when:

The template contains only a few variables.

The variable order is simple and easy to manage.

You are working with existing templates that use numbered placeholders.

Advantages

Simple to create.

Easy to use for basic templates.

Supported across all template components that allow variables.

2. Named Variables

Overview

Named variables use descriptive names instead of numbers. This makes templates easier to read, understand, and maintain.

Each variable clearly describes the value it represents.

Template Example

Hi {{customer_name}},

Your order {{order_id}} has been confirmed.

Variable Values

Variable	Value
`customer_name`	John
`order_id`	ORD12345

Customer Receives

Hi John,

Your order ORD12345 has been confirmed.

When to Use
Use named variables when:

The template contains multiple variables.

You want the template to be easy to understand.

Different teams manage or maintain templates.

You want to reduce mapping mistakes.

Advantages

Easy to read.

Easy to maintain.

Improves template readability.

Reduces mapping errors.

Positional vs Named Variables

Feature	Positional Variables	Named Variables
Format	`{{1}}`	`{{customer_name}}`
Identification	Number	Descriptive name
Readability	Basic	Excellent
Easy to Maintain	Moderate	Yes
Best For	Small templates	Large or complex templates

Where Can Variables Be Used?

Variables can be used in different parts of a WhatsApp template.

Template Component	Variables Supported	Example
Header	✅ Yes (Text Header only)	`Invoice {{invoice_number}}`
Body	✅ Yes	`Hi {{customer_name}}, your order is ready.`
Buttons	✅ Yes (Dynamic URL Buttons)	`https://example.com/order/{{order_id}}`
Footer	❌ No	Footer text is always static.

Note: Media headers (Image, Video, Document, and Location) do not use text variables.

Variable Naming Guidelines

When creating templates, follow these best practices:

Use meaningful and descriptive variable names.

Keep variable names short and easy to understand.

Use lowercase letters with underscores (_) for better readability.

Ensure every variable has a value when sending the message.

Provide sample values while submitting the template for Meta approval.

Good Examples

Variable	Description
`customer_name`	Customer's name
`order_id`	Order number
`tracking_url`	Order tracking link
`appointment_date`	Appointment date
`invoice_number`	Invoice reference

Avoid

Incorrect Example	Reason
`{{abc}}`	Not descriptive
`{{value1}}`	Meaning is unclear
`{{data}}`	Too generic

What is a WhatsApp Template Message?#

WhatsApp Template Structure#

Template Categories#

What are Variables?#

Variable Types#

1. Positional Variables#

2. Named Variables#

Positional vs Named Variables#

Where Can Variables Be Used?#

Variable Naming Guidelines#