With a message opt-in, you can use a WA.ME link to have people send a predefined message to your WhatsApp number. For example, a WA.ME link can live behind a CTA on your website or a QR code in store. The predefined message should then trigger an opt-in flow.
1. Create the message opt-in
Right now we’re a little in between updates 🤫 While we (slowly) deprecate message opt-ins in favour of Journeys, we still need to create a message opt-in that acts as a sort-of “bucket” that collects the subscribers. So excuse us, because this is going to seem weird…🙃
Go to Automations → Message Opt-ins
Select Add opt-in. A window will open
Name your opt-in
Add
placeholderas the Opt-in Trigger (don’t worry, we’ll fill this out later in Journeys…see, weird 😉)Select Save & Next
On the next screen, select the grey rectangle on the left. Then Save & Next (leave blank)
Now select the grey rectangle on the right. Then Save & Next (leave blank)
On the Opt-out page, add your opt-out keywords like
STOPNow we need to add a blank template by selecting Create Template → clicking through to Save (we’ll cover this with a Global opt-out flow):
On the final page, select Finish
Now, we continue the setup in Journeys.
2. Set up the opt-in flow in Journeys
Set a trigger keyword phrase (e.g. Hey! I want to subscribe to your WhatsApp channel 🙏) and copy the WA.ME link:
The WA.ME link you copied can be used anywhere to guide people into WhatsApp. Once tapped, clicked or scanned the trigger keyword phrase will be automatically pre-filled.
2. Add a welcome message and ask to confirm the opt-in via reply buttons:
3. Set opt-in=YES by;
Connecting the YES reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Subscribe
Select the correct opt-in
4. Set opt-in=NO by;
a. Connecting the NO reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Unsubscribe
b. Select the correct opt-in
5. Add any additional questions
6. Store the responses using the Manage Tag node:
Remember: adding Tags off of the additional questions will mean you can use this information to segment your audience in the future.
7. Publish 🚀
Problems publishing your flow?
If you don’t ask a question with two QRBs before collecting an opt-in, you cannot publish your flow as this would be a non-GDPR-compliant opt-in.
To collect GDPR-compliant opt-ins, you need to always give your customers the option not to opt in. The best way to do this is to use a message node with two quick reply buttons (QRBs). After that message, you can then connect two opt-in nodes to the respective QRBs.
Where to use your WA.ME link
Here are just some ways charles’ clients are collecting WhatsApp subscribers using WA.ME links.
