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Set up an opt-in flow

Learn about customers while they're opting in – so you can send more relevant messages later on - by asking questions and storing the answer

Updated over a week ago

Step 1: Create a subscription type


1. Open the Subscriptions dashboard by clicking on the automations section on the left-hand navigation bar and selecting "Subscriptions"


2. Click + Create new subscription type in the top-right corner.

3. In the pop-up, give your subscription a Name (e.g., "Newsletter Opt-In").
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4. Choose the Opt-in Type:

  • Single Opt-In: Requires only one confirmation from the user.

  • Double Opt-In: Requires the user to confirm their subscription twice for added security.

5. Finally, click Save to create the subscription.
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You may find more information in this guide on how to manage your subscribers.


Step 2: Set up the opt-in flow in Journeys

💡 Do you see a “Waiting for this message. This may take a while." message? Don’t forget to add a reminder to your first message. See more here: What does “Waiting for this message. This may take a while.” mean?

  1. Set a trigger keyword phrase (e.g. Hey! I want to subscribe to your WhatsApp channel 🙏) and copy the WA.ME link:
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    💡 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.
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  2. Add a welcome message and ask to confirm the opt-in via reply buttons:
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  3. Set opt-in=YES by;

    1. Connecting the YES reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Subscribe

    2. Select the correct opt-in
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  4. Set opt-in=NO by;

    1. Connecting the NO reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Unsubscribe

    2. Select the correct opt-in

  5. Add any additional questions

  6. Store the responses using the Manage Tag node:
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    💡 Remember: adding Tags off of the additional questions will mean you can use this information to segment your audience in the future.
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  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.

See how our clients do it:

Bears with Benefits

Data collection resulting in direct product recommendation:

(Double click for a closer look)

SNOCKS

Collecting demographic user data for more relevant messaging:

(Double click for a closer look)

What’s Next: Global opt-out flow

To help your flows stay GDPR compliant, we recommend setting up a global opt-out flow.

With the global opt-out flow, customers can message you keywords (like STOP) and be unsubscribed from all opt-ins.

This keeps your WhatsApp marketing GDPR compliant 🔒 while improving the quality of your audience. Don’t forget, WhatsApp works best when you’re talking to people who want to hear from you 😉

Configuring the global opt-out

  1. Create a new flow

  2. Trigger = Keyword Match and add your keywords (e.g. STOP and unsubscribe)

  3. … See more here: Global opt-out flow

Related Articles
Set up the global opt-out flow
Global opt-out flow
Sign up/opt-in flows
Sign-up flows
Subscriptions
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