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 placeholder as 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 STOP
Now 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

💡 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?

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.
Add a welcome message and ask to confirm the opt-in via reply buttons:
Set opt-in=YES by;
1. Connecting the YES reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Subscribe
2. Select the correct opt-in
Set opt-in=NO by;
1. Connecting the NO reply button to a Manage Subscriber node=Unsubscribe
2. Select the correct opt-in
Add any additional questions
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.
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

Create a new flow
Trigger = Keyword Match and add your keywords (e.g. STOP and unsubscribe)
… See more here: Global opt-out flow

Message opt-in

Set up the global opt-out flow

Global opt-out flow

Manage subscribers