[EN] Double-opt-in for WhatsApp newsletters

How legally compliant registration for the WhatsApp newsletter works

Data protection is particularly important when sending WhatsApp newsletters - especially with regard to the GDPR. The so-called double opt-in procedure is used to ensure that recipients expressly consent to the sending of messages. You are only 100% legally compliant if you adhere to this.

To be 100% legally compliant, we recommend obtaining consent directly from the recipient using double opt-in. This way, you have stored the consent directly in the eworx Marketing Suite and can prove it quickly and easily in case of doubt.

In this guide, we will show you step by step how to implement a legally compliant double opt-in process for WhatsApp newsletters and what to pay particular attention to.

The best way to clarify whether and under what conditions sending to recipients who have a contractual relationship with you (e.g. customers, partners, etc.) is permitted without explicit double opt-in confirmation by the subscribers is to seek legal advice.

Double opt-in process

In order to configure the double opt-in process, you must first set up a WhatsApp Account. You can find instructions on how to set up your WhatsApp Account here .

At the top of the configuration page, you’ll find information about which WhatsApp Business account has been linked. You can also select from multiple phone numbers here if several have been added under “WhatsApp Accounts.” This is the phone number to which the subscriber sends the WhatsApp message to subscribe to the newsletter. You can also set the keywords for subscribing and unsubscribingin this section. The placeholders for the keywords can then be selected via the text editor in the “Double-Opt-In Message,” “Subscription Confirmation,” and “Opt-Out Message.”

If changes are made to the “double opt-in process,” you can use the buttons to decide whether you want to ‘Enable’ or “Reset” these changes. There can only ever be one active WhatsApp “double opt-in process.” If changes are made to the “double opt-in process,” you have the option to ‘Activate’ the new “double opt-in process” and thus apply your changes. This allows you to preview changes you make to the double opt-in process without the changes being activated without review. The changes are only activated for all subscirbers once you explicitly activate the process. However, you can also “Reset” the changes you have made. This will overwrite the latest changes (edited version) with the status of the currently active “Double-Opt-In Process.”

Changes will not be applied to recipients who have already started the “double opt-in process.” All unsubscribe keywords are also saved. This ensures that a recipient's unsubscribe request is honored even if they use an ‘old’ unsubscribe keyword that is no longer used in the active “double opt-in process.”)

Under “Click-to-Chat Message”, you'll find the link and QR code that you can share with your recipients. Clicking on these will take recipients directly to a WhatsApp chat, where they'll receive the pre-set welcome message.

On the right-hand side, you'll also see an image of a smartphone displaying a preview of the entire “double opt-in process.”

NOTE:
Please note that WhatsApp has strict guidelines for newsletter content. Messages related to alcohol, gambling, tobacco, weapons, certain financial offers, or misleading advertising claims may be blocked by Meta. We therefore recommend avoiding such terms and phrases to ensure smooth delivery of your WhatsApp newsletter.

Click-To-Chat Message

Here you can create a ready-made message for the subscriber that is sent in the WhatsApp chat. Formatting or similar is not possible here in order to ensure correct processing of the message in the eworx Marketing Suite.

By scanning the above QR code on the smartphone or clicking the link, WhatsApp will automatically open with the predefined message to the phone number configured in the eworx Marketing Suite.

The WhatsApp profile name is also recorded and stored with the subscriber as a “meta field.”

Double opt-in Message

In this step, you can choose between “Text message” and “Template” as the Opt-In method.

If you select “Text message” as the “Opt-In method”, only the text you have configured will be displayed. You can insert the keywords using the text editor. We recommend including both the opt-in and opt-out keywords in the text. You can also use the checkbox to set the sign-up keyword to be displayed as a button.

If you select “Template” as the “Opt-In method”, you can either create a new template or select an existing marketing template. When setting up a double opt-in process, you can create and link a new WhatsApp template without having to switch to another section. The entire setup process can now be completed in a single step and activated immediately after approval by Meta.

If the sign-up keyword does not appear in the double opt-in message, a warning will be displayed, as the recipient may otherwise be unable to complete the double opt-in process due to missing information.

With the “Opt-In wait time”, you can specify the number of days after which the
opt-in attempt is canceled. If you want to deactivate this function, enter a waiting time of 0 days.

Opt-In confirmation

Here you can create the message that will be sent to the subscribers after double opt-in confirmation. Here it is also possible to insert the keywords for the registration and deregistration via the text editor. In particular, we recommend integrating the keyword for unsubscribing in your text.

As soon as the subscriber has given their consent, they will receive the “WhatsApp Double Opt-In Status” ‘Confirmed’. The exact time of consent is documented in the recipient's “Metadata” in the eworx Marketing Suite.

Opt-out message

Here you can create the message that will be sent to the recipient after unsubscribing. The keywords for subscribing and unsubscribing can also be inserted here using the text editor. If desired, you can enter the keyword for the subscription here if the recipient has accidentally unsubscribed from the newsletter.

As soon as the recipient has unsubscribed from the WhatsApp newsletter, they will receive the “WhatsApp Double Opt-In Status” ‘Revoked”. The exact time is documented in the subscribers “Metadata” in the eworx Marketing Suite. Subscribers who have revoked their consent to receive the newsletter can no longer be sent it.

Reply message

This message is used as a reply to all subscriber messages if the sent message cannot be assigned to the defined messages or keywords of the double opt-in process. The subscriber can be informed here that only WhatsApp newsletters are sent via the channel and that incoming messages will not be processed. This message is used, for example, when a subscriber replies to a WhatsApp newsletter with a text message.