Click-to-WhatsApp ads explained: how they work and how to set them up

Click-to-WhatsApp ads are Facebook and Instagram ads with a "Send message" button that opens a WhatsApp chat with your business. Instead of sending people to a website form, the ad starts a conversation. And if you reply within 24 hours, every message you send that person is free for 72 hours on the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta pricing).

You still pay Meta for the ad itself. But for businesses that sell through conversation, like real estate, education, travel, fashion and local services, they're often the most natural way to turn ad clicks into sales.

How do Click-to-WhatsApp ads work?

1. Someone sees your ad in their Facebook or Instagram feed, Stories or Reels.
2. They tap "Send message". WhatsApp opens with a chat to your business and a pre-filled message, such as "Hi! I'd like to know more about the leather tote."
3. They send it. The conversation lands in your WhatsApp inbox.
4. You reply, by person or automation, and the sale happens in the chat.

The free 72-hour window

This is what makes Click-to-WhatsApp ads different from other ads. When a customer messages you from one of these ads (or from a Facebook Page call-to-action button) and you reply within 24 hours, Meta opens a free entry point window that lasts 72 hours (Meta pricing).

Time since the customer's message	What you can send	Cost
0–24 hours	Any message: free-form replies and templates	Free
24–72 hours	Templates only (unless the customer writes again)	Free
After 72 hours	Templates	Normal per-message pricing

Two things to note:

• Reply within 24 hours, or the free window doesn't open.
• The normal 24-hour customer service window runs alongside. After it closes, you can only send templates, even though they're still free until 72 hours.

Compare that with regular pricing, where Meta charges for template messages and, from 1 October 2026, for service replies too. See our WhatsApp API pricing guide.

How to set up a Click-to-WhatsApp ad

You'll need a Facebook Page and a WhatsApp Business number linked to it or to your business portfolio. Then, in Meta Ads Manager (Meta Business Help):

1. Create a campaign. Engagement is a common objective for messaging ads.
2. At ad set level, choose "Messaging apps" as the conversion location, then select WhatsApp and your number.
3. Set your audience, budget and schedule as with any ad.
4. Create the ad: image, video or carousel, plus your text.
5. Write the pre-filled message (the greeting shown in WhatsApp) so it's specific: "Hi! I'm interested in the 3-night Goa package."
6. Publish, then make sure someone (or something) answers fast.

Reply fast and well

A Click-to-WhatsApp ad pays for a conversation. What you do in the first minutes decides whether it turns into a sale.

• Reply in seconds. An automatic first reply that answers the likely question works best, followed by a person.
• Answer the question they asked. If the ad was about one product, lead with that product, not your whole catalogue.
• Use buttons for quick choices: colour, size, budget, date.
• Ask for opt-in before adding them to future promotions. A click on an ad isn't consent to marketing forever (Meta opt-in guidance).
• Have a person ready for questions the automation can't answer.

For the full playbook, see lead follow-up automation.

Who should use Click-to-WhatsApp ads?

They suit businesses where people ask questions before buying:

• Real estate, education and travel, where each sale is high-value and personal. See WhatsApp for real estate.
• Fashion and D2C brands answering size and delivery questions.
• Local services such as clinics, salons and gyms booking appointments.

They're less useful for low-cost impulse buys, where a direct "Shop now" link to checkout may convert better. Test both.

Common mistakes

• Nobody answering. The most expensive mistake. Every ad click that waits hours is money lost.
• A vague pre-filled message. "Hi" tells you nothing. Name the product or offer.
• Missing the 24-hour reply, which means losing the free window.
• Treating every clicker as a subscriber. Ask before sending promotions.

Setting it up with Omni

In Omni, messages from your Click-to-WhatsApp ads arrive in the same team inbox as all your WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger chats. An automation with a Message received trigger can send an instant reply, ask qualifying questions with buttons, tag the lead and assign it to a teammate. See the automation builder.

Sources

• Meta for Developers: Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform
• Meta Business Help Center: Create ads that click to WhatsApp in Ads Manager
• Meta for Developers: Get opt-in for WhatsApp