Business-Initiated Conversation
A conversation started by a business sending a template message to a customer, billed at a higher rate than user-initiated conversations.
How it works
A business-initiated conversation (BIC) begins when a business sends a template message to a customer who hasn't messaged the business in the last 24 hours. This opens a 24-hour conversation window during which the business can send unlimited follow-up messages of any type. Business-initiated conversations are categorized and priced differently based on the template category: marketing (promotions, offers), utility (order updates, confirmations), and authentication (OTP, verification codes). Marketing conversations carry the highest per-conversation fee, while authentication conversations are the cheapest. Understanding the BIC pricing model is essential for calculating the ROI of WhatsApp campaigns and choosing the right template category for each use case.
Related terms
User-Initiated Conversation
A conversation started when a customer messages a business first, opening a 24-hour window for free-form replies at a lower cost.
Template Message
A pre-approved message format that businesses must use to initiate conversations with customers outside the 24-hour messaging window.
Session Message
A free-form message that businesses can send within 24 hours of a customer's last message, without needing a pre-approved template.
Messaging Limits
The maximum number of unique customers a business can message in a rolling 24-hour period, determined by quality rating and account tier.
Learn more in our docs
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