Template Message
A pre-approved message format that businesses must use to initiate conversations with customers outside the 24-hour messaging window.
How it works
Template messages (formerly called HSMs) are structured message formats that must be submitted to Meta for approval before use. They are the only way businesses can start a conversation with a customer who hasn't messaged them in the last 24 hours. Templates support variables for personalization (like customer name or order number), and can include headers, body text, footers, and interactive buttons. Meta reviews each template for compliance with their commerce and messaging policies, typically within 24 hours. Templates are categorized as marketing, utility, or authentication, with different pricing tiers for each category.
Related terms
HSM (Highly Structured Message)
The original name for template messages on the WhatsApp Business API, still used in some legacy documentation and BSP interfaces.
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.
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.
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
Explore guides, tutorials, and API references for building on the WhatsApp Business platform with SuperWaba.