How to Send a WhatsApp Broadcast to Your Customers
A WhatsApp broadcast lets you send a personalized message to hundreds or thousands of customers at once — each receiving it as a private one-to-one message, not a group chat. Open rates of 95%+ make WhatsApp broadcast one of the most effective marketing channels available. Here's how to do it right.
Tools You'll Need
Step-by-Step Guide
Understand the two types of WhatsApp broadcast
WhatsApp Business app broadcast: free, but limited to 256 contacts per broadcast, and only to contacts who saved your number. WhatsApp Business API broadcast: no contact limit, sends to anyone who opted in (they don't need to save your number), requires a BSP, uses Meta-approved templates. For marketing, you need the API broadcast.
Build your opted-in broadcast list
Your broadcast list must consist of customers who explicitly opted in to receive WhatsApp messages from you. Opt-in sources: website widget, checkout opt-in checkbox, keyword opt-in (text JOIN to your number), QR code, and click-to-WhatsApp ads. Import existing consented contacts as CSV. Quality over quantity — a list of 500 genuinely interested customers beats 5,000 people who never heard of you.
Segment your list
Effective broadcasts go to the right audience. Create segments in Reputoo: new customers (first purchase in last 30 days), loyal customers (3+ purchases), lapsed customers (no purchase in 90+ days), high-value customers (average order >$100), and by product category interest. Relevant messages get higher engagement and lower complaint rates.
Create and submit your broadcast template
WhatsApp broadcast messages must use Meta-approved templates. In Reputoo → Templates → New Template. Choose category (Marketing for promotional, Utility for transactional). Write your message: up to 1024 characters, can include {{1}} variables for personalization, images, buttons. Submit for Meta review (usually approved in minutes to 24 hours).
Schedule your broadcast at the right time
Optimal times for WhatsApp broadcasts: 10am–12pm (morning peak), 6pm–8pm (evening peak). Avoid early morning (before 9am) and late night (after 9pm) — messages received at these times feel intrusive and get higher complaint rates. Schedule your broadcast to go out at the recipient's local time if you serve multiple time zones.
Send a test broadcast first
Before sending to your full list, send the broadcast to 5–10 colleagues or your own secondary numbers. Check: personalization variables fill correctly (recipient sees their actual name, not "{{1}}"), images load correctly, buttons work, the review link or CTA URL is correct, and the message renders well on both Android and iOS.
Monitor delivery and responses in real time
In Reputoo, watch your broadcast dashboard: Delivered % (should be 95%+ for quality lists), Opened % (should be 80%+), Replied % (benchmark: 15–30% for good messages), Complaints (keep below 0.3% to maintain your quality score). Handle replies in your shared inbox — customers who engage with your broadcast are high-value.
Optimize for your next broadcast
After each broadcast, note: which segments had highest engagement, which messages got highest reply rates, what time of day performed best, which CTA (button text) got most clicks. Build a simple optimization log. After 3–4 broadcasts, you'll have a clear picture of what works for your specific audience.
Pro Tips
- Keep your broadcast message under 150 characters when possible — shorter messages have higher read rates
- One broadcast per week maximum for existing customers; one per month for lapsed customers
- Always include an opt-out: "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" — this is required and keeps your complaint rate low
- Personalize with name AND a specific detail (last purchase, upcoming appointment) — generic broadcasts underperform
- Images boost response rates by 15–20% — use a clean product photo or relevant graphic
Expected Results
Well-crafted WhatsApp broadcasts achieve 85–95% delivery rates, 25–35% reply rates, and generate 3–5× more revenue per send than equivalent email campaigns. A $29/mo investment in WhatsApp marketing generates $500–$2,000/mo in recovered revenue for most SMBs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is WhatsApp broadcast the same as a group chat?
No. A WhatsApp broadcast sends each recipient a private, individual message from your business number — they don't know you sent it to others. A group chat puts everyone in a shared conversation where they can see each other. For marketing, always use broadcast — it's personal and doesn't expose customer data.
How many people can I send a WhatsApp broadcast to?
WhatsApp Business app: limited to 256 contacts per broadcast. WhatsApp Business API: no hard limit — businesses send to tens of thousands per day. Your daily limit starts at 1,000 unique contacts and increases over time based on message quality and account standing.
Do recipients know it's a broadcast message?
With the WhatsApp Business app, recipients can sometimes tell (messages say "broadcast" in some views). With the WhatsApp Business API, messages appear as normal private messages from your business — recipients cannot tell if they were part of a broadcast. The message looks like a personal message.
What happens if someone blocks me after a WhatsApp broadcast?
If a recipient blocks your number or marks your message as spam, it contributes to your WhatsApp quality score. If your complaint rate exceeds 0.5%, Meta will reduce your daily sending limit. Keep complaint rates low by: only sending to opted-in contacts, providing value in every message, and including easy opt-out.
Can I A/B test WhatsApp broadcast messages?
Yes. In Reputoo, you can split your audience and send different message variations to test performance. Common tests: different message length, different CTA button text, different offer framing, different personalization approach. Run A/B tests until you have 500+ sends per variant for statistically meaningful results.