WhatsApp, with its nearly 3 billion monthly active users, has become an essential tool for business communication, offering a direct and personal way to connect with customers on one of their preferred platforms. 

More and more businesses are including WhatsApp in their lead generation strategy to send out marketing messages. However, there are limitations and strict rules to WhatsApp usage by businesses, since WhatsApp has a good user experience at its core and so prevents businesses from flooding people with communications they don’t want to receive. 

This is why WhatsApp users need to show their interest in receiving messages from businesses twice — what is called a double opt-in. 

Even though WhatsApp’s double opt-in policy benefits users, it also poses challenges to businesses. 

In this article, we’ll help you understand how WhatsApp’s double opt-in requirements work, the challenges they present, and strategies for overcoming them. 

Understanding WhatsApp’s Double Opt-In Requirements

WhatsApp is, first and foremost, a personal messaging platform that prioritizes the users’ experience. For that reason, businesses can’t simply spam any person with marketing or sales content. Let’s say you have your customers’ contact information in your database; you can’t just take their phone numbers and start messaging them on WhatsApp. 

Instead, those who wish to receive business communications must opt-in to receive them. 

WhatsApp opt-ins happen in two steps, stated very clearly in the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy:

• First, people give businesses their phone numbers via a click-to-WhatsApp link, QR code, or other entry point;
• And second, they confirm they give businesses permission to contact them and send them subsequent messages. 

This is what happens when you scan the QR code on Landbot’s LinkedIn page cover image to join our Ungated Conversations WhatsApp channel:

You see that scanning the QR code isn’t enough — you, the potential customer, are prompted to actively confirm your wish to join the channel and receive future updates from Landbot. 

The goal of WhatsApp’s double opt-in requirement is to protect app users from getting flooded with business communications while ensuring data privacy and compliance. 

This is a great policy for people using WhatsApp. However, it can pose some challenges for businesses when it comes to obtaining more opt-ins as part of a WhatsApp lead generation strategy. 

Challenges of Double WhatsApp Opt-In for Business Accounts

Every additional step in the customer journey increases the chances of prospects abandoning the process. For businesses, this can mean fewer leads, lower engagement rates, and reduced conversion rates. 

Let’s have a look at the main challenges businesses face when implementing a WhatsApp opt-in strategy. 

Increased Drop-Off

The main challenge of WhatsApp’s double opt-in requirement is an increase in potential customer drop-off. 

As we’ve already covered, signing up to receive business communications on WhatsApp requires two steps—the initial sign-up and an opt-in confirmation—which can significantly reduce the number of people who complete the process. 

The drop-off rate, in turn, can negatively impact your WhatsApp lead generation strategy, by keeping you from reaching your desired number of leads from your target audience. 

Negative Impact on the User Experience

WhatsApp’s double opt-in process may negatively impact the user experience by potentially causing confusion and adding friction, which can lead to frustration. Let’s unpack this. 

Your potential customers who don’t fully understand the purpose of, or even know about, the double opt-in process, may become confused as to why they need to confirm their opt-in after already having shown an interest in signing up. They may also misinterpret the confirmation message as spam if they don’t know they’ll receive it as the final step of opting into your WhatsApp business communication channel. 

Prospects may also perceive this extra step as unnecessary if they’re unaware of the goal, which is to ensure they have a good WhatsApp experience. This can lead to them ignoring your WhatsApp opt-in message or deleting it, thus leading to a failed opt-in process and a missed opportunity for your business. 

Ultimately, if people have a negative first experience with your WhatsApp channel, they may end up with an incorrect perception of your brand and be less willing to engage with it in the future. 

Overlooked Messages

Even though WhatsApp messages have very high open rates compared to other channels such as email, if someone’s WhatsApp inbox is too crowded, they may overlook your WhatsApp opt-in message or accidentally delete it before confirming their opt-in. 

This can be a problem particularly in cases where the message is not immediately noticeable or the sending is delayed for whatever reason. 

We know that if prospects don’t complete this step, they won’t be subscribed to your WhatsApp channels and won’t receive any future messages from you. Can you imagine thinking you’re signing up for regular updates from a business and then not hearing back from them? 

Not only is this a negative user experience, but it’s also a missed business opportunity to engage with potential customers. 

Additional Set-Up Complexity

To prevent the message delivery delays mentioned above, you need to ensure that your WhatsApp chatbots are up and running as soon as your WhatsApp channel opt-in CTAs are out in the wild. 

This means that implementing a double WhatsApp opt-in system requires additional technical setup. Ensuring that both the initial opt-in — whichever entry points you’re using — and the confirmation message are correctly delivered, tracked, and recorded adds complexity to the setup process. 

In turn, this may increase your team’s workload for a while, which may prevent some businesses from setting up a WhatsApp business communication channel altogether and miss out on WhatsApp lead generation opportunities. 

How to Break the WhatsApp Double Opt-In Barrier

Understanding the challenges posed by the double WhatsApp opt-in is the first step to addressing them. So, you’re on the right track!

Now, let’s see what businesses can do to solve these challenges and ensure a smooth and effective WhatsApp opt-in process for your leads. 

WhatsApp Opt-In Strategy

To navigate the challenges of WhatsApp’s double opt-in, it’s crucial to develop a clear and effective WhatsApp opt-in strategy. 

Remember how I told you that some people may not know about double opt-in or understand its purpose?

Your WhatsApp opt-in message is a good opportunity to let them know there’s an additional step to sign up to receive your business communications and what this step looks like. 

The second step is confirmation on WhatsApp, which, as shown in a few sections above, can look, for example, like a pre-defined message the lead must send. It can also be a simple “Yes” or “No” option, like here:

However you decide is the best option for your prospects to confirm their opt-in, make sure your message is straightforward, informative, and compelling. 

Timing is also critical, so you should verify that, from a technical perspective, there are no delays in message delivery. 

Finally, use your WhatsApp opt-in message to provide additional context on why potential customers should opt in. Let’s not forget that your opt-in message must clearly state what type of information they’re signing up to receive. A well-crafted opt-in confirmation message increases the likelihood of consent and contributes to your WhatsApp opt-in strategy’s success. 

Incentivize Opt-In Completion

Since completing the double opt-in process is essential for leads to receive your WhatsApp business communications, you need to make sure that they’re encouraged to do so. Providing context on your WhatsApp channel on the entry point and the opt-in confirmation message is a good practice, but it might not be enough for some of your potential customers. 

So, how can you incentivize them to complete the double opt-in?

An extra step you can take is offering them a small incentive for completing the double opt-in and highlighting the benefits of joining your WhatsApp channel. That incentive can be a special discount, or a free resource such as a masterclass or whitepaper, and the benefits can be something like getting regular updates with personalized and/or exclusive content. 

When it comes to the content you share on WhatsApp, whether it’s the WhatsApp opt-in confirmation message or subsequent updates, you should ensure that it’s always engaging in some way. Use a tone that matches your brand personality, but also that leads will find appealing, include visual elements, and share content that’s valuable. And don’t forget to add a clear and compelling CTA that encourages prospects to complete the opt-in with minimal hesitation.

Finally, as already mentioned, your WhatsApp opt-in confirmation message should be sent promptly after the initial opt-in action to keep it fresh in people’s minds. Delays can lead to confusion as to whether or not they have successfully opted in, or to leads losing interest altogether. 

The goal of incentivizing them to opt-in is to reduce drop-offs and improve the overall experience with your WhatsApp channel, so keep these tips in mind when developing your WhatsApp opt-in strategy.

Note: Once leads have opted into your WhatsApp channel, to be able to send them automated notifications you need your first message to be a WhatsApp Message Template. Check out this blog article if you need a refresher on the rules or if you’re looking for WhatsApp message examples. 

Find the Right WhatsApp Business Partner

When implementing your WhatsApp opt-in strategy, and overall WhatsApp lead generation strategy, you’ll need a WhatsApp Business Partner. That’s because the WhatsApp Business API doesn’t have its own interface, it merely allows you to connect WhatsApp to your CRM. 

The main things to keep in mind when looking for a WhatsApp Business Partner are:

• Easy WhatsApp Business API integration: while you can apply for the API directly, it’s a complex process that will most likely require a developer to set up the API on your end. You’re better off working with a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (such as Landbot) that acts as an intermediary and oversees the process from start to finish. 
• A user-friendly interface: the right partner will help you solve any complex challenges in setup. Make sure you find a WhatsApp automation tool that allows you to easily build and launch WhatsApp chatbots that handle the double opt-in process. 

There are other factors to consider when it comes to finding the right WhatsApp marketing tool, but to put it simply, they should make your life easier and empower you to bring your WhatsApp lead generation strategy to life with as little friction as possible. 

Landbot offers a lot of advantages as a Business Partner for your WhatsApp opt-in strategy. 

First, it allows you to create WhatsApp chatbots either with our no-code builder or using our AI Assistant, which will guide your leads through the opt-in process in a friendly and engaging way, increasing the likelihood of sign-ups. This means you’ll be able to get your WhatsApp lead generation strategy up and running even if you dont’ have technical knowledge and without overbearing your team. 

Second, if you’re already using WhatsApp for sales or customer support, you can add a WhatsApp opt-in block to your chatbot flows as an additional entry point to your WhatsApp channel. 

Finally, partnering with Landbot to collect WhatsApp opt-ins ensures that your process is compliant with data protection regulations like GDPR. The double opt-in confirmation via a Landbot WhatsApp bot ensure you have a clear record of user consent, which is essential for legal compliance as well as WhatsApp’s privacy policy. 

You can communicate this to your potential customers to make them feel safe about their data being protected. 

How to Get WhatsApp Opt-ins Using Landbot

As we’ve just seen, Landbot, as a WhatsApp partner, can offer you a competitive advantage. In the previous section, we briefly mentioned the WhatsApp opt-in block, which you can add to your WhatsApp chatbots to collect opt-ins for further communication. However, that’s not the only way you can leverage Landbot’s platform to grow your WhatsApp audience. 

In addition to linking your chatbots to other WhatsApp entry points, there are other methods you can use. 

Add an Opt-in Form to your Website

One method is creating an opt-in form you can add to your website. In this form, visitors can leave their phone numbers and tick the consent box to register as subscribed contacts to your WhatsApp channel. 

This form should include essential fields like the user’s name, phone number, and an opt-in checkbox, as well as a clear opt-in statement, such as "I agree to receive messages on WhatsApp” to ensure transparency and compliance with data protection laws. 

So, how do you create this form?

First, go to the “Growth tools” section inside your Landbot WhatsApp channel. 

Then, select “Opt-in form” and click on the “Create opt-in form” button. 

You need to fill in two mandatory fields — the form’s name and the consent message accompanying the checkbox users must tick to opt-in to receive WhatsApp messages from you. 

As an option, you can select a WhatsApp message template to send out to users immediately after they opt-in. For example, you can send them a message thanking them for subscribing to your WhatsApp channel. 

You can also link an existing chatbot to your opt-in form that will be triggered if the user replies to the message template sent before. If you choose not to link any bot in this section and the user sends you a message on WhatsApp, the main bot linked to your account will be triggered. 

Once you’ve filled everything out, click on “Save & copy snippet.” All that’s left to do is copy the generated snippet and paste it into your website. 

Simply go to your website’s content management system (CMS) or HTML editor and insert the snippet code on the page where the form will appear. Once that’s done, don’t forget to test the form to ensure it captures the data correctly and syncs with Landbot.

Use a WhatsApp Chatbot

If you’re already using WhatsApp as a communication channel with your prospects and/or customers, setting up a WhatsApp bot to collect opt-ins is straightforward and easy. When a user messages your business, the bot can introduce an opt-in flow to confirm they wish to receive further updates on WhatsApp. So simple!

The first step is, of course, to build a WhatsApp chatbot. 

Then, add a WhatsApp opt-in block to your chatbot flow. 

The opt-in block will be pre-filled with the following default messages: 

• Header: “Subscribe!”
• Text: “Would you like to receive news & updates from us?”
• Footer: “Choose ‘Yes’ to confirm”

The header and footer are optional fields, while the text is mandatory, and you can edit these messages however you like. 

The block comes with a 2-button limit so that users can either confirm they want to opt in (green output) or decline to do so (red output.) However, as with other Landbot blocks, you’ll notice there’s a third output — the “Default” output. This comes into play if a user types a message instead of choosing to either subscribe to your WhatsApp channel or not. If this is the case, you can connect the default output to a third message that gives the user instructions on how to proceed. 

And… that’s it! It really is that simple to collect opt-ins with a WhatsApp bot. 

If you choose this method, there are a couple of extra things you can put into place. 

In addition to the WhatsApp opt-in block, Landbot also offers you an opt-in check block that allows you to recognize whether or not a user has already opted-in to receive your messages so that, in case they have, you don’t ask them again. 

All you need to do is add the opt-in check block to your flow, where you want to check whether the user has already opted in and split the flow accordingly. 

Finally, you can use the WhatsApp opt-in block to allow users to opt out of receiving your WhatsApp communications. For that, you just need to edit the text in the block to ask the users if they want to keep receiving messages. If they click the “no” button, they’ll be automatically removed from your subscribers’ list. 

Use a Website Chatbot

The opt-in block is only available for WhatsApp chatbots. However, you can still use a website chatbot to collect opt-ins for your WhatsApp channel. 

One thing you must keep in mind while building your bot is that, as opposed to WhatsApp bots that store the phone number automatically inside a variable, web bots don’t have the same capability. This means that you need to include a step in your flow where you ask the user for their phone number. For this purpose, we’ve created an opt-in brick workaround called Opt-in WhatsApp v3 that you can add to your flow while building your web bot. 

Let’s see how this works!

First things first, create your website chatbot. Then, when you want to ask for a phone number, add the opt-in brick. You’ll find it in “Bricks” under the “Inbox & Builder tools” section of the menu. 

This workaround allows you to easily ask users for their phone numbers along with the country code, ensuring all phone numbers are in the correct format. 

The next step is to get the same snippet code you generate to add an opt-in form to your website. If you’ve already created this opt-in form, simply go to the “Growth tools” section inside your Landbot WhatsApp channel, click on “opt-in forms,” and copy the snippet of the form you want to use. 

Next, go back to your bot and click to edit the opt-in brick. The first block you’ll see is the “Set a field” block. Click on it and paste the snippet code onto the “Type the value field.” When you’re done, click to go back to your bot and finish building your flow. 

And that’s it!

Businesses That Have Successfully Implemented a WhatsApp Double Opt-in Process

The proof is in the pudding, so let’s look at a couple of examples of the WhatsApp opt-in process in action, and see the business value they offer. 

Landbot's Ungated Conversations Channel on WhatsApp 

At Landbot, we created our Ungated Conversations WhatsApp channel as part of our lead nurturing strategy. Prospects can sign up to receive our communications through a web chatbot we added to the dedicated WhatsApp channel page or by scanning a QR code they can find across some of our social media channels. After they’ve found one of those entry points, they receive an opt-in message on WhatsApp to confirm their subscription. 

The Ungated Conversations channel provides valuable content to both leads and actual customers, such as updates on Landbot’s new features, case studies from our clients, and tips for better lead generation and management strategies. 

Integrating WhatsApp into our strategy has proved rather effective. Our WhatsApp communications boast a read rate of 51% and a response rate of 15% across campaigns. If we compare these numbers to email open rates (20-25%) and click-through rates (2-3%), the WhatsApp results are much better. 

HashAds/Stars of Africa

Landbot customers HashAds partnered with Stars of Africa, the biggest youth football academy in South Africa, to improve their player trail signup experience. 

The original goal of implementing a WhatsApp chatbot was to collect key player information and automate the trial registration process to be able to provide a better experience. However, during the flow, the chatbot also asks for explicit consent from players to be able to send them future communications. 

By offering registered players the option to opt-in to keep receiving notifications on WhatsApp, Stars of Africa was able to reach 70% of players actually attending the trials because they consented to being kept in the loop about trial dates. Without this second opt-in, even though players were already in touch with Stars of Africa via WhatsApp, it wouldn’t have been possible to send them more updates after the initial interaction was finished. 

Conclusion

The examples above are just a few of the many businesses that effectively apply a double opt-in to their WhatsApp channel without compromising user experience and results. 

We know that navigating WhatsApp’s double opt-in requirements can be challenging, but with the right game-plan in place, it’s possible to break through the barriers and effectively establish a WhatsApp opt-in strategy. 

Even though it may seem so at first, the double opt-in process isn’t there to be a hurdle. It’s a matter of ensuring that potential customers have a good WhatsApp experience and only receive the business communications they’re genuinely interested in receiving. 

With the right approach and the right WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, you’re sure to build an efficient opt-in strategy that supports your WhatsApp lead generation efforts.