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Introduction: My WhatsApp messages are failing
Recently, many businesses have been struggling with WhatsApp failures. They have been constantly getting an Error Code 1026 or 131026 in the response from WhatsApp.
What does it mean? and Why are my approved template messages failing to deliver?
If you are a product or a software engineering trying to find an answer to these questions, then you have to look no further.
In a recent move that has taken the digital marketing sphere by storm, WhatsApp Business announced significant alterations to its message delivery policy.
This policy, aimed at optimizing user experiences on the platform, has introduced a mechanism that automatically blocks certain messages sent by businesses to users, particularly those categorized as marketing templates.
The initiative, initially rolling out to consumers in India, seeks to enhance the quality of interactions between businesses and users by imposing limits on the number of marketing template messages a user receives within a specific timeframe from any business.
Understanding the New Policy
WhatsApp's official statement outlines the framework of this new approach: it is designed to prioritize high-quality user experiences and maximize engagement with marketing template messages.
To achieve this, WhatsApp will limit the number of these messages a user can receive from any business, not just yours, over a given period. WhatsApp will more likely fail those messages which are less likely to be read.
This limitation applies to marketing template messages intended to initiate new marketing conversations. Existing/ live conversations between a business and a user will not be affected, allowing ongoing discussions to continue unabated.
In order to let businesses know that their message is being failed under this policy, WhatsApp returns the following error codes:
1. 131026 in case of cloud APIs
2. 1026 in case of on-prem APIs
However, these error codes also spans a broad spectrum of delivery issues, and WhatsApp has stated that, for privacy reasons, they will not confirm whether a non-delivery was specifically due to reaching this limit.
This policy has started in India from 6 February 2024 and will be rolled our globally in phases.
The Challenge for Businesses
The introduction of this policy has left many businesses in a quandary, struggling to understand why their messages are not reaching active WhatsApp users.
The absence of explicit feedback regarding the non-delivery reasons compounds the challenge, forcing businesses to navigate these waters with a high degree of uncertainty.
This situation underscores the pressing need for a more robust monitoring and analytics layer within the WhatsApp Business platform, capable of offering insights into message delivery patterns and offer a proactive resolution.
As per the new policy:
- WhatsApp will more likely fail those messages which are less likely to be read; and
- The limit is also influenced by the total number of marketing messages that the user will receive from all businesses put together in a specific time period.
This may ultimately lead to a bidding war, where businesses that send meaningful marketing messages to their users, will see a high delivery rate, over other businesses that bombard users with promotions/ offers with relatively lower open / engagement rate on WhatsApp.
Need for Enhanced Monitoring and Analytics
To adapt to WhatsApp's new policy, businesses must invest in advanced monitoring and analytics capabilities. These tools should not only track the delivery status of each message but also provide actionable insights into the reasons behind non-deliveries. In the absence of WhatsApp directly providing reasons, it becomes imperative to deploy logical algorithms & complex pattern detection techniques to uncover deeper insights.
By understanding these patterns, businesses can adjust their messaging strategies to avoid hitting the imposed limits and maintain effective communication with their audience.
How should businesses proactively address WhatsApp delivery failures?
The implications of WhatsApp's new message policy are far-reaching. Businesses must now navigate a more complex landscape where the ability to reach customers through one of the most popular messaging platforms is no longer guaranteed.
This development calls for a strategic overhaul in how businesses approach digital marketing within messaging ecosystems.
Adapting to the New Normal
1. Understand the Policy: Businesses need to thoroughly understand the new policy's specifics, including the limitations it imposes and the mechanisms behind message delivery failures.
2. Invest in Analytics: Implementing or enhancing analytics capabilities will be critical for monitoring message delivery statuses and understanding user engagement patterns.
3. Develop Adaptive Messaging Strategies: Companies should develop more nuanced messaging strategies that account for the new limitations, focusing on the quality of each interaction rather than the quantity of messages sent.
4. Explore Alternative Channels: With the potential for increased message delivery failures, exploring and integrating alternative communication channels into the marketing mix will be vital.
5. Logical Automations: Another crucial adaptation is the development of an automatic logic layer capable of identifying instances of message non-delivery and responding appropriately.
For example: the system should be able to:
- Detect and target live conversation (24 hour conversation window) with any user;
- Waiting for an optimal time to resend the message;
- Choosing an alternative communication channel when WhatsApp fails; and
- Give detailed analytics on the performance of each marketing template, at individual user level and overall WhatsApp engagement rate at the business level, that will help in designing better segments and WhatsApp campaigns.
It is more likely that if a user has not read any marketing message over the last 10 messages sent to him or has failed to engage with the marketing message over the last 20-30 marketing message sent to the user, these limits may apply.
It is necessary that a logical layer be developed which can analyse the trend and patterns of these limits that are deployed by WhatsApp and based on insights so generated, use WhatsApp in a manner to increase deliverability.
Such a logic layer would significantly reduce the guesswork involved & ensure higher deliverability.
Conclusion
Ultimately, WhatsApp's policy change emphasizes the importance of respecting user preferences and fostering positive experiences. By limiting the influx of marketing messages, WhatsApp aims to ensure that users receive only the content they are most likely to engage with, thereby enhancing the overall user experience on the platform.
As businesses navigate these complexities, it also becomes crucial to deliberate on whether they want to spend significant time and efforts building the observability and logical automation layer, or work with an expert communication management platform like Fyno that offers this out of the box.
WhatsApp has been doing quite a lot with their new tech partner ecosystem (read more about it here). WhatsApp has been innovating a lot on the technology offering side and are trusting their Tech partners to build value added services for businesses that can help them use WhatsApp meaningfully.
FAQ: Navigating WhatsApp's New Message Policy for Businesses
1. Does this policy only apply to marketing conversations, or does it affect all types of conversations - utilities, authentication and service?
This policy specifically targets marketing template messages intended to initiate new marketing conversations.
2. What happens to a live conversation? Do messages fail there as well?
Live, ongoing conversations are not impacted by this new policy. WhatsApp has made it clear that the limit only applies to marketing template messages that would open a new marketing conversation.
3. What is the error code that you will receive for failures?
If a marketing template message is not delivered due to the newly introduced limit, the On-Premises API will return error code 1026 and cloud APIs will return an error code of 131026 .
4. Will my business be charged for failed messages?
The specifics regarding charges for failed messages due to hitting the limit have not been explicitly outlined in WhatsApp's announcement. Typically, WhatsApp charges are based on successfully delivered messages. If you are getting charged for failures, you should discuss with your WhatsApp provider or work directly with WhatsApp for pricing transparency.
5. How can you ensure the highest delivery rate?
To maximize your message delivery rate under the new policy, consider the following strategies:
- Segment your audience carefully and tailor your messages to ensure relevance and engagement.
- Monitor your messaging frequency to avoid overwhelming users with too many messages.
- Track open and engagement rates. Utilize these analytics to track message performance and adjust your strategy based on user engagement.
- Explore and integrate alternative communication channels to maintain connectivity with your audience.
6. Can businesses appeal against the limit if they believe it's affecting their communication?
WhatsApp has not provided a direct mechanism for appealing against the limit. The policy is applied broadly to ensure a consistent user experience.
7. How can businesses adapt their messaging strategies to comply with the new policy?
Businesses should prioritize the quality and relevance of their marketing messages, ensuring that each message delivers value to the recipient.
8. Are there any tools recommended by WhatsApp to monitor and analyze messaging strategies?
While WhatsApp provides basic analytics through its Business API, businesses may benefit from integrating third-party tools like Fyno that offer advanced analytics and monitoring. These can provide deeper insights into message performance and user engagement, helping businesses to fine-tune their strategies.
By understanding and adapting to WhatsApp's new message policy, businesses can navigate these changes effectively and continue to engage their audiences in meaningful ways.
