WhatsApp is one of the most powerful communication channels available inside Aesthetix CRM. With over 2 billion users globally, it delivers higher open rates than SMS or email and allows you to automate conversations, run bulk campaigns, and manage all your messaging from one place.
This guide covers everything you need to know — from initial setup to advanced automation — so you can get the most out of WhatsApp inside your Aesthetix CRM account.
Aesthetix CRM connects to WhatsApp through Meta's official WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API). This gives you access to enterprise-grade messaging features directly inside your CRM — no third-party app required.
Here's what you can do:
Send and receive WhatsApp messages from the Conversations inbox
Automate responses using Workflows
Run bulk campaigns to large contact lists
Create and send approved message templates for outreach
Build interactive Flows for appointment booking, data collection, and more
Track delivery, read rates, and engagement from your dashboard
⚠ Important: WhatsApp Business API messages are subject to Meta's policies and pricing. Please read this guide in full before getting started.
Before connecting WhatsApp to Aesthetix CRM, make sure you have the following:
Requirement
Details
Meta Business Manager account | Required to verify your business with Meta |
|---|---|
A dedicated phone number | Must not be currently registered on WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business App |
Meta Business Verification | Required to unlock higher messaging limits |
Active Aesthetix CRM subscription | WhatsApp is an add-on feature ($29/month per account) |
⚠ Phone number rules: Once a number is migrated to the WhatsApp Business Platform, it cannot be used simultaneously on the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business App. You must choose one or the other — unless you use the Coexistence setup (see Section 4).
⚠ Unsupported regions: Some country codes are not supported by the WhatsApp Business API. If your business operates in a restricted region, contact our support team for alternatives.
Use this method if you are connecting a brand new phone number that has never been used on WhatsApp.
Step 1 — Subscribe to WhatsApp
Inside your Aesthetix CRM sub-account, go to Settings → WhatsApp
Click Get Started and enter your payment details
Confirm the subscription ($29/month per account)
Step 2 — Connect via Embedded Signup
After subscribing, you will be redirected to Meta's WhatsApp signup page
Log in with your Facebook/Meta Business account
Create or select your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
Enter your business phone number and choose your verification method (SMS or voice call)
Enter the verification code
Step 3 — Configure Your Business Profile
Add your Business Display Name (this is what contacts will see)
Upload a profile photo/logo
Add your business description, website, and address
Click Save
Step 4 — Confirm Connection
Return to Settings → WhatsApp in Aesthetix CRM
Your number should now show a Connected status
You are ready to start messaging ✅
WhatsApp Coexistence allows you to link your existing WhatsApp Business App number to Aesthetix CRM — so you can manage the same inbox from both your phone and the CRM simultaneously.
What you can do in Coexistence mode:
Feature Mobile App Aesthetix CRM
Send/receive messages | ✅ | ✅ |
Bulk campaigns | ❌ | ✅ |
Automated workflows | ❌ | ✅ |
Interactive templates | ❌ | ✅ |
Status, Groups, Calls | ✅ | ❌ |
Voice notes | ✅ | ✅ |
Requirements for Coexistence:
WhatsApp Business App version 2.24.17 or newer
Your number must be linked to a Facebook Page
You must not have a previous LeadConnector/WABA integration on this number (if you do, delete the old WABA first)
Setup Steps:
Go to Settings → WhatsApp in your Aesthetix CRM account
Select Coexistence / Connect Existing Number
Scan the QR code displayed with your WhatsApp Business App
Approve the connection prompt on your phone
Your number is now linked ✅
📌 Note: Template messages (for outreach outside the 24-hour window) can only be sent via Aesthetix CRM — not from the mobile app — when using Coexistence.
Go to Settings → WhatsApp to access your WhatsApp control center.
Displays a real-time snapshot of your account health:
Account Status — whether your WABA is active and in good standing
Meta Business Verification — verification status with Meta
Total Messages Sent (last 7 days)
Total Messages Delivered (last 7 days + delivery rate %)
The three-dot action menu in the top-right corner lets you:
Disconnect your WhatsApp account
Cancel your WhatsApp subscription
Manage all phone numbers linked to your WhatsApp Business Account:
Add a new number (via dropdown or manual entry)
View number status (Connected / Pending / Disconnected)
Launch Click-to-WhatsApp Ad campaigns from a number
Create and manage your Meta-approved message templates (see Section 7).
Build interactive WhatsApp Flows for appointment booking and data collection (see Section 11).
This is the most important concept to understand about WhatsApp messaging.
When a contact sends you a message, a 24-hour window opens
During this window, you can send free-form messages, which are free for the first 1,000 per number each month (see Pricing & Billing below)
Every time the contact replies, the window resets for another 24 hours
If more than 24 hours pass without a reply, the window closes — and you must use a pre-approved template to re-engage (which incurs a charge)
If a contact messages you by clicking a Facebook/Instagram Ad, the conversation window extends to 72 hours (instead of 24). During this extended window, you can send both free-form and template messages.
Scenario Message Type Cost
Contact messaged you within 24 hrs | Free-form text | Free for the first 1,000 per number each month, then charged per message |
|---|---|---|
No contact reply in 24+ hrs | Approved template required | Charged per message |
Contact clicked a WhatsApp ad | Free-form or template | Free (72-hr window) |
Utility template sent within service window | Template | Charged per message as of October 1, 2026 |
Templates are pre-approved messages that allow you to reach contacts outside of the 24-hour window or initiate business conversations. All templates must be approved by Meta before use.
Category
Use Case
Notes
Marketing | Promotions, offers, announcements | Cannot be sent to US (+1) numbers |
|---|---|---|
Utility | Order updates, appointment reminders, confirmations | Can be sent to all regions; charged per message, inside or outside the service window |
Authentication | One-time passcodes, account verification | (Coming soon) |
Service | Resolving customer inquiries | (Coming soon) |
⚠ US Number Restriction: As of April 1, 2025, marketing templates cannot be sent to US phone numbers (+1). Utility and service messages are still permitted.
Go to Settings → WhatsApp → Templates Tab
Click + Create Template
Fill in the following:
Template Name — unique identifier (no spaces; use underscores)
Category — Marketing, Utility, or Authentication
Language — select the language of the message
Build your message:
Header (optional): Text, Image, Video, Document, or Location
Body: Main message text. Use {{1}}, {{2}} etc. for dynamic variables (e.g., contact name, appointment time)
Footer (optional): Small print or unsubscribe note
Buttons (optional): Call to Action (phone/URL) or Quick Reply buttons
Click Create to submit to Meta for approval
Status
Meaning
Pending | Submitted and awaiting Meta review |
Approved | Ready to send |
Rejected | Did not meet Meta's policies; edit and resubmit |
Paused | Temporarily suspended due to low engagement or quality issues |
Disabled | Permanently blocked by Meta |
Avoid overly salesy language in Marketing templates
Clearly identify your business in the message body
Do not include misleading content or external links to unknown sites
Use the built-in AI Template Rewriter tool (in the Templates tab) to convert Marketing templates into Utility-style language for better approval rates
Templates can be previewed before sending directly in the Conversations inbox and Bulk Actions
The preview shows the template category and language
If the template includes media, click Replace Media to swap in a local file at send time
Snippets are reusable message blocks you can insert into active conversations for faster, consistent replies — no approval required.
Snippets can include text and multimedia
They can only be used within an open 24-hour window
To message a contact outside the window, you must use an approved Template instead
Snippets can also be inserted into Workflow actions using free-form message steps
To use a snippet in a conversation:
Open the conversation in Conversations
Click the Snippet icon in the message composer
Search for and select your saved snippet
Edit if needed and send
Bulk Actions let you send approved WhatsApp templates to multiple contacts at once — perfect for campaigns, announcements, or re-engagement outreach.
Go to Contacts in your Aesthetix CRM account
Use filters or Smart Lists to select the contacts you want to reach
Click Bulk Actions → Send WhatsApp
Select an approved template (preview will appear automatically)
Replace any media if needed
Choose your send method:
Send Now — sends immediately
Schedule — set a future date and time
Drip Mode — sends messages in batches over time
Optionally, configure an SMS Fallback message (sent automatically if WhatsApp delivery fails)
Click Send to launch the campaign
After sending, monitor your campaign performance in real time:
Stat What It Means
Pending | Message queued, not yet triggered |
Sent | Message triggered and sent to WhatsApp |
Delivered | Successfully received on the contact's device |
Read | Contact opened and read the message |
Error | Delivery failed (see error reason for details) |
Skipped | Contact did not meet the criteria (e.g., no WhatsApp number, DND enabled) |
If a WhatsApp message fails to deliver (e.g., the contact's account is inactive or the template is rejected), the system can automatically send an SMS instead. You will only be billed for whichever channel successfully delivers the message.
⚠ Messaging Rate Limit: Bulk messages are sent at a rate of up to 1,000 messages per hour, subject to your Meta tier limits.
You can fully automate WhatsApp messaging using Workflows inside Aesthetix CRM.
Trigger Examples:
Contact Created
Form Submitted
Appointment Booked / Missed
Customer Replied (WhatsApp channel)
Tag Added
Click-to-WhatsApp Ad interaction
Step-by-Step:
Go to Automations → Workflows → Create Workflow
Select Start from Scratch
Click Add New Trigger and choose your trigger (e.g., "Customer Replied")
Add a filter: Reply Channel → WhatsApp to limit the trigger to WhatsApp only
Click + to add an action → search for and select WhatsApp
From the dropdown, select your sending phone number
Choose your message type:
None – Free-form text (only available within 24-hour window)
WhatsApp Template (for outreach or outside 24-hour window)
Optionally, enable Smart Branching to handle different outcomes:
Flow Completed — fires when a contact finishes a WhatsApp Flow
Use additional branches for button responses or no-reply scenarios
Click Save Action → Publish → Save
You can add a "Wait for WhatsApp Reply" step to pause the workflow until the contact responds — enabling natural, conversational automation sequences.
Add a DND action to stop sending messages if a contact replies with "STOP" or a similar opt-out keyword. You can configure DND to apply to WhatsApp only or all channels.
WhatsApp Flows are interactive, in-chat experiences that let contacts complete tasks — like booking an appointment or submitting their details — without ever leaving WhatsApp.
Appointment booking (linked directly to your Aesthetix CRM calendar)
Lead capture forms
Customer feedback surveys
Qualification questionnaires
Go to Settings → WhatsApp → Flows Tab
Click + Create Flow
Step 1 – Name & Calendar: Enter a Flow Name and (if booking-related) select a Calendar
Step 2 – Fields: Review the fields the flow will collect (First Name, Last Name, Email, etc.). A live preview shows the contact's view
Step 3 – Template: Create the message template that will contain the button to launch the flow (this template must also be approved by Meta)
Submit and wait for Meta approval
Once approved, the Flow can be triggered via a Workflow action or sent manually in a conversation.
In the Contacts section, you can filter your contact list to find everyone with a WhatsApp number, or segment by engagement history, tags, lead status, and more.
Create saved Smart Lists that automatically update based on your filter criteria. Use these to:
Target specific segments for bulk campaigns
Trigger workflows based on list membership
Monitor a group of contacts over time
Example Smart Lists:
All contacts with a WhatsApp number in a specific city
Leads who haven't replied in 7+ days
Contacts tagged as "Hot Lead" with no appointment booked
In conversations, you can see at a glance whether a contact has an active 24-hour window open, making it easy to know when to use free-form text vs. a template.
Meta enforces messaging limits on all WhatsApp Business accounts. Understanding these limits helps you avoid delivery failures and protect your account standing.
Tier Business-Initiated Conversations per 24 Hours
Tier 1 | 1,000 |
Tier 2 | 10,000 |
Tier 3 | 100,000 |
Tier 4 | Unlimited |
How to move up tiers:
Initiate conversations with at least 500 unique customers over a rolling 7-day period to increase from Tier 1 to Tier 2
Continue scaling from there as your volume grows
Aesthetix CRM will display a warning if you attempt to send a bulk campaign that exceeds your current tier limit
Your Quality Rating is based on how contacts interact with your messages over the past 7 days. Negative signals (blocks, reports, low engagement) lower your rating and can reduce your messaging tier.
To maintain a high quality rating:
Only message contacts who have opted in to receive WhatsApp messages
Personalize your messages and avoid generic blasts
Do not message contacts too frequently
Honor opt-out requests immediately
Meta now tracks how individual users engage with your marketing templates. If a specific user is not engaging, you will be allowed to send them fewer messages over time. This is separate from your overall account tier limit.
Error Codes to Know:
131049 — Marketing message limit reached for this specific user
131050 — This user has opted out of marketing messages
WhatsApp is available as an add-on inside Aesthetix CRM for $29/month per account. This fee covers:
Connection to Meta's WhatsApp Business API
API hosting and management
Access to templates, flows, and automation features
Inbound messaging (free)
As of July 1, 2025, Meta switched to per-message pricing (previously per-conversation). You are now charged for each individual template message sent, rather than for an entire conversation session.
Message Type Cost
Inbound messages | Free |
|---|---|
Free-form messages (within 24-hr window) | Free for the first 1,000 per number each month, then charged per message |
Utility templates (within 24-hr service window) | Charged per message as of October 1, 2026 |
Marketing templates | Charged per message (rate varies by country) |
Utility templates (outside service window) | Charged per message |
💡 Tip: Wherever possible, respond within the 24-hour window using free-form messages to minimize costs. Use templates only when initiating contact or re-engaging after the window has closed.
Free-form replies (service messages) are free for the first 1,000 per phone number each month, then billed per message. The allowance resets monthly.
Utility templates sent inside an open 24-hour window are now billed per message. They used to be free.
Incoming messages from patients are still free, and Click to WhatsApp ad conversations are still free for 72 hours.
Rates changed in several markets, and nine countries moved to their own dedicated rates.
Current rates for every message type and country are on the WhatsApp pricing page.
Message charges are deducted from your Aesthetix CRM wallet balance. Ensure your wallet is funded to avoid message delivery interruptions.
Do Not Disturb (DND) prevents messages from being sent to contacts who have opted out.
In any Workflow, add a Set Contact DND action
Choose to apply DND to:
WhatsApp only — blocks future WhatsApp messages while allowing other channels
All channels — blocks SMS, email, and WhatsApp
Trigger this action based on a contact replying with "STOP," "Unsubscribe," or a similar keyword
In a contact's profile, you can see and manually toggle their DND status per channel. Always respect DND settings to maintain compliance with WhatsApp's policies and protect your quality rating.
Issue Likely Cause Solution
"WhatsApp tab not visible" | WhatsApp not yet activated for your account | Go to Settings → WhatsApp and subscribe |
Template stuck in "Pending" | Meta review in progress | Wait 24–48 hours; check for policy issues |
Template "Rejected" | Message violates Meta content policies | Edit and resubmit; use the AI Template Rewriter |
Messages not delivering | Contact's number is not on WhatsApp | Verify the contact has an active WhatsApp account |
Error code 131049 | Per-user marketing limit reached | Wait and retry later; reduce marketing message frequency |
Error code 131050 | Contact opted out of marketing messages | Remove from marketing campaigns; respect opt-out |
Bulk action warning on contact count | Exceeds your current 24-hr messaging tier | Reduce the audience size or wait for tier reset |
"WABA already connected to another location" | Number is linked to a different CRM location | Disconnect from the original location first, then reconnect |
Template not showing in Bulk Actions | Template not yet approved by Meta | Wait for approval or use a different approved template |
Follow these guidelines to get the best results from WhatsApp inside Aesthetix CRM:
✅ Always get opt-in consent Only message contacts who have explicitly agreed to receive WhatsApp communications from your business. This is both a policy requirement and critical for maintaining your quality rating.
✅ Personalize your messages Use template variables (like {{first_name}}) to address contacts by name. Personalized messages have significantly higher engagement rates.
✅ Respond within the 24-hour window Whenever possible, reply to inbound messages promptly and use free-form text — it's free and feels more natural to the contact.
✅ Use Utility templates over Marketing templates Utility templates (appointment reminders, confirmations, updates) have higher approval rates, lower costs, and are not subject to the US marketing restriction.
✅ Monitor your Quality Rating regularly Check your account health in Settings → WhatsApp and in your Meta WhatsApp Manager dashboard. Address dips in quality before they impact your messaging tier.
✅ Use Smart Lists for targeted campaigns Avoid blasting your entire contact list. Segment your audience and send relevant messages to the right people at the right time.
✅ Set up SMS Fallback for bulk campaigns Enable the SMS fallback option on all bulk campaigns to ensure message delivery even when WhatsApp fails.
✅ Build Flows for high-value interactions Use WhatsApp Flows for appointment booking and lead capture to provide a seamless, professional experience that keeps contacts in the conversation.
✅ Honor opt-outs immediately Use the DND workflow action to instantly stop messaging contacts who opt out. Ignoring opt-outs will lower your quality rating and may result in your account being flagged.
If you run into any issues not covered in this guide, our support team is here to help.
📧 Submit a Support Ticket — Available inside your Aesthetix CRM account
💬 Live Chat — Click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of your dashboard
Last updated: March 2026 | Aesthetix CRM
