WhatsApp reminders reliably outperform email for open rates with Indian students. WeMakeSuccess connects directly to Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API — your own WhatsApp Business account, not a shared or unofficial workaround — so messages are sent through your own number and billed to your own Meta account.

Prerequisites

• A Meta Business Account (create one at business.facebook.com if you don't have one).
• A WhatsApp Business Platform app registered under that Meta Business Account, with a verified phone number dedicated to sending these messages.

Connecting WhatsApp

1. In Meta's developer console, create an app and add the WhatsApp product.
2. Register or verify a phone number for the app — this becomes the number your students see messages from.
3. Retrieve your Phone Number ID and a permanent Access Token from the WhatsApp app's API setup page.
4. In WeMakeSuccess, go to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp and paste in both values.
5. Create and submit your first message templates for Meta's approval — the Cloud API only allows pre-approved templates for messages you initiate (not replies within an existing 24-hour conversation window), and approval typically takes a few hours to a day.

Where WhatsApp Messaging Is Used

Once connected, WhatsApp becomes available as an action inside Automation Rules — for example, sending a reminder when a student has been inactive, or a congratulations message on course completion. See Building Automation Rules for the full trigger/action reference. You can also send one-time broadcast messages to your full list or a segment, separate from automated triggers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WhatsApp messaging cost extra on top of my WeMakeSuccess subscription?

Meta charges per-conversation fees on the WhatsApp Cloud API based on message category and destination country — this is billed directly through your own Meta Business account, separate from your WeMakeSuccess subscription.

How long does template approval take?

Meta typically reviews templates within a few hours to a day, though this can vary. Templates that closely follow Meta's formatting guidelines (no excessive promotional language, clear variable placeholders) tend to get approved faster.

Can I use my personal WhatsApp number?

No — the Cloud API requires a dedicated business phone number registered specifically to the WhatsApp Business Platform app, separate from a personal WhatsApp account.