How to create WhatsApp templates and contact lists

Before you can send a WhatsApp campaign, you need two things: a message template that Meta has approved, and a contact list of people to send it to. This guide shows how to make both.

Before you start

• Connect a WhatsApp Business number. Templates are created in your WhatsApp Business account. See Connect WhatsApp Business.
• Your role needs permission to manage campaigns.

Create a WhatsApp template

1. In the sidebar, open Marketing → Templates. Make sure the WhatsApp tab is selected.
2. Click Create Template.

   

3. Type a Template name. Use only lowercase letters, numbers and underscores, for example eid_offer_2026.
4. Pick the Language your message is written in.
5. Optional: add a Header (optional) (text only, up to 60 characters).
6. Write the Body (up to 1,024 characters). Use variables like {{first_name}} to add each customer's name. Click Quick sample to see an example.
7. Optional: add a Footer (optional) (up to 60 characters).
8. Check the Live preview, then click Save template.

   

Your template is sent to Meta for review and shows PENDING with “Awaiting review — you can use it in campaigns once approved.” When Meta approves it, it changes to APPROVED. If Meta rejects it, it shows REJECTED with the reason. Use the filter buttons (ALL, APPROVED, PENDING, REJECTED) to find templates quickly.

Create a contact list

1. Open Marketing → Contacts.
2. Click New List, type a List Name, and click Create.

   

3. Open the list. Click Add contact to add people one by one, or Import to upload many at once.
4. To import, prepare a CSV file with the columns first_name, last_name, phone_number and email. Each row needs a phone number or an email. Click Sample to download an example file.
5. In Import contacts, click Click to upload and choose your CSV file.

   

6. Optional: add tags to contacts (click + tag) so you can send campaigns to only some people later.

Click Export any time to download the list as a CSV file.

Tips

• Include the country code in phone numbers (for Bangladesh, +880…) to avoid sending problems.
• Templates for offers and promotions are reviewed as marketing messages. Write clearly and avoid misleading claims so Meta approves them.
• You can't edit a WhatsApp template after it's submitted. To change it, create a new one with a new name.
• The same Templates page also has SMS and Email tabs for those campaign types.

Troubleshooting

“Name must be lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores only”

Remove spaces, capital letters and symbols from the template name. Use _ instead of spaces.

“Template already exists. A template with this name and language already exists in your WhatsApp account.”

Template names must be unique for each language. Change the name or the language.

My template is REJECTED

Read the reason on the template card. Common causes are a body that starts or ends with a variable, too many variables for the amount of text, or content Meta doesn't allow. Fix it and create a new template.

“No valid contacts found — every row needs a valid phone number or email.”

Your CSV has no usable rows. Check the column names match exactly (first_name, last_name, phone_number, email) and that each row has a phone number or email.

“A contact with this phone number or email already exists in this list”

That person is already in the list. You don't need to add them again.

Related articles

• Send a WhatsApp campaign
• Connect WhatsApp Business
• Customers
• Automations