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AI WhatsApp Automation for Growing Businesses

Automate your WhatsApp Business number with a GPT-5 agent, scannable QR codes that track which sign or bio link drove each lead, image and video template headers, tag-based broadcasts, and a developer Send API. Connect in one click through Meta's Embedded Signup, reply inside the 24-hour window with AI or your team, and re-engage customers with templates when the window closes. Included in Pro and Business plans.

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WhatsApp included on Pro and Business plans  ·  Meta messaging fees billed at cost

Built On

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How WhatsApp Automation Works

From Meta Embedded Signup to AI replies in minutes, not days

1

Connect in One Click

Click Connect WhatsApp in portal Settings. Meta's Embedded Signup popup walks you through WhatsApp Business Account creation or selection. ChatGenius captures your phone number ID and WABA ID, registers the number, and subscribes webhooks automatically.

2

Customers Message You

Inbound messages flow through Meta's Cloud API webhook into the shared ChatGenius inbox alongside Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram. Text, images, documents, voice notes, video, stickers, and location pins are all supported.

3

AI Replies Inside the 24h Window

Your GPT-5 agent answers using the same knowledge base and tone as your other channels. Interactive reply buttons, list messages, and CTA URL buttons are generated automatically when the AI wants to offer quick options.

4

Re-Engage With Templates & Broadcasts

When the 24-hour window closes, send an approved template to reopen the conversation. Build tag-based broadcast campaigns, schedule sends, and let ChatGenius handle rate limits and retries for you.

WhatsApp Features

Everything you need to run WhatsApp Business at scale

GPT-5 AI Agent

Same brain as your Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram channels. Shared knowledge base, tone settings, business context, and escalation rules. Configure AI once, it responds consistently everywhere.

24-Hour Window Tracking

Live countdown per conversation in the inbox. Inside the window, reply freely with text, media, and interactive buttons. Outside the window, Send Template replaces the reply box. Ad-originated conversations get a 72-hour free window automatically.

Templates With Image, Video & PDF Headers

Build templates with live preview: text, image, video, or PDF header (Meta's Resumable Upload handled for you), body with named variables, footer, Quick Reply buttons (up to 10), and Call-to-Action buttons (up to 2). Submit to Meta from the portal, track Approved / Pending / Rejected, and see inline previews of every media-header template.

Tag-Based Broadcasts

Select an approved template, pick audience tags (match any or all), and preview recipients before sending. Schedule sends in any timezone or send immediately. Pause, resume, cancel, or retry failed recipients. Pro includes 500 recipients per month, Business includes 5,000.

Interactive Messages

Reply buttons (up to 3 tappable options), list messages (up to 10 rows across sections), and CTA URL buttons that open links in the browser. AI and Flow Builder both generate these automatically. Quick replies from any channel auto-convert to WhatsApp interactive buttons.

Shared Team Inbox

WhatsApp conversations sit alongside Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram in one inbox. Claim conversations, add internal notes, tag contacts, and assign agents. When a human claims a thread, AI steps back automatically.

Visual Flow Builder

Drag-and-drop flows fire on WhatsApp messages the same way they do on Instagram and Messenger. Keyword triggers, button branching, image nodes, and button-click routing all work natively. Build once, run across all three Meta channels.

QR Codes & Click-to-Chat Links

Generate scannable QR codes and short wa.me links with pre-filled messages straight from settings. Print on signage, packaging, business cards, or drop in your bio. Every conversation that scans the code is auto-tagged with your label so you can see exactly which placement is working. Download SVG and PNG, edit the message any time without breaking printed QRs, filter the inbox by QR source.

Click-to-WhatsApp Ad Attribution

When a customer clicks a Facebook or Instagram ad with a Message on WhatsApp CTA, ChatGenius captures the ad ID, headline, body, and Meta click ID (ctwa_clid) on the first message. See exactly which ad drove each lead, filter the inbox by Source, and unlock the 72-hour free messaging window. ManyChat publicly drops up to 99.8% of CTWA referrals; ChatGenius captures every one.

Webhook + Send API for WhatsApp

Add the $29/month Webhook + Send API add-on and your backend receives every inbound WhatsApp message via signed HTTPS webhook (whatsapp.message_received) and sends free-form text or approved templates through one REST endpoint. Same auth, idempotency, and HMAC-SHA256 signing as the FB DM, IG DM, and SMS channels. Plug WhatsApp into HubSpot, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, or your own AI agent. Learn more →

Per-Channel AI & Automation Toggles

WhatsApp has its own AI Assistant and Automation switches, separate from Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram. Run AI on Instagram while keeping WhatsApp on keyword-only flows, or pause AI on WhatsApp during a launch and let your team handle it manually. Keyword flows fire instantly without waiting for the 5-second batch window.

Lead Capture, Escalation & Follow-Ups

Auto-detect names, emails, and phone numbers in WhatsApp conversations. Sentiment analysis triggers SMS alerts to you when a conversation needs attention. AI follow-ups fire inside the 24-hour window. STOP keyword opt-out and re-engagement are handled automatically.

QR Codes That Track Themselves

Print, scan, attribute — without UTM hacks or third-party redirects

Generate a QR code from the WhatsApp settings panel in seconds. Pick a label like "Storefront Window" or "Business Card Q2", type a pre-filled message up to 140 characters, and ChatGenius creates both an SVG and PNG plus a short wa.me/message/<code> link. Edit the message text any time — printed QR codes keep working.

When a customer scans, the conversation gets auto-tagged with the QR's label from the very first message. Filter the inbox by source, see "Storefront Window" next to "Black Friday Ad" on each conversation card, and finally know which sign, packaging insert, or bio link is actually driving WhatsApp leads.

No phone number leaked on the public link. No 1:1 ad-to-element mapping required. Free of charge — Meta only bills per-conversation when a real customer eventually messages.

The ManyChat Ad Attribution Gap

Why Click-to-WhatsApp advertisers are switching to ChatGenius

ManyChat users running Click-to-WhatsApp ads report massive data loss on ad source tracking. One operator reported 200 ad-driven conversations but only 70 appeared in ManyChat (a 65% loss). A ManyChat Community Moderator reported 1,900 ad clicks but only 4 conversations reached their bot (99.8% loss). Their Click-to-Message tool also forces a 1:1 ad-to-element setup, making A/B testing 10 creatives require 10 separate configurations.

ChatGenius captures Meta's referral object directly from the Cloud API webhook on every CTWA conversation. Ad ID, headline, body, and source type are stored on the conversation from message one. No manual setup, no 1:1 mapping, no dropped conversations, no flakey triggers.

Filter the inbox by Source to view only ad-originated conversations. Reply inside the extended 72-hour free window. Know exactly which creative, headline, and campaign is producing WhatsApp leads.

Use Cases

Appointment Businesses

Book & Confirm via WhatsApp

AI qualifies, checks availability, and books. Confirmation templates send outside the window. Reminder templates fire 24 hours before. No-show rates drop, staff stop chasing.

E-commerce

Order Updates & Support

Utility templates for order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery notifications. AI handles pre-purchase questions and post-purchase support inside the 24-hour window.

Paid Acquisition

Click-to-WhatsApp Ad Follow-Up

Ad clicks open a WhatsApp thread, AI qualifies the lead, broadcasts re-engage non-converters. Every conversation tagged with the exact ad that drove it, so you know which creative is paying for itself.

Local Services

Quotes, Estimates & Reactivation

AI collects job details, sends back a quote, schedules a site visit. Tag past customers by job type and broadcast seasonal offers through approved utility templates.

Coaches & Creators

Lead Nurture on a Global Channel

WhatsApp is the primary messaging app outside the US. Capture leads through comment auto-DM on Instagram, continue the conversation on WhatsApp, and broadcast launch announcements.

Teams

Shared Inbox Across Channels

Your team handles WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram in one inbox. Claim, tag, add internal notes, and hand off to AI when a thread goes quiet.

Plan Availability

Feature
Free
Creator
Pro
Business
WhatsApp channel
-
-
✓
✓
AI agent on WhatsApp
-
-
✓
✓
Templates with image / video / PDF headers
-
-
✓
✓
Interactive buttons & lists
-
-
✓
✓
QR codes & click-to-chat links
-
-
✓
✓
Broadcast recipients / month
0
0
500
5,000
Flow Builder on WhatsApp
-
-
✓
✓
CTWA ad attribution
-
-
✓
✓
Webhook + Send API for WhatsApp
-
-
+$29/mo
+$29/mo
See full pricing details →

Enterprise plans include WhatsApp with custom broadcast volume. Meta's per-conversation messaging fees are billed directly by Meta to your WABA payment method.

WhatsApp Questions

How do I connect my WhatsApp Business account?+
ChatGenius uses Meta's Embedded Signup flow. Click Connect WhatsApp in Settings, Meta walks you through WhatsApp Business Account creation or selection inside a popup, and ChatGenius captures your phone number ID and WABA ID automatically. The phone number is registered with Meta's Cloud API on your behalf, and your WABA is subscribed to webhooks in one step.
What is the 24-hour messaging window?+
WhatsApp only allows free-form messages for 24 hours after a customer's last message. ChatGenius tracks this window per conversation and shows a live countdown in the inbox. Inside the window, AI and team members can reply with text, media, and interactive buttons. Once the window closes, the Send Template button appears so you can re-engage using an approved template. Conversations that originate from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad get a 72-hour free window from the first message, detected automatically.
How do WhatsApp QR codes and click-to-chat links work?+
Generate scannable QR codes and short wa.me links directly from the WhatsApp settings panel. Each code carries a pre-filled message (up to 140 characters) and a label so you can identify it later. When a customer scans the QR or taps the link, they land in WhatsApp with the message ready to send. ChatGenius auto-tags every conversation that started from the QR with that code's label, so you know exactly which sign, business card, packaging insert, email signature, or bio link drove each lead. Download both SVG and PNG, edit the pre-filled message any time without breaking printed QRs, and filter the inbox by Source to see all QR-driven conversations. No third-party redirects, no UTM hacks.
How do message templates work?+
Templates are pre-approved message formats that let you message customers outside the 24-hour window. Create a template in the portal with a body, optional header (text, image, video, or PDF), footer, and up to 10 Quick Reply buttons or 2 Call-to-Action buttons (URL or phone). Named variables like {{customer_name}} let you personalize each send. Submit to Meta with one click, track Approved / Pending / Rejected status, and send directly from any expired conversation.
Can I add an image, video, or PDF to a WhatsApp template?+
Yes. Templates support media headers — image (JPG/PNG up to 5MB), video (MP4 up to 16MB), or document (PDF up to 100MB) at the top of the message instead of just text. Upload the creative once when creating the template, ChatGenius handles Meta's two-step Resumable Upload API automatically, and the same media is sent to every recipient. Media-header templates feel more like a marketing email and convert noticeably better than text-only templates. The template list also shows an inline preview of every media-header template so you can identify them at a glance.
Which template categories are available?+
ChatGenius supports Utility templates (order updates, appointment reminders, account notifications) and Authentication templates (OTP codes, verification). Marketing templates are currently paused for US-based accounts per Meta's guidance. This is a Meta policy, not a ChatGenius limit. You can still reach customers inside the 24-hour window with any message type.
How do broadcasts work?+
Pick an approved template, tag the contacts you want to reach, and preview the recipient list before you send. Broadcasts can go out immediately or be scheduled for a future date and time in your timezone. You can pause, resume, cancel, retry failed recipients, or delete drafts. ChatGenius auto-pauses a broadcast if Meta returns rate limit errors or if more than 5% of recipients fail, protecting your phone number's quality rating. Pro includes 500 recipients per month, Business includes 5,000.
What is Click-to-WhatsApp ad attribution?+
When a customer clicks a Facebook or Instagram ad with a Message on WhatsApp CTA, Meta passes a referral object to the webhook containing the ad ID, headline, body, and click ID (ctwa_clid for future Conversions API matching). ChatGenius captures all of this automatically on the first message and stores it on the conversation, so you can see exactly which ad drove each WhatsApp lead. A Source filter in the inbox lets you view only ad-originated conversations. ManyChat operators have publicly reported losing up to 99.8% of CTWA clicks in their funnels — ChatGenius captures every referral object directly from Meta's Cloud API webhook with no manual setup.
Can I send WhatsApp messages from my own server or CRM?+
Yes. The Webhook + Send API add-on (Creator and above, +$29/month) lets your backend receive every inbound WhatsApp message via a signed HTTPS webhook (whatsapp.message_received) and send outbound free-form text or approved templates through a single REST endpoint. Same authentication, idempotency, and HMAC-SHA256 signing as the Facebook DM, Instagram DM, and SMS channels. Useful for routing WhatsApp into HubSpot, Salesforce, GoHighLevel, or your own AI agent. WhatsApp on the Send API requires WhatsApp access on your tier (Pro or Business) plus the Webhook + Send API add-on. See full Webhook & Send API details →
Does the AI work the same on WhatsApp as Instagram and Messenger?+
Yes. The same GPT-5 brain, knowledge base, tone settings, business context, and escalation rules work across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, SMS, and Telegram. You configure AI once and it responds consistently on every channel. WhatsApp-specific formatting (interactive buttons, list messages, CTA URLs) is handled automatically when the AI wants to offer quick options. WhatsApp also has its own AI Assistant and Automation toggles so you can run AI on Instagram and Messenger while leaving WhatsApp on keyword-only flows, or vice versa.
Can my team reply to WhatsApp conversations?+
Yes. WhatsApp conversations appear in the shared team inbox alongside Instagram, Messenger, SMS, and Telegram. Team members can claim conversations, leave internal notes, tag contacts, and reply. When a conversation is claimed by a human, AI automatically steps back. If the 24-hour window has expired, the Send Template button replaces the normal reply box.
Which plans include WhatsApp?+
WhatsApp is included in the Pro ($99/month) and Business ($297/month) plans at no extra cost, plus Enterprise. Meta's per-conversation messaging fees are billed directly by Meta to your WABA payment method. ChatGenius does not mark up Meta's rates.
Do I need a payment method to send templates?+
Yes. Meta requires a payment method on your WhatsApp Business Account before templates can be delivered. ChatGenius checks this automatically and shows a clear message in the portal if it's missing, with a direct link to WhatsApp Manager to add one.

Works Great With

Instagram DM Automation → Facebook Messenger Bot → Visual Flow Builder → Comment Auto-DM → AI Booking → Lead Capture → Knowledge Base → Webhook & Send API →

Start Automating WhatsApp Today

Connect your WhatsApp Business number in one click. Included on Pro and Business plans.

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