Before you start

Things you need to know:

By default, you should use the native WhatsApp subscription status for your contacts. However, in some scenarios, such as Import or if using the API, you might need to use this alternative way of gathering opt-ins and -outs. Contact your Customer Success Manager to use this feature.
Learn how to manage native WhatsApp consent.

Manage opt-in consent for WhatsApp

Consent for WhatsApp can be captured using a form built in Surveys, pages, and forms that saves the consent as a data field.

The process of collecting consent for WhatsApp goes as follows:

Send email or signup form.
User fills in the form to opt-in.
The user’s data field updates.

This article shows you how to setup this process to collect consent for WhatsApp. It consists of three steps:

Create a confirmation page
Create a WhatsApp opt-in program
Create a WhatsApp opt-in form

Before you start

Things you need to know:

You must collect opt-ins for marketing communication with WhatsApp.
Consent for WhatsApp is stored as a data field and not as consentInsight data.

1. Create a confirmation page

It might seem slightly backward, but first, let’s create a confirmation page to thank our WhatsApp users for signing up.

In Dotdigital, go to Content > Surveys, pages, and forms.
Select NEW SURVEY, PAGE, OR FORM.
Select Blank template.
Enter a name and choose a location. In this example, we use the name WhatsApp opt-in confirmation.
Drag a Title block onto the canvas, and enter your title text. In this example, we use Thank You!.
Drag a Text block underneath the title, and enter some body text. We'll use the text, You're now subscribed to receive exclusive updates and offers via WhatsApp. Stay tuned!.
Save and Publish your form.
Learn how in Publish a survey, page, or form.

2. Create a WhatsApp opt-in program

Let’s now create a program to add the WhatsApp consent data field to contacts that opt in.

In Dotdigital, go to Automation > Programs.
Select NEW PROGRAM, then select Blank template.
Enter a name for this program. For example, WhatsApp opt-in.
Select the start node, then for Enrolment scheduling, select SET SCHEDULE, then select No scheduled enrollments.
Select APPLY, then APPLY again.
Drag an Update contact node onto the canvas connected to the Start node.
Select the node to open the settings, then select Update selected data field.
If you don’t already have a consent data field, select CREATE DATA FIELD, then add the following data field values:
1. Name: WHATSAPP_CONSENT
2. Type: Yes/No
3. Default value: (leave blank)
4. Access: This data field is private
On the Update contact node, make sure the WA_CONSENT data field is selected; then for the Update method, select Replace with a new value, then expand the drop-down menu, and select ‘is yes’.
Select APPLY.
Drag an Exit node onto the canvas connected below the Update contact node.
Save and activate your program.
Learn how in Activate and deactivate automated programs.

Learn more about programs in our Program builder documentation.

3. Create a WhatsApp opt-in form

In this section, we create a generic form for capturing WhatsApp consent. Feel free to style and customise yours exactly how you want it.

In Dotdigital, go to Content > Surveys, pages and forms.
Select NEW SURVEY, PAGE, OR FORM.
Create a header for your page. In this example, I use an Image block for the logo and a text block for a title. But you can customise this however you want.
For the mobile number collection form, drag a Columns block onto the canvas. Set the number of columns to three. However, we only use the middle column.
Learn more about columns.
From the Form blocks menu, drag a Text box into the middle column of your column block.
In the Text block settings, set the Question type to Contact mobile number, check the Required check box, and enter any other details you want such as an error message or watermark.
From the Form blocks menu, drag a Consent block onto the canvas below the Text block. Add your own consent text to this block.
From the Form blocks menu, drag an Action button block onto the canvas. Enter your own Submit button text. In the example, I used ‘Sign up’.
From the Form blocks menu, drag a Confirmation block onto the canvas. Then set the confirmation to Go to a page, and choose the WhatsApp opt-in confirmation page you made in step 1 of this article.
Expand the Form options menu, and select Submit actions.
Under Add respondents, choose to add to your WhatsApp Subscribers list, and to enrol users onto the WhatsApp opt-ins program we made in step 2.

Learn more about creating and customising a form in Create a survey or form.

Manage opt-outs for WhatsApp

Opt-outs for WhatsApp can be managed using a form built in Surveys, pages, and forms that removes the consent for WhatsApp from the corresponding data field added when the contact opted in. The process of removing consent for WhatsApp goes as follows:

Opt out form linked in the WhatsApp message.
User fills in the form to opt-out.
The user's data field updates to remove consent.

This article shows you how to manage opt-outs for WhatsApp in three steps:

Create an opt-out page
Create a WhatsApp opt-out program
Create a WhatsApp opt-out form

Before you start

Things you need to know:

You must collect opt-ins for marketing communication with WhatsApp.
Consent for WhatsApp is stored as a data field.
The native Stop promotions button is not supported yet. You can’t use the same default copy designed for this Stop promotions button.

1. Create a confirmation page

It might seem slightly backward, but first, let’s create a confirmation page to confirm to the user they’ve opted out of WhatsApp messages.

In Dotdigital, go to Content > Surveys, pages and forms.
Select NEW SURVEY, PAGE, OR FORM.
Select Blank template.
Enter a name and choose a location. This example uses the name WhatsApp opt-out confirmation.
Drag a Title block onto the canvas, and enter your title text. In this example, we’ll use You unsubscribed from WhatsApp.
Drag a Text block underneath the title, and enter some body text.
Save and Publish your form and copy the link.
Learn how to do this in Publish a survey, page, or form.

2. Create a WhatsApp opt-out program

Now, let’s create a program to update the WhatsApp consent data field for contacts who opt out.

In Dotdigital, go to Automation > Programs.
Select NEW PROGRAM, then select Blank template.
Enter a name for this program. For example, WhatsApp opt-out.
Select the start node, then for Enrolment scheduling, select SET SCHEDULE, then select No scheduled enrolments.
Select APPLY, then APPLY again.
Drag an Update contact node onto the canvas connected to the start node.
Select the node to open the settings, then select Update selected data field.
On the Update contact node, make sure the WA_CONSENT data field is selected; then for the Update method, select Replace with a new value, then expand the drop-down menu, and select is no.
Select APPLY.
Drag an Exit node onto the canvas connected below the Update contact node.
Save and activate your program.
Learn how in Activate and deactivate automated programs.

Learn more about programs in our Program builder documentation.

3. Create a WhatsApp opt-out form

In this section, we create a generic form for removing WhatsApp consent. Feel free to style and customise yours exactly how you want it.

In Dotdigital, go to Content > Surveys, pages, and forms.
Select NEW SURVEY, PAGE, OR FORM.
Create a header for your page. In this example, I use an Image block for the logo and a text block for a title. But you can customise this however you want.
For the mobile number collection form, drag a Columns block onto the canvas. Set the number of columns to three. However, we only use the middle column.
Learn more about columns.
From the Form blocks menu, drag a Text box into the middle column of your column block.
In the Text block settings, set the Question type to Contact mobile number, check the Required check box, and enter any other details you want such as an error message or watermark.
From the Form blocks menu, drag an Action button block onto the canvas. Enter your own Submit button text. In the example, I used ‘Unsubscribe’.
From the Form blocks menu, drag a Confirmation block onto the canvas. Then set the confirmation to Go to a page, and choose the WhatsApp opt-out confirmation page you made in step 1 of this article.
Expand the Form options menu, and select Submit actions.
Under Add respondents, choose No list, and enrol users onto the WhatsApp opt-outs program we made in step 2.
You can add this form to your welcome journey and any message you send.