To enhance customer experience and improve business outcomes, Meta has decided to temporarily pause the ability for businesses to send Marketing category message templates to users in the United States starting April 1, 2025. This change aims to foster a more engaged audience and strengthen the consumer experience on WhatsApp.
Why is this change being implemented?
Focusing on more engaged audiences
WhatsApp is still in an early growth phase in the US, and users are currently less likely to engage with Marketing category message templates. In light of this, Meta has made the decision to temporarily pause the ability to send marketing templates.
While this update comes from Meta, we understand it may be an unexpected disruption for Manychat customers. We're here to support you through the transition and are doing everything we can to help minimize the impact. Meta’s goal is to improve the user experience and build a stronger foundation for long-term business engagement. They will continue to evaluate when the market is ready for marketing templates to resume.
Click-to-WhatsApp Ads remain available
Businesses can still leverage Click-to-WhatsApp Ads (CTWA). If a CTWA ad includes Marketing category message templates for re-engagement, those specific templates will be paused, but the rest of the ad experience will remain unaffected.
Recommendations for businesses targeting US customers
Start with Utility templates
To build stronger engagement in the US, businesses are encouraged to prioritize Utility templates before shifting focus to marketing efforts. Businesses that start with this message type tend to foster stronger customer loyalty and higher long-term engagement.
You can still:
-
Use utility messages for US numbers
- Use marketing templates for numbers outside the US
- Keep customers engaged within the 24-hour window using WhatsApp automation, Live chat, and AI-powered features.
To support adoption, Meta has:
- Lowered utility message rates globally (August 2024)
- Starting July 1, 2025, utility templates sent within an open customer service window will be free, and we will charge per message for template messages instead of per conversation.
💡 For more information on the pricing and billing structure, please refer to the WhatsApp pricing guide article.
These changes are designed to encourage businesses to adopt effective messaging strategies that lead to higher conversion rates and better customer experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How long will this change be in place?
A: Meta is not fully deprecating marketing templates for US numbers—only temporarily pausing their use. However, at this time, there is no confirmed timeline for when this feature will be reinstated.
Q: What is the reason for this change?
A: WhatsApp is still in an early stage of growth in the US, and users may be less engaged with marketing category message templates. By pausing marketing templates, Meta aims to refine the consumer experience and drive better business outcomes. Meta will continue assessing when the US market is ready for marketing templates again.
We’re committed to supporting our customers through this change and will actively collaborate with Meta to reinstate this functionality as soon as possible. We're also sharing customer feedback to ensure the business impact is well understood and to support a smooth path forward.
Q: What error code will I receive? Can I identify when messages have not been delivered?
A: If a marketing template is blocked due to quality control measures, you will see error code 131049, with the description: "This message was not delivered to maintain a healthy ecosystem."
Q: Can US-based businesses still send marketing templates to customers in other countries?
A: Yes, US-based businesses can continue sending marketing templates to users outside of the US.
Q: Can Meta determine which phone numbers are in the US?
A: Yes, Meta can accurately identify US-based phone numbers and ensure that marketing templates are not delivered to those users. Numbers from other countries, such as Canada (which shares the +1 country code), will not be affected
Q: What should I do if my Click-to-WhatsApp Ads include re-engagement marketing templates?
A: Businesses can continue using Click-to-WhatsApp Ads. If an ad campaign includes marketing templates for re-engagement, those templates will be paused, but the rest of the campaign will remain active.
Q. How can a US-based business or Busines Solution Provider send test marketing templates to a US phone number?
A: To ensure successful delivery of test marketing templates, open a customer service window between the business and the test number. This can be done by having the test number send a message to the business first.
Next steps for businesses
- Shift focus to utility, authentication, and free-form messaging to build customer engagement.
- Continue leveraging Click-to-WhatsApp Ads without marketing re-engagement.
- Monitor error codes and message delivery rates for insights into your messaging performance.
- Stay updated as Meta evaluates when marketing templates will resume in the US.
For more details on how to optimize your WhatsApp business messaging strategy, visit WhatsApp Business Help Center.