Blog · Automation
Click-to-WhatsApp ads: set them up and reply to every lead
A Click-to-WhatsApp ad opens a chat with your business instead of a website. The lead is warm, and the first few minutes decide whether they buy.
What a Click-to-WhatsApp ad is
It’s a normal Facebook or Instagram ad whose button opens WhatsApp with a chat to your number and a message already typed, like “Hi, I want to know about the 2BHK in Kharadi.” The person taps send, and you have a conversation instead of a form fill.
Why they work in India
- People prefer to ask on WhatsApp rather than fill a form and wait for a call.
- You get a conversation, so you can answer, send a brochure or book a visit in the same place.
- The lead’s number is saved with their chat, so follow-up is easy.
Setting up the ad in Meta Ads Manager
- Create a campaign with the Engagement or Sales objective.
- At the ad set level, choose Messaging apps → WhatsApp as the conversion location.
- Select your business WhatsApp number (it must be connected to your Facebook Page or Business account).
- Set your audience, budget and placements as usual.
- In the ad, write a pre-filled message that tells you which ad they came from, e.g. “Hi! I’d like the fee details for the NEET batch.”
- Publish, then send yourself a test by tapping the ad preview on your phone.
The 72-hour free window
When a conversation starts from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad and you reply within 24 hours, Meta doesn’t charge for messages in that conversation for 72 hours, including templates. That’s three days to answer questions, send the brochure, book a visit and follow up, without Meta’s per-message charge. Our own fee still applies as usual.
The part most businesses get wrong: the reply
Ad leads arrive at all hours and in bursts. If the reply takes an hour, many have already asked a competitor. Set up an automatic first reply that:
- Greets them in seconds and confirms what they asked about.
- Asks one or two qualifying questions with buttons: budget, location, course, preferred day.
- Sends the useful thing: price list, brochure, floor plan, demo-class times.
- Books the next step: a call, a site visit, a demo class.
- Hands over to a person with everything they answered, so nobody asks twice.
Doing it in GetSetSales
- An automation can start on a message from your ad, whatever the person types, so every ad lead gets the same welcome.
- Answers are saved to the contact and tagged, and the chat lands in your team inbox marked as an ad lead.
- Bookings in the chat with the Book a Meeting block (Meetings add-on), payment links with Razorpay or PayU.
- Leads who go quiet get follow-ups that stop when they reply.
Watch the step-by-step video on our YouTube channel, or see how automation works.
Related: how to set up a WhatsApp auto reply and how to get WhatsApp opt-in the right way. See how ad leads are handled on the pages for real estate and travel agencies.
Common questions
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API for Click-to-WhatsApp ads?
No, the ads also work with the WhatsApp Business app. The API lets a bot answer every lead instantly and your team share the chats, which matters once leads come in faster than one person can reply.
Can I keep my WhatsApp Business app on the same number?
Yes. GetSetSales connects the number you already use, and you keep the app on your phone.
How do I know which ad a lead came from?
Use a different pre-filled message for each ad, and the ad details arrive with the chat. Tag leads by ad to compare which one brings buyers.