How to Send WhatsApp Templates: The Broadcast Screen Guide

What You Will Learn Here

You've created your template, got it approved by Facebook, and now you're ready to send it to your customers. The broadcast screen is where it all happens—this is your control center for sending templates to one person or thousands of people at once.

Before diving into the broadcast screen, make sure you understand what templates are and how to personalize them with variablesThis guide walks you through the actual sending process step by step.

Finding the Broadcast Screen

Start by logging into your Boti360 account. In the main navigation menu, look for the "Broadcast" option. Click it, and you'll see the broadcast screen where all the magic happens.

The broadcast screen has a few key areas: template selection, phone number input, variable data input, bot selection, and the send button. Let's go through each one.

Step 1: Choose Your Template

At the top of the broadcast screen, you'll see a dropdown menu showing all your approved templates. Click it to see the list, and select the template you want to send.

When you select a template, you'll see a preview showing exactly what the message will look like. If your template includes variables like {{1}} or {{2}}, you'll see those placeholders in the preview. Don't worry—they'll be replaced with real information when you send.

You can only send templates that Facebook has already approved. If you just created a new template and don't see it in the list, check if it's been approved yet. Most approvals happen within a minute, but some take longer.

Step 2: Add Phone Numbers

Now you need to inform the system who should receive your message. There are two methods to add phone numbers, depending on how many people you're messaging.

For a few people (manual entry):

Type or paste phone numbers directly into the phone number field. You can enter them in several formats—the system is flexible.

• With country code: +972523737233
• Without country code: 0523737233
• With spaces or dashes: 052-373-7233

If you're sending to multiple people, put each phone number on its own line. Just press Enter after each number.

For many people (bulk import):

If you're sending to dozens or hundreds of people, typing them all manually would take forever. Instead, prepare your phone numbers and variable data in a spreadsheet, then paste everything at once.

Step 3: Add Variable Data (If Needed)

This step only applies if your template includes variables like {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. If your template is the same for everyone with no personalization, you can skip this part.

For templates with variables, you need to provide the values for each person. The format is simple: phone number first, then the variable values, separated by commas.

Example template: "Hi {{1}}! Your appointment is on {{2}} at {{3}}."

Data format:

0523737233,Sarah,Thursday,2 PM
0542345678,Mike,Friday,10 AM
0549876543,Lisa,Monday,3 PM

Each line is one message. The first value (0523737233) is the phone number. The second value (Sarah) becomes {{1}}. The third value (Thursday) becomes {{2}}. The fourth value (2 PM) becomes {{3}}.

Copy this formatted data from your spreadsheet and paste it directly into the broadcast screen. The system will parse it automatically and send personalized messages to each person.

Important tip: If any of your values contain commas (like "123 Main Street, Suite 5"), wrap that value in quotes so the system doesn't treat it as multiple values. See our guide on personalizing templates for more details.

Step 4: Choose Which Bot Will Reply

Here's something powerful that many people miss: when you send a template, you can choose which bot will handle the replies. This matters because people often respond to your template messages, and you want the right bot answering them.

In the broadcast screen, you'll see a dropdown to select a bot. Choose the bot that's designed to handle responses related to this template.

Example scenarios:

Appointment reminders: Select your scheduling bot that can confirm, reschedule, or cancel appointments.

Order updates: Select your customer service bot that can answer questions about shipping, returns, and order status.

Event invitations: Select your event management bot that can record RSVPs, answer questions about the event, and provide directions.

Sales promotions: Select your sales bot that can answer product questions, provide pricing, and help complete purchases.

When someone replies to your template message, they'll be chatting with the bot you selected. This creates a seamless experience where your template starts the conversation and your bot continues it intelligently.

If you don't select a bot, replies will just come to your inbox without any automatic handling. That's fine if you want to respond manually, but you're missing out on automation.

Step 5: Review and Send

Before clicking send, double-check everything:

Review your phone numbers: Are they formatted correctly? Did you accidentally include any fake or test numbers you meant to remove?

Check your variable data: Do the values align correctly with the variables? Did you provide values for all variables in your template?

Verify your bot selection: Is the correct bot selected to manage responses?

Preview the message: Read through the preview one more time. Does it look correct?

When everything appears correct, press the large "Send" button. Your templates will begin sending right away.

What Happens When You Send

The system processes your sends quickly, but there's a lot happening behind the scenes. For each phone number:

1. The system checks the phone number format
2. It replaces template variables with your provided values
3. It sends the message through WhatsApp's API
4. It records the send for your records
5. It connects any replies to the bot you selected

For small sends (a few people), this happens almost instantly. For large sends (hundreds or thousands), it might take a few minutes. You'll see a confirmation message when everything is sent.

Costs and Billing

Remember, sending templates costs money—about 2-10 cents per message depending on whether it's a service or marketing template. These charges go directly to Facebook, not to Boti.

Before you send to your entire customer list, ensure you understand the costs:

• 100 messages × $0.02 (service) = $2.00
• 100 messages × $0.10 (marketing) = $10.00
• 1,000 messages × $0.02 (service) = $20.00
• 1,000 messages × $0.10 (marketing) = $100.00

Check your template type to know which cost applies. Service templates are much cheaper, so write them as service updates when possible.

Good news about costs: Receiving messages is always free. Replying to messages within 24 hours is free. Manual conversations are free. You only pay when sending templates outside the 24-hour window.

Testing Before Big Sends

Before sending a template to your entire customer list, test it first. Send the template to yourself or a coworker to verify:

• The message reads naturally
• All variables are replaced correctly
• Links work properly
• The bot responds appropriately when you reply

Testing costs the same as a real send (a few cents), but it's worth it to avoid mistakes in front of hundreds of customers.

How to test:

1. In the broadcast screen, enter only your personal phone number.
2. If using variables, provide sample data for yourself.
3. Select your bot
4. Send

You'll receive the message within seconds. Review it carefully, reply to test the bot, and make sure everything works as expected.

Common Problems and Solutions

Problem: "Phone number invalid" error

Solution: Check the format. Include the country code or ensure you're using the correct format for your country. Try adding + before the country code.

Problem: Variables aren't being replaced

Solution: Make sure you're providing the data in the correct format (phone,value1,value2,value3). Each line should have the phone number first, then commas separating each variable value.

Problem: Message says "Template not found"

Solution: The template might not be approved yet. Go to your templates screen and check the approval status. Wait for approval before trying to send.

Problem: Bot isn't responding to replies

Solution: Verify you selected a bot before sending. If you already sent without selecting a bot, the next person who replies will need manual handling.

Problem: Sent to wrong people

Solution: Unfortunately, you can't unsend a template once it's sent. Double-check your phone numbers before clicking send. Consider sending a follow-up apologizing for any confusion if needed.

Keeping Records

After you send templates, it's helpful to keep track of what you sent and to whom. This helps with several things:

Customer service: If someone asks "What message did you send me?", you can check it.

Analytics: Track which templates receive the best response rates and engagement.

Compliance: Keep records indicating that you only messaged people who are intended to receive your templates.

Follow-up: Know who you've already contacted to avoid messaging them twice by mistake.

Boti tracks your sends automatically, but it's also smart to save a copy of your send data in your own spreadsheet for easy reference.

Scheduling Sends

Currently, the broadcast screen sends templates immediately when you click send. If you want to schedule a send for later (like sending appointment reminders the day before appointments), you have two options:

Option 1: Manually send at the right time. Set a reminder to go to the broadcast screen and send when you want the messages to go out.

Option 2: Use a bot to send templates automatically based on your schedule. This is covered in detail in our guide on how bots can send templates.

Best Practices for Broadcasting

Start small: Send to 10-20 people first to test everything. Once you confirm it works, send to your full list.

Personalize when possible: Use variables to include names and specific details. Personalized messages receive better responses.

Choose the right time: Consider when your customers are most likely to read messages. Mid-morning and early evening typically work well.

Don't send excessively: Sending too many templates annoys people and increases unsubscribes. Be thoughtful about when and why you're reaching out.

Make it worthwhile: Every template you send should provide value to the recipient. Don't send just because you can—send because your customer will benefit.

What's Next?

You now know how to send templates through the broadcast screen. To elevate your template strategy:

• Learn how bots can automatically send templates
• Create more effective templates that receive quick approval.
• Understand marketing vs service templates to save money

The broadcast screen is powerful, but combining it with smart bots creates an automated system that nurtures leads, confirms appointments, updates customers, and drives sales while you focus on other parts of your business.