7/7 Whichever you pick, one rule holds: an existing number isn't an opt-in. Name who's messaging, why, and on which channel, and make leaving as easy as joining. Full guide + wording examples: messageflow.com/blog/whatsap…

6/7 In conversation When someone in store asks about upcoming deals, invite them to opt in. Keep it separate from the question they came with, and capture the yes on a device so there's a record.

5/7 WhatsApp link A chat link on your site or socials, labelled for what it is: "Sign up for offers on WhatsApp." In the chat the customer sends the opt-in themselves, rather than being added by a tap.

4/7 QR code In store, on packaging, at the till. Put a clear reason to scan right beside it ("our WhatsApp offers, scan to join"). The scan opens a sign-up, it isn't consent on its own.

3/7 Checkbox at checkout Optional and unticked, kept separate from accepting the terms. People should be able to finish the order without opting in, and the box should name WhatsApp as the channel.

2/7 Website form A short form where you name the benefit ("offers + new drops on WhatsApp"), ask for the number, and put the consent line right next to the button. Keep it out of the fine print.

1/7 Having someone's phone number isn't the same as permission to send them WhatsApp marketing. That's a separate opt-in. Here are 5 ways to collect it properly 🧵

7/7 The pattern: consent, template, reply, 24h conversation, post-purchase. Reach gets you seen. The window is where Black Friday sales get closed. Full breakdown: messageflow.com/blog/whatsap…

6/7 It doesn't stop at checkout. Order confirmations, shipping updates, a returns question next week: all in the same thread, through transactional templates. The relationship outlives the sale.

5/7 One thread, bot and agent together. A bot handles the predictable questions: sizing, stock, delivery dates. When something needs judgment, an agent picks up in the same thread. The customer never has to repeat themselves.

4/7 Then the window opens. The moment they reply or tap a button that sends one, a 24h service window opens. Inside it you talk freely, no templates needed. Each new message resets the clock. A reply is what turns a send into a conversation.

3/7 Your first message is a template. You can't open with free text. The opening message has to be Meta-approved. It can still carry an image, a CTA, personalization. Think of it as the knock on the door.

2/7 It starts with consent. You message people who gave you their number and agreed to hear from you on WhatsApp specifically. A number from checkout isn't the same as opting in for Black Friday offers. This is what keeps you welcome in the inbox.

1/7 A lot of brands treat WhatsApp like an SMS blast with a green icon. It runs on a different mechanic though: a 24h window built to reward relevance over volume. Get it right and it's a strong Black Friday channel. Here's how a campaign actually flows 🧵

6/6 The real question isn't "gateway or API?" It's whether the infrastructure behind the interface can carry your traffic reliably, at scale, to the countries you send to. Full breakdown here: messageflow.com/blog/what-is…

5/6 Why it's worth knowing: the two are judged on completely different things. Clean API docs are easy to admire on day one. Route quality, peak capacity, and whether a delivery report helps you diagnose an issue only show up once real traffic is flowing.

4/6 The gateway is the infrastructure: it validates the message, picks a carrier route, switches routes if one fails, and turns raw carrier codes into delivery reports you can read. Same message, very different amount of work than "send an HTTPS request."

3/6 The API's job is clear-cut: authenticate, submit the message, hand back a status. That's the interface your developers touch. Everything that decides delivery happens after that – that's the gateway's job.

2/6 Start with the mistake: treating them as two options you choose between. You don't. The API is how your app sends a message. The gateway is what carries it the rest of the way. You reach one through the other.

1/6 SMS gateway and SMS API get used like synonyms when they're not. There’s a difference that decides whether your messages actually arrive. Quick breakdown of what each one really is 🧵