Click-to-WhatsApp ads run on Facebook and Instagram. Instead of sending people to a landing page, the ad opens a WhatsApp chat with your business. Meta adds a useful bonus: a 72-hour window in which your messages to that person are free.
How the window opens
Two things must happen:
- The customer taps your click-to-WhatsApp ad (or the WhatsApp button on your Facebook Page) and sends you a message.
- You reply within 24 hours.
When you reply, Meta opens a free entry point window that lasts 72 hours. All messages you send in that time are free of Meta charges, including template messages in any category.
If you do not reply within 24 hours, the free window does not open. That is the single most common way businesses lose it.
How it fits with the 24-hour window
The customer service window still applies. For the first 24 hours after the customer's last message, you can send free-form replies. After that, you need an approved template, but inside the 72-hour window the template is still free.
| Time since the customer's first message | Free-form replies | Templates | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 24 hours (after you reply) | Yes | Yes | Free |
| 24 to 72 hours, no new message from them | No | Yes | Free |
| After 72 hours | Only if they message again | Yes | Normal rates |
Each new message from the customer reopens the 24-hour service window.
Reply fast, every time
Because the window depends on a reply within 24 hours, speed matters. Most ad leads also lose interest quickly. A welcome bot solves both problems:
- It replies within seconds, day or night, so the window always opens.
- It asks a couple of qualifying questions while the customer is still looking at their phone.
- It routes hot leads to a person and saves answers to contact fields.
Plan your follow-ups inside the 72 hours
Think of the 72 hours as a short, free nurture sequence. A simple plan:
- Minute 0: welcome message, one question with buttons.
- Hour 1 to 4: if they went quiet, a friendly nudge with the most useful next step, such as a price list or booking link.
- Hour 24 to 48: a template with a reason to come back, such as a limited slot or answers to common questions.
- Before hour 72: a last helpful message, then stop.
Keep each message useful. Free does not mean you should send more. People can still block you, and that hurts your quality rating.
Track what happens after the click
Ad dashboards show clicks and conversations started. They cannot see what happens next inside the chat unless you tell them. That is what the Conversions API is for.
Whatsuite sends events to Meta when a chat reaches a stage you define, for example:
- Lead: the customer answered the first question.
- Qualified: the bot marked them as a good fit.
- Purchase: an order was paid, with the value.
Meta then reports these against the ad and can optimise delivery towards people who are likely to buy, not only people who are likely to click.
Common mistakes
- No one replies at the weekend. The window never opens and the lead goes cold.
- The same bot for every ad. A lead from a product ad needs different questions from a lead from an event ad.
- No consent for later marketing. The 72-hour window is free, but after it ends you need marketing opt-in to keep sending offers. Ask for it in the chat.
- No conversion events. Without them, you are optimising for chats, not sales.
Other click-to-message ads
Google and TikTok also offer ad formats that open a chat. You can route those leads into the same inbox and bots. Note that the 72-hour free window is a Meta pricing rule for click-to-WhatsApp ads and Page call-to-action buttons.