Contacts

Overview

The Contacts section allows you to manage all your WhatsApp contacts in one place. Contacts are automatically added when they message your WhatsApp Business number or when workflows interact with them. You can organize contacts, add tags, and send broadcast messages to reach multiple customers simultaneously.

Accessing Contacts

1. Click on the Contacts tab
2. View your complete contact list

Contact List

Contact Information

Each contact in your list displays:

• Name: Contact name from WhatsApp or custom name you've set
• Phone Number: WhatsApp phone number
• Last Activity: When they last sent a message
• Tags: Any tags assigned to the contact for organization
• Conversation Status: Whether they have an active conversation

Contact Management

Viewing Contacts:

• Scroll through your business contacts
• Use search to find specific contacts by name or phone number
• Filter contacts by tags or other criteria
• Sort contacts by name, last activity, or other fields

Contact Details:

• Click on a contact to view their details
• See conversation history with that contact
• View assigned tags and metadata
• Access contact-specific actions

Managing Contacts

Editing Contact Information

To edit a contact:

1. Find the contact in your contact list
2. Click on the contact name or edit icon
3. Update the contact name or other information
4. Save changes

Note: Contact phone numbers cannot be changed as they're tied to WhatsApp accounts.

Adding Tags to Contacts

Tags help you organize and categorize your contacts for better management and targeted messaging.

To add tags:

1. Select one or more contacts
2. Click Add Tags or use the tag icon
3. Choose existing tags or create new ones
4. Apply tags to selected contacts

Tag Use Cases:

• Customer Segments: VIP, Regular, New Customer
• Interests: Product A, Product B, Service X
• Status: Active, Inactive, Lead, Customer
• Location: Region, City, Country
• Campaigns: Newsletter, Promotions, Events

Bulk Actions

Perform actions on multiple contacts at once:

• Bulk Tagging: Add or remove tags from multiple contacts
• Bulk Selection: Select all contacts or filtered contacts
• Bulk Export: Export contact data for external use
• Bulk Delete: Remove contacts from your list (use with caution)

Broadcasting Messages

Broadcast messages allow you to send messages to multiple contacts simultaneously. This is perfect for marketing campaigns, announcements, product updates, or important notifications.

Creating a Broadcast

Step-by-step guide:

1. Navigate to Contacts

   • Go to Inbox > Contacts

2. Select Recipients

   • Use checkboxes to select individual contacts
   • Use "Select All" to select all contacts on the current page
   • Filter contacts first (by tags, search, etc.) then select
   • You can select up to your plan's broadcast limit

3. Start Broadcast

   • Click the Broadcast button
   • A broadcast dialog will open
   • Template Message: Use a pre-approved WhatsApp template (recommended for marketing)

4. Review and Send

   • Review your message and recipient list
   • Check that all information is correct
   • Click Send to broadcast

Broadcast Best Practices

Message Content:

• Keep it concise: WhatsApp messages should be clear and to the point
• Use templates: Pre-approved templates have better deliverability
• Personalize: Use template variables to personalize messages
• Add value: Provide useful information, not just promotional content
• Include CTA: Clear call-to-action if you want recipients to take action

Timing:

• Consider time zones: Schedule broadcasts for appropriate times
• Avoid off-hours: Don't send messages late at night or early morning
• Test first: Send a test broadcast to a small group before full broadcast
• Frequency: Don't over-message your contacts

Audience Selection:

• Segment your audience: Target specific groups rather than everyone
• Use tags: Filter contacts by relevant tags before broadcasting
• Respect preferences: Honor opt-out requests and preferences
• Compliance: Ensure you have consent to send marketing messages

Template Guidelines:

• Use approved templates: Only use templates approved by Meta
• Fill variables correctly: Ensure all template variables are filled
• Match category: Use appropriate template category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication)
• Check formatting: Verify template formatting before sending

Broadcast Limitations

• Rate Limits: WhatsApp enforces rate limits on broadcasts
• Template Requirements: Marketing broadcasts require approved templates
• 24-Hour Window: You can only send regular messages within 24 hours of customer contact
• Plan Limits: Your subscription plan may limit broadcast volume

Broadcast Status

After sending a broadcast:

• Delivery Status: Track which messages were delivered
• Read Receipts: See which contacts read your message
• Failed Messages: Identify any messages that failed to send
• Analytics: View broadcast performance metrics

Note: For template messages, ensure your templates are approved by Meta before broadcasting. Unapproved templates will fail to send.

Contact Organization

Using Tags

Tags are powerful tools for organizing your contacts:

Creating Tags:

• Create tags from the contacts page
• Use descriptive names (e.g., "VIP Customer", "Product Interest A")
• Assign colors to tags for visual organization
• Tags can be used for filtering and segmentation

Applying Tags:

• Apply tags individually or in bulk
• Tags can be added manually or automatically via workflows
• Contacts can have multiple tags
• Remove tags when no longer relevant

Tag Benefits:

• Segmentation: Group contacts by characteristics
• Targeted Messaging: Broadcast to specific segments
• Organization: Keep your contact list organized
• Automation: Use tags in workflows for conditional logic

Filtering Contacts

Filter your contact list to find specific contacts:

• By Tags: Filter contacts with specific tags
• By Search: Search by name or phone number
• By Activity: Filter by last activity date
• By Status: Filter by conversation status
• Custom Filters: Combine multiple filters for precise results

Importing and Exporting Contacts

Importing Contacts

You can import contacts from external sources:

1. Prepare your contact list (CSV format recommended)
2. Go to Contacts > Import
3. Upload your file
4. Map columns to contact fields
5. Review and confirm import

Supported Formats:

• CSV files
• Excel files (.xlsx)
• Contact data with name and phone number columns

Exporting Contacts

Export your contacts for backup or external use:

1. Go to Contacts
2. Select contacts to export (or select all)
3. Click Export
4. Choose export format (CSV, Excel)
5. Download the file

Exported Data Includes:

• Contact names
• Phone numbers
• Tags
• Last activity date
• Custom fields (if any)

Contact Analytics

View insights about your contacts:

• Total Contacts: Number of contacts in your database
• Active Contacts: Contacts who messaged recently
• Tag Distribution: See how contacts are distributed across tags
• Growth Trends: Track contact list growth over time

Best Practices

• Keep Contacts Updated: Regularly update contact information
• Use Tags Strategically: Create a tag system that makes sense for your business
• Segment Your Audience: Use tags to create meaningful segments
• Respect Privacy: Honor opt-out requests and data privacy regulations
• Regular Cleanup: Remove inactive or invalid contacts periodically
• Test Broadcasts: Always test broadcasts on a small group first
• Monitor Performance: Track broadcast delivery and engagement rates
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with WhatsApp policies and local regulations

Troubleshooting

Contacts not appearing?

• Ensure workflows are active and receiving messages
• Check that WhatsApp account is properly connected
• Verify contacts have messaged your WhatsApp Business number

Can't send broadcast?

• Check that templates are approved (for template broadcasts)
• Verify you're within rate limits
• Ensure contacts are within 24-hour window (for regular messages)
• Check your subscription plan limits

Tags not working?

• Verify tags are properly created
• Check that contacts are selected before applying tags
• Ensure you have permission to manage tags

Import failed?

• Check file format (CSV or Excel)
• Verify phone number format is correct
• Ensure required columns (name, phone) are present
• Check file size limits