Guides
WhatsApp Opt-In: How to Get Customers' Permission (With Examples)
What WhatsApp actually requires, eight practical ways to collect permission online and offline, opt-in wording you can copy, and how to handle “stop”.
By the wbm.link teamUpdated 11 September 2026 3 min read
Opt-in is the single biggest factor in whether your WhatsApp marketing works or gets your number restricted. Customers who asked to hear from you read your messages; people who did not block and report them — and blocks and reports are what drag down your quality rating. Here is what WhatsApp requires, and how to collect permission without making it a chore.
What WhatsApp's policy says
The WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy allows you to message people only if they have given you their number and agreed to receive messages from your business. Meta's guidance adds that the opt-in should:
- Say clearly that the person is agreeing to receive messages on WhatsApp.
- Name your business, so they know who will be messaging them.
- Follow the law that applies to you — in India, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
You must also honour every opt-out — whether the customer asks on WhatsApp, by phone, by email or in person.
Eight ways to collect opt-in
| Where | How |
|---|---|
| Website form | A checkbox, unticked by default, next to the phone number field |
| Checkout | “Send order updates and offers on WhatsApp” at the payment step |
| WhatsApp itself | The customer messages you first, then you ask whether they want offers too |
| Click-to-WhatsApp ads | The customer starts the chat from your ad; ask before adding them to promotions |
| In the shop | A QR code or short link at the counter: “Get offers on WhatsApp” |
| Phone calls | Ask on the call and note it against the contact |
| Paper forms | A tick box on the enquiry or admission form |
| Events and exhibitions | A sign-up sheet or QR code at your stall |
Wording you can copy
- Website checkbox: “Yes, I'd like to receive order updates and offers from Sharma Electronics on WhatsApp. I can opt out at any time.”
- In a WhatsApp chat: “Would you like us to send you our weekly offers here on WhatsApp? Reply YES to subscribe — you can reply STOP at any time.”
- Shop poster: “Scan to get Diwali offers from Urban Homes on WhatsApp. Reply STOP anytime to unsubscribe.”
Handling opt-outs
- Tell people how to stop — a line like “Reply STOP to opt out” in marketing templates, or a “Stop promotions” quick-reply button.
- Act on it straight away — mark the contact as opted out so no future broadcast reaches them.
- Confirm once — “You won't receive offers from us any more” — then stop.
- Keep answering their questions — opting out of marketing does not mean you ignore them when they message you.
Keep a record
Record when and how each customer opted in — the form, the date, the campaign. If a customer ever complains, or if you are asked to show consent, a simple opt-in column in your contact list with the source and date is often enough.
Opt-in built into your contact list
In wbm.link every contact has an opt-in switch. Imported contacts are not opted in unless you say so, and broadcasts only ever go to opted-in contacts — blocked and opted-out numbers are left out automatically.
See broadcastsCommon mistakes
- Buying or scraping number lists — these people never opted in, and they will block you.
- Pre-ticked boxes — permission has to be given, not assumed.
- Using a delivery opt-in for promotions — keep to what the customer agreed to.
- Ignoring “stop” — a customer who cannot opt out will report you instead.