The concept of Business-initiated conversations has been simplified into three categories: utility, authentication, and marketing, each with its purpose on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

• Marketing Conversations are designed to engage customers with promotions, offers, updates, and calls to action. They provide businesses with an opportunity to reach out to their customers and drive sales or promote their brand.

For eg : The customer makes a purchase from an online store. The store sends a personalized message thanking the customer and offering an exclusive discount. The message aims to engage the customer and encourage future purchases.

• Utility Conversations are designed to facilitate specific customer requests, provide transaction updates, and send post-purchase notifications. They serve practical purposes related to customer transactions and interactions

For eg : The customer places an order online. The store sends a message with shipping details and a tracking number. The message ensures the customer is informed about the order status.

• Authentication Conversations focus on securely authenticating users with one-time passcodes for account verification and recovery. These conversations are designed to ensure the security and integrity of user accounts.

For eg : The user forgets the password for an online banking account. Bank sends a one-time passcode via template message for account recovery. The purpose is to securely authenticate the user.

• User-initiated conversations now fall under the category of Service Conversations. These conversations are designed to address customer inquiries and provide support based on the user’s initiation.

For eg : A customer initiates a conversation with a business through the “Chat with Support” button on an e-commerce website. This falls under the Service Conversations category, where the business addresses customer inquiries and provides support.

• Businesses will now be charged per 24-hour conversation, with rates varying based on different conversation categories or individual messages. Submitting a template opens a new conversation of the corresponding category. The charge for that category applies, except when the template is submitted during an ongoing conversation of the same category, in which case both charges are combined and billed to the business.