whatsapp marketing campaign

How to launch your first campaign

Maik Santos

Maik Santos

4 min read
Co founder at CapaTalk


Running successful campaigns is the key to achieving a strong return on investment and WhatsApp is one of the most powerful tools to make that happen. With its incredibly high open rates and real-time interactivity, WhatsApp outperforms traditional channels like email or SMS in both engagement and effectiveness.

By launching your first WhatsApp campaign, you'll unlock a set of tools designed to boost conversions, personalize customer experiences, and ultimately drive more revenue. Whether you're nurturing leads or promoting a new offer, WhatsApp provides the immediacy and intimacy that modern marketing demands.

In this guide, we’ll walk you step by step through creating your first campaign. Starting with setup and ending with launch so you can start seeing results faster.

To create a campaign from start to finish, you need to go through four stages.
Let’s go into detail and take it step by step.

1. Setup

The first step is to name your campaign so you can easily identify it.

It’s important to name it differently from other campaigns.

Later, in the "Campaigns" tab, you will see it listed like this:

The next step in creating your campaign is to create your template OR use a pre-defined template.

All templates must be approved by Meta. Keep in mind that if you want to start a brand-new template, Meta will need to approve it. Approval usually takes only a few moments.

You’ll be notified by email once it’s approved. Once approved, the template can be reused for future campaigns without requiring additional approval.

Let’s create your own template from scratch:

Click on + New Template

Select the purpose of your campaign – Marketing or Utility. This helps Meta determine the type of message and charge you accordingly.

Insert your Template Name and select the preferred language for this campaign.

Now choose your Header Type.

You can choose from:

  • Text
  • Image
  • Video
  • Document
  • Location
Tip: This is where the magic begins. WhatsApp campaigns can become highly interactive—use images, videos, or even share the nearest physical store location of your business.

Now, let’s create your message.

Start your message with “Hello” and then add a Parameter. Parameters allow you to personalize the message. They can represent a name, location, event, discount code, etc.

You can always preview your message on the right side of the screen.

So far, the campaign looks like this:

You can add Footer Text to enhance brand recognition.
Example: “Powered by CapaTalk”

Keep in mind, each template has only one footer text and it will be used consistently.

Now, let’s add buttons for better engagement:

You have 3 types of buttons:

  • Quick Reply: e.g., Yes or No | A or B
  • URL: e.g., your company website
  • Phone Number: lets clients call you directly

This is the final result of your campaign:

2. Configure

To configure your message, you need to add Variables to your template.

These contact details can be extracted from your existing database and imported into the platform.

Tip: Common marketing variables include Full Name, First Name, or Last Name. Utility messages may require different ones.

Example Variables:

  • {{1}} = Contact Field → Full Name
  • {{2}} = Custom Text → e.g., Voucher Code

You can also schedule your campaign to launch during peak hours for higher open rates. Set your preferred date and time.

3. Audience

Next, select your audience. The Audience page provides an overview and targeting options for your client base.

Smart Segments allow targeting based on behavior:

  • Most active clients
  • Inactive clients
  • Premium spenders
  • Abandoned carts, etc.

You can also filter by:

  • Client behavior (last 7 to 90 days)
  • Purchase patterns (e.g., $100+ purchases, 3+ times)
  • Location, Language, and Customer Since date
campaign segmentation

Example Summary:

  • Clicked a link
  • Viewed catalog
  • Total spent (in last 30 days)
Behaviour segmentation on whatsapp x capatalk

You can preview the campaign on the right of the screen.

Finally, use ‘Test Send’ to send the campaign to your own WhatsApp number for review.