In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
In Ads Manager, pick an Engagement, Traffic or Leads campaign with WhatsApp as the destination, link your WhatsApp Business number to your Page and write a greeting with suggested questions. You pay for the ad; on the API, replies in the free entry point window (up to 7 days) are free.
What click-to-WhatsApp ads are and who they suit
WhatsApp's ads that click to WhatsApp page describes them as ads on Facebook and Instagram that open a chat with your business on WhatsApp, placed in Feed, Stories and Marketplace. The person taps the button, WhatsApp opens with a pre-filled message, and they send it to start the chat.
Good fit
- Services where people ask questions before buying (renovation, tuition, aesthetics, events)
- Quotes that depend on details (photos, sizes, addresses)
- Businesses that reply fast during the day
Weaker fit
- Low-price products people buy without questions (a store checkout is quicker)
- Businesses that cannot reply for hours
- High-volume campaigns with no shared inbox or automation
If you would rather collect a name and phone number inside Facebook, our guide on sending Meta lead ads to your CRM and WhatsApp covers instant forms.
How to set up a click-to-WhatsApp ad in Ads Manager
Meta's help article Create ads that click to WhatsApp in Ads Manager describes the steps. Before starting, connect your WhatsApp Business number to your Facebook Page (in the Page's linked accounts settings) using the code WhatsApp sends.
Create a campaign with the right objective
In Ads Manager click Create. Engagement, Traffic and Leads all support WhatsApp; Leads with the Maximise number of conversations goal is the usual choice for enquiries.
Set WhatsApp as the destination
For Engagement or Traffic, choose Message destinations and tick WhatsApp. For Leads, choose WhatsApp in the Conversion section. Pick the Facebook Page linked to your number.
Set budget, schedule and audience
WhatsApp's own guide suggests running the ad for at least seven days. Target Singapore or the areas you serve.
Build the ad creative
Image, video or carousel, with primary text and a headline that tells people what to ask about.
Write the message template
Under Message template choose Start conversation: a greeting plus suggested questions people can tap. A WhatsApp form (Flows) option may also appear.
Publish and test
Tap your own ad preview on a phone and check which number opens and what the pre-filled message says.
What click-to-WhatsApp ads cost
There are two separate costs: the ad, and the messages you send back.
| Cost | How it is charged | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The ad | Your Meta ad budget (impressions or results) | Set in Ads Manager; no extra fee for the WhatsApp button |
| Replies on the WhatsApp Business app | No per-message charge from Meta | The app is free; optional Meta One plans add features |
| Replies on the API, inside the free entry point window | Free for marketing, utility, authentication and service messages | Window lasts up to 7 days from your first reply |
| Meta Business Agent replies on the API | Charged per token (about US$0.04 to US$0.05 a message, per Meta) | Still charged inside the free entry point window |
| API messages after the window closes | Normal WhatsApp rates by category | Templates are needed to restart a chat after 24 hours of silence |
Meta's WhatsApp pricing docs explain the window: when someone messages you from a click-to-WhatsApp ad on the Android or iOS app, and you reply within the customer service window, that reply is free and opens a free entry point window that can stay open for up to 7 days. Desktop and web chats do not qualify. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide explains the normal rates.
Greeting, quick replies and follow-up
Meta's Marketing API documentation notes that without a custom greeting, the pre-filled customer message is "Hello! Can I get more info on this?", which tells you nothing about what they want. Write a template instead:
- Greeting: one line that matches the ad, for example "Hi! Tell us your flat type and we'll send a rough quote."
- Suggested questions (ice breakers): three or four taps such as "Price for a 4-room?", "Next available date?", "Do you do weekends?"
- First reply within minutes: a saved reply or away message that asks for the one detail you need (address, photos, date).
- Follow-up within the window: on the API, send the quote and a reminder before the free window closes.
For keeping replies quick and consistent across staff, see our guide to WhatsApp chatbot options in Singapore.
Tracking which chats become sales
Ads Manager reports conversations started, but not which conversations turned into paying customers. WhatsApp's product page lists Meta Pixel, Conversions API and offline conversions as ways to measure results beyond the conversation. A practical set-up for a small business:
Tracking basics
With a few weeks of data, switch budget to the ad sets that produce sales, not just chats. If chats are many but sales are few, the problem is often the greeting or reply speed rather than the ad.
Do it yourself or get help?
A single click-to-WhatsApp campaign pointing at the WhatsApp Business app is a reasonable do-it-yourself job using the steps above. Help pays off when you want proper tracking, several staff answering, or automated replies on the API.
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Our Meta Ads Setup (S$590) creates your business portfolio and ad account in your name, installs the Meta Pixel and Conversions API with tested events, and builds one campaign with 3 to 5 creatives. Our WhatsApp Notifications package (S$590) sets up a WhatsApp Business API number through an official provider with up to 3 approved templates and PDPA opt-in handling. Ad spend and message fees are paid to Meta separately, and nobody can guarantee ad results.
Frequently asked questions
You pay Meta for the ad itself, set by your budget in Ads Manager. Replies on the free WhatsApp Business app have no per-message charge. On the API, replies to an ad chat open a free entry point window of up to 7 days in which most message types are free, as of October 2026.
No. The ad can open a chat with a number on the free WhatsApp Business app, as long as the number is connected to your Facebook Page or business portfolio. The API is worth it when several staff share the inbox, you want automated replies, or you need conversion tracking.
Meta's pricing documentation says that when someone messages a business from a click-to-WhatsApp ad on the mobile app and the business replies within the customer service window, the reply is free and opens a window of up to 7 days. Inside it, marketing, utility, authentication and service messages are not charged.
Yes. In Ads Manager, the Message template section lets you create a Start conversation template with a greeting and suggested questions people can tap. Without one, Meta's default pre-filled message is Hello! Can I get more info on this?, which gives you little to work with.
Replying about what they asked is fine. Sending later, unrelated promotions is marketing, so get and record their consent in the chat first, and follow Singapore's PDPA and Do Not Call rules. Keep a note of when and how each person agreed to receive offers.