Create Click-to-Chat links (wa.me links)
Businesses can begin chats on WhatsApp by placing conversation starter buttons on their website (wa.me links).
In this case, a web visitor can simply click on a button to request more information about a product or get relevant content like tips, tutorials, and advice.
With conversation buttons powered by wa.me links, customers can engage with brands effortlessly. There’s no need to fill out a contact form and write an email. Instead, users send the first message to you within just one click, which can improve your lead generation and sales.
What are WA.me links?
WA.me links are short URLs that can instantly open a conversation with your business’ whole phone number in international format (e.g., wa.me/1555123456). Omit any zeros, brackets, or dashes when adding a phone number in international format.
For example, if your phone number is 6123 4567 whereas the country code is +39, your WhatsApp link will be https://wa.me/3961234567.
The company collects the person’s phone number and can create a link to start a chat with them. By clicking the link, a conversation automatically opens with the person.
How to create WA.me links
To create your link, use https://wa.me/<number>, where the <number> is a complete phone number in international format. Omit any zeroes, brackets, or dashes when adding the phone number in international format. Please keep in mind that this phone number must have an active account on WhatsApp.
- Use: https://wa.me/15551234567
- Don’t use: https://wa.me/+001-(555)1234567
Create your link with a pre-filled message
The pre-filled message will automatically appear in the text field of a chat. Use https://wa.me/whatsappphonenumber?text=urlencodedtext where whatsappphonenumber is a complete phone number in international format and urlencodedtext is the URL-encoded pre-filled message.
Example: https://wa.me/1XXXXXXXXXX?text=I’m%20interested%20in%20your%20car%20for%20sale
To create a link with just a pre-filled message, use https://wa.me/?text=urlencodedtext
Example: https://wa.me/?text=I’m%20inquiring%20about%20the%20apartment%20listing`
After clicking on the link, you’ll get a list of contacts you can send your message to, style it as a button, and then use it on your website.
ℹ️ To best assess where to place your conversation starter buttons / wa.me links, review your monthly traffic. Also, include your WhatsApp number on your homepage, customer support page, and/or Contact Us page. And consider creating a dedicated landing page for additional visibility of your product or service.