WhatsApp requires businesses to get opt-in before sending business-initiated messages, and to honor opt-outs. Social Intents records a WhatsApp consent status (and a separate SMS status) for every contact, checks it on every broadcast, and keeps a history of each change with its evidence.
Consent Statuses
| Status | Meaning | Broadcasts |
|---|---|---|
| Opted in | Explicit consent: an opt-in keyword, a form, an import with evidence, or recorded by your team. | Receives Marketing and Utility templates. |
| Messaged you (implied) | The contact started a WhatsApp chat with you but never explicitly opted in. | Receives Utility templates; Marketing only if you turn on Include contacts who messaged you. |
| Unknown | No consent signal yet. | Skipped by broadcasts. |
| Opted out | Replied STOP or stopped promotions in WhatsApp. | Never messaged by broadcasts. |
The Messaging Consent Card
Open a contact from Contacts. The Messaging consent card shows the current WhatsApp and SMS status, where it came from, and a History of every change with the date and who made it. US numbers show a reminder that Meta doesn't deliver WhatsApp Marketing templates to them.
Admins and managers can click a status to change it to Opted in, Opted out or Unknown. Setting Opted in requires a note on how they opted in, for example "Signed up at checkout, order #10482", which is saved as evidence.
Collecting Opt-Ins
Keyword Opt-Ins
Go to Contacts > Opt-ins and click New keyword. Give it a name, a Keyword such as JOIN, an optional list to Add to list, the WhatsApp number for the link, and a Confirmation message. When a contact sends the keyword to your number, they're opted in, added to the list, and get your confirmation automatically. Use Copy link or QR code to promote it at checkout, on receipts and packaging, on your website and in social bios.
Forms and Checkout
Add a clearly worded WhatsApp consent checkbox to your forms, then import those contacts with the consent and evidence recorded.
Imports
When importing, choose These contacts opted in to WhatsApp messages or map a WhatsApp consent column, and describe how they opted in. See Audiences, Lists and Segments.
The Opt-ins tab also shows totals for contacts opted in, opted out and keyword opt-ins collected. You can also generate links and QR codes with the free WhatsApp QR code generator and WhatsApp link generator.
Opt-Outs
When a contact replies STOP, STOP ALL, STOP PROMOTIONS, UNSUBSCRIBE or OPT OUT, or taps a Stop promotions button, Social Intents marks them as opted out, records it in their history and skips them in every future broadcast. To come back, the contact opts in again (for example by sending your keyword), or an admin records new evidence of consent.
Perguntas frequentes
Is "messaged you" enough for Marketing messages?
It depends on your jurisdiction and WhatsApp's policies, which require opt-in for business-initiated messages. That's why implied consent is excluded from Marketing broadcasts unless you turn on Include contacts who messaged you. Only include it if your practices support it.
Is SMS consent tracked separately?
Yes. A contact can be opted in to one channel and not the other. SMS fallback only texts contacts whose SMS consent is opted in.
Where can I see opt-ins and opt-outs over time?
Analyze > WhatsApp campaigns shows opt-ins and opt-outs by source. Each broadcast report counts opt-outs within 7 days and can be exported to CSV.