WhatsApp and Instagram
One inbox for both, and how replies work.
WhatsApp and Instagram arrive in one inbox, next to the order the customer is asking about. This is the module most brands otherwise rent for thousands a month.
Connecting WhatsApp
You need a Meta developer app with WhatsApp Cloud API on your own number — not a shared gateway. Under Integrations → WhatsApp Cloud API:
| Field | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Phone number ID | Meta → WhatsApp → API Setup |
| Access token | Use a permanent System User token, not a temporary one |
| Business Account ID | Optional — needed for templates |
| Webhook verify token | Any secret you choose; paste the same value into Meta |
| App secret | Meta App → Settings → Basic. Verifies inbound messages are really from Meta. |
Use a permanent token. The temporary token Meta shows during setup expires in 24 hours, and everything stops working the next day with no obvious cause.
Templates
WhatsApp does not let you message someone out of the blue with free text. Anything you initiate must use a template approved by Meta.
- Approved templates are pulled in from Meta with their variables detected.
- Once a customer messages you, there is a window during which you can reply freely.
- Order updates, cart recovery and campaigns all use templates.
Get templates approved before you need them. Approval takes time, and it is not something you can rush on the morning of a sale.
The inbox
A two-pane view: threads on the left, the conversation on the right, with the customer's orders alongside. Threads track what has been seen and what is still waiting, so nothing quietly gets missed.
Same inbox. Two behaviours worth knowing:
- Auto-DM commenters — someone comments on a post and gets a private message automatically.
- Public reply — optionally also post a public reply under the comment, so others see you responded.
Inbound messages are verified
Everything arriving is HMAC-verified with your app secret before it enters your inbox, so nothing spoofed appears as a customer message.
The AI concierge
With AI configured, incoming messages can be answered automatically from your live catalog — and every conversation still lands in the same inbox, so a person can take over at any point. See AI.
Getting this right
- Reply fast or not at all. WhatsApp carries an expectation of minutes.
- Do not broadcast constantly. Blocks and reports damage your number's standing with Meta, and that is difficult to recover.
- Keep it useful. Order updates and answers are welcome; a third promotion this week is not.
Still stuck? Message us on WhatsApp — we would rather answer than have you guess.