How to Create a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad, Step by Step

The setup has two halves: a WhatsApp Business number that Meta can see, and a campaign that points to it. Most of the work is in Ads Manager, where the steps change slightly with the objective you choose. If you would rather not use Ads Manager, Meta documents three other routes: boosting a Page post, boosting an Instagram post, or advertising from inside the WhatsApp Business app.

What do you need before you start?

Create a WhatsApp Business account, either by downloading the WhatsApp Business app or by integrating with the WhatsApp Business API.
Connect that WhatsApp account to your business’s Facebook Page and make yourself an admin of the Page, or connect the number to your business portfolio.

Meta says the WhatsApp number connected to the Facebook Page you pick is the number the campaign uses.

How do you build one with the Sales, Traffic or Engagement objective?

Go to Ads Manager, click + Create and choose Sales, Traffic or Engagement, then click Continue.
Name the campaign, review the details and click Next.
In the Conversion section, select Message destinations as the conversion location.
Under Facebook Page, choose the Page whose connected WhatsApp number you want to use.
Under Message destinations, tick WhatsApp. If it is greyed out, click Connect account and add your number.
Check the performance goal. Meta selects one by default; with Engagement you can choose another from the dropdown.
Set budget, schedule and audience, then click Next.
In the Message template section, choose Create new or Use existing, click Edit, fill it in and click Save.
Finish the ad and click Publish.

What changes with the Leads and Awareness objectives?

Objective	Where you choose WhatsApp	What Meta sets for you
Leads	Select WhatsApp in the Conversion section	Maximize number of conversations as the default performance goal
Awareness	In the Destination section at the ad level, select Messaging apps, then WhatsApp	The performance goal is reviewed at the ad set level
Sales, Traffic, Engagement	Message destinations, then tick WhatsApp	A default performance goal you may not be able to change

Which message templates can you choose?

Depending on your objective, Meta offers two WhatsApp templates:

Start conversation: suggested prompts people can tap, plus a greeting and suggested questions or messages they can send.
Collect info with a form in WhatsApp: a form built with WhatsApp Flows, so people can book appointments, sign up for a service or share contact details inside the chat. Meta says this may not be available to you yet.

Can you create one without Ads Manager?

Yes. Meta documents three other starting points:

Start from	Main steps	Limit Meta states
Facebook Page	Advertise, choose the goal Get more messages, select WhatsApp and your number, set the welcome message	Only posts with external links, videos and single photos
Instagram	Boost a post, choose the goal Message you, select WhatsApp Business and a call to action	Your professional account must be linked to your WhatsApp Business account
WhatsApp Business app	Settings, Business tools, Advertise on Facebook, Create a new Facebook ad	Using a catalog item needs at least one approved item

Meta says ads from the Instagram and WhatsApp Business app routes are reviewed before they run.

FAQ

Which WhatsApp number will my ad use?

The number connected to the Facebook Page you select for the campaign. You can connect more than one number to a Page and pick a primary one. While creating an ad, you can also choose Connect another number under WhatsApp; Meta sends a confirmation code to that number before it is added.

Can I advertise a product from my WhatsApp catalog?

Yes. In the WhatsApp Business app, open the Settings tab, tap Catalog and then the item to advertise it. Meta says you need at least one approved item in your WhatsApp Business catalog to use it as the ad image; otherwise use a photo or video from your device.

What happens if I remove my WhatsApp number from the Page?

If you delete your primary number, Meta automatically makes another connected number the primary one. If you delete all connected numbers, your Page is no longer connected to WhatsApp, and Meta says any ads that click to WhatsApp will be paused.