Want candidates who click your ad to start with a free 72-hour WhatsApp window? This guide walks you through it, step by step: connecting your Meta Click-to-WhatsApp ad to the right Talkpush campaign, testing the candidate experience, and deciding when your bot should keep replying once the window ends.
How the 72-hour free window works
The free window applies to conversations started from Click-to-WhatsApp ads: Facebook or Instagram ads that open a WhatsApp chat with your business.
A candidate clicks your Click-to-WhatsApp ad, which opens a WhatsApp chat.
The 72-hour window starts when the candidate sends their first message.
During those 72 hours, your messages to that candidate are free of charge, including free-form replies and message templates.
After 72 hours, Meta charges for every message.
Note: Free messaging is set by Meta, and is subject to Meta's current pricing and eligibility rules.
Set up your Click-to-WhatsApp ad
💡 Before you begin: Create the WhatsApp trigger phrase in Talkpush first. In Talkpush, save the trigger phrase without the >> prefix (for example, Test_Apply). In Meta, type the pre-filled message with the >> prefix (for example, >>Test_Apply), so WhatsApp sends the routing trigger to Talkpush.
You'll need access to Meta Ads Manager, your Facebook Page, your WhatsApp Business account, and your Talkpush Company Settings. Your WhatsApp Business number must be linked to your Facebook Page and connected to the right Talkpush integration.
Step 1: Set up the trigger phrase in Talkpush
Log in to your Talkpush CRM.
Go to Company Settings and open Conversational Bot.
Open the Availability tab and scroll to Click-to-WhatsApp links.
Click Add link.
Enter the details:
Trigger phrase: a unique keyword, for example
Test_Apply.Campaign: the campaign where candidates should be directed.
Save the configuration.
Once you save, Talkpush automatically generates a WhatsApp direct link that includes your trigger phrase.
Step 2: Create the Click-to-WhatsApp ad in Meta Ads Manager
Open Meta Ads Manager.
Click Create to start a new campaign.
Select Engagement as the campaign objective. When asked to Choose a campaign setup, select Manual engagement campaign and click Continue. This gives you full control over job targeting, placements, and WhatsApp settings.
💡 Note: Engagement is the recommended objective for recruitment campaigns. You can also use Leads. The trigger phrase setup is the same.
At the Ad Set level:
Conversion location: select Message destinations.
Facebook Page: select the Facebook Page that represents your business.
Message destinations: choose the specific destination option (not Automatic destination), then check WhatsApp only. Leave Messenger and Instagram unchecked, so candidates are routed through WhatsApp and Talkpush correctly.
WhatsApp Account: select the verified WhatsApp Business number connected to Talkpush.
Audience & Placements: set your recruitment audience (locations, age) and budget.
At the Ad level:
Upload your recruitment ad creative, such as an image or video, and add the primary text and headline.
Select Send WhatsApp Message as the call to action.
Open the message setup under Message template and select Start conversations (or the equivalent option in your Ads Manager). This opens the Conversations dialog.
In the Conversations dialog, set up the message options:
Welcome message: leave it blank or disabled if you can. If Meta requires one, use a short, neutral line. Don't add a second greeting that duplicates the Talkpush bot's first reply.
Call to action: confirm the button text Meta shows for the WhatsApp destination, such as Send message or Send WhatsApp Message, and keep it in line with the ad preview.
Pre-filled message: select this option and enter your Talkpush trigger phrase with the
>>prefix, for example>>Test_Apply.
Review the ad configuration and click Publish.
⚠️ Important: The trigger phrase in Meta must match your Talkpush configuration exactly, including the >> prefix. Depending on the message options available in Meta, the candidate may need to tap a suggested message or send it manually.
Step 3: Test the candidate experience
Before you launch the ad, run an end-to-end test:
Open the ad preview in Meta Ads Manager.
Click Send WhatsApp Message.
Confirm that the correct WhatsApp Business number opens.
Send the trigger phrase you set up.
Check that the Talkpush bot responds and routes the candidate to the correct campaign.
Once the test works, your ad is ready to run.
Troubleshooting
The candidate opens the wrong channel. Check that the ad set uses WhatsApp only, not Automatic destination, and that Messenger and Instagram are unchecked.
Talkpush doesn't route the candidate. Check that the Meta pre-filled message starts with
>>and matches the Talkpush trigger phrase exactly after the prefix.The candidate sees two greetings. Open the Meta Conversations dialog and remove or shorten the welcome message, so the Talkpush bot gives the main greeting.
The wrong WhatsApp number opens. Check that your Facebook Page is linked to the correct WhatsApp Business number, and that the number is connected to the right Talkpush integration.
Important notes
Use a real Click-to-WhatsApp ad. A WhatsApp direct link is handy for job postings, websites, and QR codes. But adding a direct link to an ad doesn't by itself create a native Click-to-WhatsApp ad, so it doesn't start a free window.
One trigger phrase per campaign. Map each trigger phrase to the right recruitment campaign. In Talkpush, enter the phrase without
>>. In Meta, enter the pre-filled message with>>.Free messaging depends on Meta. Conversations started from native Click-to-WhatsApp ads may qualify for Meta's free messaging window, subject to Meta's current pricing and eligibility rules. You can read more in Meta's help article.
Control your bot by folder
Once the 72-hour window closes, Meta bills every message. Talkpush lets you choose, folder by folder, whether your Conversational Bot keeps replying to candidates on WhatsApp. This gives you a simple way to stop automated replies for candidates who no longer need them.
Folder controls are available to company owners.
Go to Company Settings and open Conversational Bot.
Open the Availability tab.
Find the folder you want to control. Each folder has its own switch.
Turn the switch off to stop the bot replying to candidates in that folder, or on to let it reply.
You'll also see a switch for No application yet, which covers candidates who haven't been placed in a folder because they don't have an application yet.
How the bot decides whether to reply
The rules are applied in this order:
Where the candidate came from | What happens |
A Click-to-WhatsApp ad | The bot stays on for 72 hours after the candidate's first message, whatever folder they're in. After that, the folder switch decides. |
Any other source | The folder switch decides from the start. |
What to expect
Nothing changes until you change it. Every switch starts on, so your bot keeps working as it does today until you turn a folder off.
Changes apply within about 10 minutes. Talkpush checks every 10 minutes and turns the bot off for conversations in folders where it's off.
The bot turns back on when it should. If a candidate moves to a folder where the bot is on, or you switch the folder back on, the bot resumes.
Recruiters always have the final say. If a recruiter turned the bot off by hand, it stays off. The same goes if a recruiter has messaged the candidate since the bot was paused. And while a candidate's folder has the bot switched off, it can't be turned on by hand from the candidate's profile.
💡 Good to know:
A candidate who writes right after you change a switch may still get a reply, since changes can take up to 10 minutes to apply.
Folder controls cover WhatsApp only. Messenger isn't included yet.
Folder controls stop the bot. They don't block messages that recruiters or automations send after the 72-hour window.
If you use a Dialogflow bot, its normal replies stop, but interviews already in progress and the completion and restart keywords can still trigger it.
➡️ Need a hand?
If you have questions about the free window or your bot settings, ask Clara or reach out to your Account Manager.
➡️ Want to Explore More?
Check out the chatbot builder and customize what your bot says and does so every candidate conversation reflects your brand.
