How to not get Banned?
WhatsApp Banned. How to avoid being blocked by WhatsApp
In this article, we will explore the rules and principles that minimize the probability of your WhatsApp account being blocked. In the first part, to save time, we will briefly outline recommendations, with details provided below, should you need them.
Part 1: The Essentials
1. The age of the number
The longer a number has been registered with WhatsApp, the more resistant it is to blocking.
The number just registered in WhatsApp is immediately "under suspicion". Therefore:
Warm up the number: Be sure to "warm up" the number by sending and receiving messages and files from real users for a few days before linking it to the API.
Very important: Do not scan the QR code immediately after registering a new number on WhatsApp. Wait a day or more!
Warming Up New Phone Numbers for WhatsApp API - Perfect tips for new numbers.
2. Complaints About Spam
This is the most common reason for blocking numbers on WhatsApp. Here are the most important recommendations in this regard:
Have your recipients message you first. Place a βContact Us on WhatsAppβ button on your resources and advertisements. Use a contact link with a pre-written greeting. Create this link using our Free WhatsApp Link Generator.
Question in the first message: It's important to get the customer to engage in a dialog with you and respond with at least something. This is how you will achieve a good response rate ratio. The easiest way to achieve this is to ask the customer a question first.
The STOP command: If you add the phrase "write stop to stop receiving our messages" at the end of the newsletter, it will be more convenient for the customer to write "stop" than to send a complaint to WhatsApp. This way you'll weed out dissatisfied customers and save your number, and at the same time increase your response rate.
Personalization: Make messages unique β change the text and address the recipient by name (Hello, %client_name%!).
Remember: the first thing your recipient will see upon receiving your initial message is a prominent βBlockβ button. Strive to ensure no one feels tempted to click it.
3. Suspicious mass activity
Progressive activity: If your number hasn't shown some activity, it's worth introducing that activity gradually.
For example, if you haven't created groups, a sudden mass creation of groups will make messenger algorithms very suspicious. If you have not previously written to various numbers that are unfamiliar to you, you should also not rush into it in the first few days. It is necessary to gradually increase this activity.
For starters, don't send more than 2 messages per minute, more than 6 hours a day, more than 3 days in a row.
We've written more about how to avoid blocking on mailings in the article: How to do mailings without the risk of being blocked?
4. Response rate (ratio of messages sent to messages received)
Aim to increase Response rate.
The ideal scenario is when customers write to you first and add you to their contacts. However, most of the time you can't achieve this scenario. You often need to start the dialog first.
If you send a lot of messages and you don't get any replies in return, you risk getting banned.
Aim for at least 30 customer responses (30%) per 100 messages sent.
Part 2: If you have some time to read
WhatsAppβs punitive algorithms for rule violations are somewhat enigmatic. There are no guarantees that your number won't be suspended, but some patterns can still be identified. In this article, we present a comprehensive guide to help you avoid having your WhatsApp account suspended, clarify the nuances of using this app for mass messaging, and offer valuable advice on restoring your account if it gets blocked.
Adhering to the recommendations below will enable you to use WhatsApp to communicate with your target audience and clients effectively and safely. We hope that our guide proves helpful and aids you in steering clear of unpleasant situations associated with account ban.
Core Principles
In a nutshell, the more your interaction with clients resembles real conversations between acquaintances, the lower the risk of being blocked. Now, letβs consider actions that a real person most likely wouldnβt do during a conversation:
Send hundreds of messages per minute. This is physically impossible, and thereβs hardly any reason to do so;
Constantly message strangers, especially with links included;
Send identical text to many people without considering whether itβs of any interest to them;
Communicate impersonally, without mentioning the recipient's name;
Send messages at equal intervals, say, exactly every 5 or 10 seconds.
Letβs delve into them in more detail.
Initiating the Dialogue
One way or another, someone has to start the conversation. In a regular exchange between friends, this isnβt a problem. However, in the case of automated commercial communication, you (or your service, app, store, CRM system) will initiate many dialogues. This will draw WhatsApp algorithms' attention to you. Ideally, users should reach out to you first as often as possibleβthis significantly boosts your security.
Make use of a βContact us on WhatsAppβ button in your advertisements and on your platforms or send your contacts a link with a pre-written greeting (https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=XXXXXXXXXX&text=Hello!). This approach can significantly enhance your security. Again, use our Free WhatsApp Link Generator.
Loyal Audience
Audience loyalty is a good defense against number blocking. Send messages to contacts who know you or who are likely to understand the reason for your contact. If you're texting those who have already heard of you, or you've already been in contact through other channelsβsuch as phoneβgreat! If your number is in the user's contact list, you reduce the risk of being accused of spamming. So, if possible, ask your customers to save your number: WhatsApp will see that you "know each other" and this will strengthen your reputation. It is very good to have your number added to the contact list of many people.
Avoiding Spam
Spam or promotional messages are a direct path to blocking. If you're using a marketing automation API, this is the most challenging. Design your messages so that your recipient has no desire to click the "Block" button.
Itβs evident that if users hit βBlock β upon receiving your first message, youβll eventually get banned by WhatsApp. Usually, 5-10 complaints from users who receive your message for the first time are enough.
So consider the interests of your target audience and send relevant and useful content. You are unlikely to be complained about if your messages are interesting and useful.
Personalization
Vary the texts and styles of messages and insert the recipientβs name (Hi, %client_name%!) to create a sense of personal addressing. Utilize technologies like ChatGPT to make messages more diverse.
Links in messages
Don't send unsolicited links without an explanation, and especially don't do it in the first message. By sending only secure links (with HTTPS protocol) or using URL shortening services (bitly.com, tinyurl.com, bl.ink and others), you reduce the likelihood of blocking.
Human behavior
Pay attention to user reactions. It is unlikely that you should send repeated messages to those who do not open messages or do not respond in any way: this is a sign of lack of interest. Postpone repeated contacts with such recipients for a longer period of time.
Respond to messages from users. This will give the impression of an active, real account and avert the suspicions of WhatsApp's algorithms. Send read confirmation ("seen"), use "typing..." or "recording audio..." statuses, use emoji reactions to messages - our API allows you to do all this.
Technical Recommendations
New Numbers
This is especially important. A new number that has just been linked to WhatsApp must earn a certain minimum "reputation". Therefore, before activating the number for bulk messaging (scanning a QR code), be sure to use it as an ordinary user, "warm it up" by communicating with acquaintances or colleagues for a while, including audio and files, during several days.
Do not scan the QR code immediately after registering the number in WhatsApp! This is especially true for virtual numbers: such numbers have the highest probability of being banned, as they are most often used for spamming for obvious reasons. Of course, the tips on "warming up" are even more applicable to such numbers.
Message Limits and intervals
Limit your sending rate to 6-12 messages per minute.
To send more messages, you may want to consider purchasing multiple channelsβour service offers discounts.
Intervals Between Messages
Randomize the pauses between sending individual messages. If your messages are dispatched at equal time intervals (e.g., exactly every 5 seconds), it triggers a red alert for WhatsApp's anti-spam system.
Intervals Between Broadcasts
Remember to take breaks between batches of messages to ensure your activity doesn't appear suspicious. Sending messages round the clock and continuously throughout the day is a bad idea.
Additional Tips
User Profile. Add a profile picture and some useful description. Such profiles are perceived as real. If your business has fame or reputation in the eyes of your target audience, use them to the maximum. For example, set your logo as your profile picture. For geographically targeted mailings, you can use a picture of a landmark in the region, etc.
Geography of contacts: Try to communicate with contacts from the same geographical region, group your mailing list by zones. Most likely, WhatsApp won't believe that you have a huge number of friends abroad.
If Your Number Is Blocked
Can Whapi.Cloud Help Me Unblock the Number? β Unfortunately, no. The number's blocking and unblocking occur automatically; we can't influence WhatsApp's internal procedures. As an API provider, we can only advise adhering to WhatsAppβs policies as much as possible.
Recovering the Number. If you attempt to log into WhatsApp and see a blocking message, follow the unblocking instructions (here).
Important: Refer to our article for the details if you got banned again and were unable to recover β this will help you to prevent banning of new number.
We remind you that if your number has been blocked, you can connect another number to the channel without additional payments. All you need to do is register a new number with WhatsApp and scan the QR code to link it to our API. Of course, remember our advice above regarding the use of new numbers.
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