A good click to WhatsApp ad welcome message does two jobs: it tells you which ad and offer the customer came from, and it moves the chat one step towards a sale or an appointment request. That starts with the pre-filled text the customer sends, continues with a few ice-breaker questions, and depends most of all on your first reply.
For the wider picture, see our guide to click-to-WhatsApp ads.
Why the first message matters
The first message is your only context. If every ad sends “Hello”, your team has to ask what the customer wants, and the chat starts slowly. A specific pre-filled message saves a round of questions.
- Weak: “Hi.”
- Better: “Hi, I’d like to know more about the AC service offer.”
- Strong: “Hi, I’d like to book the AC service offer. My area is:”
The strong version tells you the offer and invites the one detail you need next.
Pre-filled text examples by sector
| Sector | Pre-filled message |
|---|---|
| Restaurant or bakery | “Hi, I’d like to order the National Day cake box for delivery.” |
| Salon | “Hi, I’d like to request an appointment for the hair spa offer.” |
| Clinic | “Hi, I’d like information about a consultation for [service].” |
| Home services | “Hi, I need a quote for deep cleaning. My area is:” |
| Retail shop | “Hi, is the in the ad available in my size?” |
| Training centre | “Hi, I’d like the schedule for the next IELTS course.” |
Write the Arabic version natively for Arabic ads, rather than translating the English one.
Ice-breaker questions
Ice breakers are suggested questions shown in the chat, which the customer can tap instead of typing. Good ice breakers are the questions customers already ask most:
- “What are your prices?”
- “Do you deliver to my area?”
- “What times are available this week?”
- “Can I see more photos?”
Keep each one short and make sure you have a clear answer ready for each. Clinics should avoid ice breakers that invite clinical questions in chat, such as “Is this right for my condition?” Those questions belong with a clinician.
The first reply
Your first reply should arrive within minutes, answer what was asked, and end with one simple question. Example for a salon:
“Hello, and thank you for your message. The hair spa offer includes a wash, treatment and blow-dry, and takes about 75 minutes. Which day suits you, and do you prefer our JLT or Al Barsha branch? Our team will confirm the time.”
What to avoid:
- Long paragraphs or a full price list in the first message.
- Several questions at once.
- Generic replies that ignore the pre-filled text.
- Promising an appointment slot before your team has confirmed it.
For clinics, a first reply should also say that clinical questions are answered by the clinic’s medical team, and that urgent medical concerns should go to 999 (police and ambulance) or 998 (ambulance).
Following up silent chats
Many people tap an ad, send the pre-filled message and then get distracted. A polite follow-up brings some of them back.
- First follow-up: a few hours later, a short nudge. “Just checking you saw our reply about the AC service. Would tomorrow morning work?”
- Second follow-up: the next day, with something useful, such as available times.
- Final message: a polite close. “We will leave it here for now. Message us any time if you would like to book.”
Common default timings are 2, 24 and 48 hours, and they can be changed to suit your business. Remember WhatsApp’s 24-hour customer service window: after it closes, you need an approved template. Our article on WhatsApp follow-up timing explains the details.
How Dub Ai helps
The AI WhatsApp sales agent answers every ad chat on your number, day and night, using your catalogue, price list, FAQs and documents. It reads the pre-filled message, replies in the customer’s own language with short answers, and suggests a clear next step, such as a basket with a payment link or an appointment request your team confirms.
When a customer needs a person, the agent hands the chat to your team with a summary. Follow-ups for quiet chats go out at default timings of 2, 24 and 48 hours, which you can change. Every ad chat is saved as a lead with its source.
Frequently asked questions
Can customers edit the pre-filled message?
Yes. The pre-filled text appears in the customer’s message box, and they can change it or delete it before sending. Most people send it as it is, but your replies should not depend on it. Train your team, or set up your assistant, to read whatever the customer actually wrote and respond to that.
How many ice breakers can I add?
Ads Manager lets you add a small number of suggested questions to the message template, and the exact limit can change as Meta updates its tools. In practice, three or four clear questions are plenty. Choose the questions customers ask most often, and make sure you have a short, accurate answer ready for each.
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