WhatsApp Quality Rating
Meta assigns a quality rating to your WhatsApp Business phone number based on customer feedback. This rating affects your messaging limits, template availability, and overall account health. This guide explains how the rating system works and how to maintain a healthy quality score.
Quality Rating Levels​
| Rating | Status | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | High quality | Customers are engaging positively with your messages | Full messaging limits; all templates active |
| Yellow | Medium quality | Some customers are reporting or blocking your messages | Warning; may be approaching limits reduction |
| Red | Low quality | Many customers are blocking or reporting your messages | Messaging limits reduced; templates may be paused |
Green ──→ Yellow ──→ Red
↑ |
└──── Improvement ──┘
What Affects Quality Rating​
Negative Signals​
| Signal | Impact | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | High | Customer blocks your business number |
| Reports | High | Customer reports your messages as spam |
| Template blocks | Medium | Customer selects "Block" on a specific template message |
| Low read rates | Low | Messages are not being opened or read |
| Unsubscribes | Medium | Customer opts out of receiving messages |
Positive Signals​
| Signal | Impact | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Replies | High | Customer responds to your messages |
| Reads | Medium | Customer opens and reads your messages |
| Button clicks | Medium | Customer interacts with buttons in your messages |
| Low block rate | High | Very few customers block your number |
Where to Check Quality Rating​
Exotel Dashboard​
- Log in to the Exotel Dashboard.
- Navigate to WhatsApp > Phone Numbers.
- View the quality rating next to each registered number.
Meta Business Manager​
- Go to business.facebook.com.
- Navigate to your WhatsApp Account > Phone Numbers.
- The quality rating is displayed next to each number.
Quality Rating Lifecycle​
Green to Yellow​
When your quality drops from green to yellow:
- You receive a notification from Meta.
- No immediate restrictions are applied.
- This is a warning to take corrective action.
Yellow to Red​
When quality drops to red:
- Your messaging limit tier may be reduced.
- Templates with poor quality may be paused.
- You must take immediate action to improve quality.
Red to Restricted​
If quality remains red:
- Your messaging limit is reduced to the lowest tier.
- Multiple templates may be paused or disabled.
- In severe cases, your number may be restricted from sending business-initiated messages.
warning
A red quality rating is serious. If not addressed, it can result in your WhatsApp number being permanently flagged or restricted. Take immediate action when your rating drops to yellow.
Template-Level Quality​
In addition to the number-level quality rating, individual templates have quality tracking:
| Template Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Active | Template is performing well |
| Paused | Quality issues detected; template temporarily disabled |
| Disabled | Template permanently disabled due to persistent quality issues |
Template Pause Process​
- Meta detects negative feedback on a specific template.
- The template status changes to Flagged.
- If quality does not improve within 7 days, the template is Paused.
- You have 7 more days to improve; otherwise, it is Disabled.
Factors That Cause Quality Drops​
1. Irrelevant Messages​
Sending messages that are not relevant to the recipient:
| Problem | Example |
|---|---|
| Wrong audience | Sending baby product promotions to non-parents |
| Outdated offers | Promoting an expired sale |
| Wrong language | Sending English messages to Hindi-speaking users |
2. Excessive Frequency​
Sending too many messages:
| Problem | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Daily marketing messages | Limit to 2-3 per week |
| Multiple messages per day | Consolidate into one message |
| Redundant notifications | Combine related updates |
3. Poor Template Quality​
Templates that do not provide value:
| Problem | Example |
|---|---|
| Clickbait | "You won't believe this offer!" |
| Misleading | "Free gift inside" (with hidden conditions) |
| No value | Generic messages with no actionable content |
4. Missing Opt-Out​
Not providing easy opt-out mechanisms:
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| No opt-out in marketing templates | Add "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" |
| Opt-out not processed | Honor opt-out requests immediately |
| Difficult opt-out process | Make it one-step (single keyword) |
How to Improve Quality​
Immediate Actions​
- Pause low-performing campaigns -- Stop sending messages that have high block or report rates.
- Review recent templates -- Identify which templates are causing negative feedback.
- Reduce sending volume -- Lower the number of messages sent per day.
- Clean your contact list -- Remove numbers that have not engaged recently.
Long-Term Improvements​
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Segment your audience | Send targeted messages based on customer preferences and behavior |
| Personalize content | Use customer names and relevant data in templates |
| Time messages appropriately | Send during business hours; avoid late night or early morning |
| Provide opt-out | Include clear unsubscribe instructions in every marketing message |
| Monitor engagement | Track open rates, reply rates, and block rates for each template |
| A/B test templates | Test different message formats to find what resonates best |
| Respect preferences | Only send categories of messages customers have opted into |
Recovery Timeline​
| Situation | Recovery Time |
|---|---|
| Yellow to Green | 7-14 days of improved quality |
| Red to Yellow | 7-14 days of improved quality |
| Red to Green | 14-30 days of sustained improvement |
| Template Paused to Active | 7 days of no further issues |
tip
Quality recovery is not instant. Meta evaluates quality over rolling windows of several days. Consistent improvement over 1-2 weeks is needed to see rating changes.
Monitoring and Alerting​
Set up monitoring for quality metrics:
| Metric | Alert Threshold | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Block rate | > 2% of messages | Review message content and targeting |
| Report rate | > 1% of messages | Pause campaign and investigate |
| Quality rating change | Yellow or Red | Immediate review and corrective action |
| Template paused | Any template | Stop using the template; analyze feedback |
| Read rate drop | < 50% of previous average | Review message timing and relevance |
Quality Rating and Messaging Limits​
Your quality rating directly affects your messaging limits:
| Quality | Messaging Limits |
|---|---|
| Green | Can increase to next tier |
| Yellow | Cannot increase tier; current limits maintained |
| Red | May be decreased to a lower tier |
See Messaging Limits for detailed tier information.
Best Practices Summary​
- Send relevant messages -- Only message customers who expect and want your messages.
- Respect frequency -- Do not over-message. Quality over quantity.
- Segment carefully -- Use customer data to target the right audience.
- Monitor continuously -- Check quality rating daily during campaigns.
- Act on warnings -- Take yellow as a serious warning and adjust immediately.
- Test first -- Send to a small group before launching large campaigns.
- Honor opt-outs -- Process unsubscribe requests immediately.
Next Steps​
- Messaging Limits -- Understand tier limits
- Template Guidelines -- Create quality templates
- Template Categories -- Category details
- WhatsApp API Reference -- API documentation