Policy & compliance1 min read
Meta tightens marketing template review from 15 September
Templates that mix a utility notice with a promotional line are being re-categorised as marketing on review rather than approved as sent. Audit your library before the deadline to avoid rejections.
Takes effect
What's changing
- Utility templates carrying a promotional sentence get re-filed as marketing
- Re-categorised templates are billed at the marketing rate
- Existing approved templates are reviewed again, not grandfathered
- Rejections cite the offending line, so fixes are usually one edit
Meta is applying stricter category review to WhatsApp message templates from 15 September. The rule itself is not new a template's category has always been meant to match its content but enforcement is moving from submission-time checks to ongoing review of templates already in use.
The pattern being targeted
The common case is a utility template with a promotional tail: an order confirmation that closes with a discount code, a delivery notice that suggests a related product, an appointment reminder that mentions a seasonal offer. Filed as utility, priced as utility, but functionally marketing.
From 15 September, review will re-file those as marketing. The template keeps working this is not a ban but it is billed at the marketing rate and counts against marketing frequency limits, which is where the surprise usually lands.
How to prepare
- Read your utility templates end to end and flag any sentence that promotes rather than informs.
- Split the promotional line into its own marketing template rather than deleting it the two jobs are better done separately anyway.
- Re-submit the cleaned utility template ahead of 15 September so the corrected version is the one under review.
- Check authentication templates too: adding brand copy to an OTP message re-files it just as readily.
DLVRD flags at-risk templates in your library from today, marked with a warning in the template list. If you would rather not work through it yourself, our team can audit the library and prepare the split templates for you.