Send your first campaign
Creating a campaign takes two steps: design the messages (name, device, and one or more messages), then choose recipients and decide whether to send now or schedule it. You do not need a template first — you can type message content directly in the campaign dialog. Send a test to your own number before running the real thing.
Before you start
You need a connected device (Connect your first WhatsApp device) and some contacts (Import contacts from Excel). Add yourself as a contact too — you will use it for the test send.
Step 1 — Design your messages
- Click Campaigns, then + New Campaign.
- Enter a Campaign Name. This is for your reference only; recipients never see it. Required.
- Choose a Device. Your default device is pre-selected; change it to send from a different number. Required.
- Add message content, either way:
- Load Template — pulls in a saved template's messages, which you can then edit.
- + Add Message — compose directly. Pick a type (Text, Image, Video and so on) and fill in the content.
- Click Next.
Templates are optional. They are a convenience for content you send repeatedly — there is no need to create one before your first campaign.
Step 2 — Recipients and schedule
- Select recipients — individual contacts, or whole contact groups.
- Choose when to send: immediately, or scheduled for a date and time.
- Review the summary and start the campaign.
A campaign saved without starting stays as a draft you can come back to.
Send a test first
Always run a one-recipient campaign to your own number before the real one. It is the only way to see exactly what a recipient gets. A test catches, in particular: a mistyped variable sending as literal {{naem}}, single braces used where double were meant, broken line spacing, media that did not attach, and spin options that read oddly in combination.
Create the campaign with your own contact as the only recipient, send it, then look at the message on your phone rather than in the preview.
While it runs
The campaign moves to running and works through recipients one at a time, pausing between each by a random amount within your configured delay range. Progress and per-recipient status update as it goes.
A campaign can be paused and resumed. Recipients already sent to are not messaged again when you resume.
| Campaign status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Created but never started. |
| Scheduled | Waiting for its send time. |
| Running | Currently sending. |
| Paused | Stopped part-way; can be resumed. |
| Completed | Every recipient has been attempted. |
| Failed | Stopped by an error, such as the device disconnecting. |
| Cancelled | Stopped deliberately and not resumed. |
Full detail in Campaign and recipient statuses.
How long it will take
Longer than people expect, because the delays are the point. At the default 5 to 15 seconds, roughly 10 seconds average:
| Recipients | Approximate duration |
|---|---|
| 50 | ~8 minutes |
| 200 | ~35 minutes |
| 200, at 30–90s delays | ~3.5 hours |
Allow for that when scheduling, or an evening campaign can still be sending late at night — which is a real ban risk. Turn on Quiet Hours: Best time to send WhatsApp marketing messages.
Afterwards
Open Analytics for per-campaign results and export the log to see every recipient's outcome. Failures usually mean the number is not on WhatsApp — see How to check whether a number is on WhatsApp.
Start small. Make your first real campaign 20 to 30 recipients, not your whole list. You will find something you want to change in the wording, and it is much better to find it on 30 people than 800.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a template before I can send a campaign?
No. You can type message content directly in the campaign dialog using + Add Message. Templates are a convenience for content you send repeatedly, not a prerequisite.
How long does a WhatsApp campaign take to send?
At the default 5 to 15 second delay, about 8 minutes for 50 recipients and around 35 minutes for 200. With wider delays of 30 to 90 seconds, 200 recipients takes roughly three and a half hours.
Can I pause a campaign and resume it later?
Yes. A paused campaign can be resumed, and recipients already messaged are not messaged again.
How do I test a campaign before sending it to everyone?
Create a campaign with only your own number as the recipient and send it, then check the message on your phone. This catches mistyped variables, single braces used instead of double, broken spacing and media that failed to attach.
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