How to create a Click-to-WhatsApp ad with a “Subscribe” keyword

Create a Click-to-WhatsApp ad that automatically adds new WhatsApp subscribers to your Klaviyo list using a Subscribe keyword.

Before you begin

Before creating your ad, make sure you have:

• A connected WhatsApp Business Account in Klaviyo
• A list to connect to your Subscribe keyword in Klaviyo
• Access to Meta Ads Manager to create and manage campaigns
• A connected Facebook Page and WhatsApp Business number

Create your Click-to-WhatsApp ad in Meta Ads Manager

Follow Meta’s instructions for creating an ad that clicks to WhatsApp to choose your campaign objective, WhatsApp destination, audience, budget, schedule, and creative. Select the Facebook Page and WhatsApp Business number connected to Klaviyo. Keep the ad unpublished until you have configured and tested the keyword and flow below.

Add your pre-filled message

Make clear in your ad copy that sending the keyword signs the person up to receive WhatsApp marketing messages from your business. Learn more about collecting WhatsApp consent.

1. Enter a short pre-filled message that includes your Subscribe keyword.
   For example:

Hi! I’d like to Subscribe.

Or simply:

Subscribe

1. Leave Meta’s automated replies off for this subscription message to avoid duplicate responses. Configure your Klaviyo keyword and follow-up flow below.

Connect your Subscribe keyword in Klaviyo

Your keyword determines what happens when someone messages you with that word.

If you plan to use double opt-in, make sure you have a paid Mobile Messaging plan and an approved confirmation template. Learn about WhatsApp double opt-in.

1. In your Klaviyo account, go to Settings > Channels > WhatsApp > Keyword responses.
2. Under Subscribe keywords, click Add keyword. To update an existing keyword, open its row menu and select Edit.
3. In Keyword, enter Subscribe or the custom subscribe keyword used in your ad. For an existing keyword, confirm that it matches the keyword in the pre-filled message.
4. Under Select the list subscribers should be added to, choose the list where new subscribers should be added (for example, WhatsApp subscribers).
5. Under Opt-in process, choose Single opt-in to add new subscribers when they send the keyword. If Double opt-in is available and you select it, they must also confirm their subscription before being added to the list.
6. Turn on Allow customers to subscribe with this keyword.
7. Click Save.

Trigger a flow when profiles are added to the list

Once your keyword is connected to a list, you can trigger a flow whenever someone is added to that list.

1. Go to Flows in Klaviyo.
2. Click Create flow, then Build your own.
3. Enter a name for your flow. Select Create manually if the AI creation options appear; otherwise, click Create flow.
4. In the flow builder, select All triggers, then Added to list.
5. Select the same list you connected to your Subscribe keyword (e.g., WhatsApp subscribers).
6. Click Save, then Confirm and save to finish setting up the trigger.
7. Add your desired messages, actions, or filters to the flow. For WhatsApp messages, follow how to add WhatsApp to a flow to select your message template.
8. Click Review and turn on, select Live, and click Save. Resolve any setup alerts and confirm that the messages you want to send are live.

Test your setup

Before publishing your ad, test with a WhatsApp number that has not already subscribed to your WhatsApp marketing, joined the linked list, or entered this flow.

1. Open your ad preview in Meta Ads Manager.
2. Click the WhatsApp button in the preview to test the user experience.
3. Verify that WhatsApp opens correctly and the pre-filled message includes the same keyword you saved in Klaviyo.
4. Send the message.
5. If you selected double opt-in, follow the instructions in the confirmation message to complete your subscription.
6. In Klaviyo, confirm that:
   • The contact appears in your linked WhatsApp list.
   • The profile shows consent to receive WhatsApp marketing messages.
   • The flow you created is triggered for the new subscriber.

Once verified, publish your ad in Meta Ads Manager to start collecting WhatsApp subscribers.