Since November 2024, WhatsApp requires every business to obtain customer consent (customer consent or opt-in) from customers before sending marketing messages. If a customer has not given consent or has opted out of receiving promotional messages, the marketing message will not be delivered by META, and you will receive an error code: 131050 (User has stopped receipt of marketing messages).
Learn more about customer opt-in
Learn about reasons messages fail to send
To help businesses comply with this policy, Qontak provides a Marketing Consent feature that enables you to collect, store, and manage customer consent status. Thus, you can send marketing messages to customers who have given consent (opt-in) to reduce the risk of failed message delivery and increase the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
The customer's opt-in status does not affect message delivery for Utility and Authentication message categories.
In this guide, you will learn how to obtain opt-in data or marketing consent, understand the priority rules for determining customer status, create and send a Marketing Opt-In template to request customer consent.
Important:
The Marketing Consent / Opt-in feature will be gradually available on Mekari Qontak starting mid-August 2026.
A. How to Obtain Customer Opt-in / Marketing Consent Data
Meta allows each business the freedom to determine the method of collecting customer consent / opt-in. As a business operator, you are responsible for ensuring that customer consent is obtained in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and that notices and permissions required by law have been provided.
As long as the opt-in method meets these requirements, it is considered compliant with Meta's policy. Some examples of opt-in methods supported by Meta include:
Via SMS
Via website
Via phone call using Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
Directly or through physical documents, for example by asking customers to sign a consent form
In Mekari Qontak, the system collects customer consent from 3 (three) sources:
| Source | Description |
| Meta user_preference webhook |
Source: Meta Meta will send a webhook to Qontak every time your customer configures the “Offers and announcements” setting located on the business profile page. If your customer disables this setting, the system will record the customer as opt-out, or refusing to receive marketing messages. Learn more here. - Opt-in and opt-out data will be mapped with a cut-off starting from June 1, 2026. |
|
History of failed marketing message delivery with error code: 131050 |
Source: Meta Qontak uses the history of failed marketing message deliveries with error 131050 to mark customer consent status as opt-out. - Opt-out data from failed message deliveries is mapped with a cut-off starting from January 1, 2026. |
| Response to Marketing Opt-In template |
Source: Qontak Customer consent status is updated based on responses given to the Marketing Opt-In template sent. This method is provided by Qontak to help you obtain consent (opt-in) from customers whose marketing consent status is unknown. |
After successfully collecting consent, each customer will have one of the following three statuses.
| Status | Description |
| opted_in | Customer has given consent to receive marketing messages. |
| opted_out | Customer has chosen to stop receiving marketing messages. |
| unknown | No information is available regarding the customer's consent status. |
All marketing consent data is stored in the Customers menu and can be used as a filter when compiling recipient lists for campaigns. This allows you to target customers who have given consent to receive marketing messages.
B. Priority Rules for Determining Marketing Consent Status
The latest consent status (latest timestamp) will be the primary reference, except if the opt-out status originates from Meta, either through the user_preference webhook or error 131050. If Meta's last status is opted-in, the system will follow the latest consent rule, whether the last status comes from Meta or Qontak (template).
You cannot send a Marketing Opt-In template if the latest status from Meta, either from the user_preference webhook or error 131050, is opted_out. However, you can still perform a re-opt-in if the opt-out status comes from a template.
Here are some example scenarios illustrating the impact of different priorities in determining customer consent status.
| Scenario | Initial Status | Final Status | Notes |
| Customer opts out via WhatsApp, then opts in via template. | opted_out |
opted_out
|
Sending the opt-in template will fail because the customer's final status is opt-out (source: Meta). |
| Marketing message delivery fails with error 131050, then customer opts in via template. | opted_out | opted_out (unchanged) |
Sending the opt-in template will fail because the customer's final status is opt-out (source: Meta). |
| Customer opts in on WhatsApp, then opts out via template. | opted_in | opted_out | The latest consent status is considered. |
| Customer opts in via template, then opts out via WhatsApp. | opted_in | opted_out | The latest consent status is considered. |
| Customer opts in via template, then the system receives error 131050 on subsequent marketing message delivery. | opted_in | opted_out | The latest consent status is considered. |
| Customer opts in via WhatsApp, then the system receives error 131050 on subsequent marketing message delivery. | opted_in | opted_out | The latest consent status is considered because both statuses originate from Meta. |
| The system receives error 131050 on marketing message delivery, then customer opts in via WhatsApp. | opted_out | opted_in | The latest consent status is considered because both statuses originate from Meta. |
| Customer opts out via template, then opts in on a subsequent template sent. | opted_out | opted_in | The latest consent status is considered, because the opt-out status does not originate from Meta. |
Important
Marketing consent is stored based on the WhatsApp number. If a business uses more than one WhatsApp number, customer consent must be obtained for each number.
C. How Customers Manage Marketing Message Reception Settings on WhatsApp
Customers can manage their consent to receive marketing messages directly through the business account profile on the WhatsApp app. By default, this setting is enabled, allowing customers to receive marketing messages from businesses.
Customers can change this setting as follows.
- Toggle Off: Customer chooses to stop receiving marketing messages, changing their marketing consent status to opted_out.
- Toggle On: Customer gives consent again to receive marketing messages, changing their marketing consent status to opted_in.
Each preference change is automatically sent to Qontak via the Meta user_preference webhook. Based on this information, Qontak updates the customer's marketing consent status to always reflect the latest preferences set on WhatsApp.
Below are the views of the marketing message reception settings on WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Mobile.
WhatsApp Web |
WhatsApp Mobile |
Important:
Meta may change the location of the marketing message reception setting in WhatsApp at any time without prior notice. Previously, customers could choose “Stop offers and announcements” through conversations with the business account to stop receiving marketing messages. Currently, this setting has been moved to the Business Profile.
D. How to Create a Marketing Opt-in Template
Next, you will learn how to create a Marketing Opt-in template that can be sent to collect consent from customers whose status is still unknown. Follow these steps.
Log in to your Qontak account. Then select the Campaign menu.
Next, select the “Templates” tab.
You will be directed to the main Template page under the “WhatsApp” tab.
Next, click “Create template”.
Then select the Campaign message template type.
-
You will enter the Template setup page. On this page, specify the Account and Template name, then select Type as Marketing Opt-in with the Category set to Marketing. Next, choose the Language for the template, then click “Continue” to proceed to the next step.
- When selecting the Marketing Opt-in template type, the template category is automatically set to Marketing. Therefore, the Utility and Authentication categories cannot be selected.
- Marketing Opt-in templates are only available in Indonesian and English (US). Next, you will enter the Content editing page to compose the content of the Marketing Opt-In template that will be sent to customers. Complete the following information on this page.
| No. | Feature Name | Description |
| 1 | Message |
The message content used to request customer consent to receive marketing messages. Qontak automatically provides a recommended (pre-filled) message according to the language you selected earlier. |
| 2a | Opt-in button text |
The button text that customers will select if they agree to receive marketing messages. You can customize the button text, but every customer selecting this option will be mapped by the system as opt_in. |
| 2b | Opt-out button text |
The button text that customers will select if they do not want to receive marketing messages. You can customize the button text, but every customer selecting this option will be mapped by the system as opt_out. |
| 3 | Opt-in template creation confirmation checkbox |
You must check the confirmation box as a statement that you understand and agree to only send marketing messages to customers who have given consent (opt-in) through applicable methods.
Important
|
| 4 | Preview | Displays a preview of the Marketing Opt-In template that customers will receive on WhatsApp, allowing you to ensure the message content and buttons are correct before submitting the template for approval to Meta. |
Make sure all fields are correctly filled. Then click “Submit”.
A pop-up notification will appear if the data you submitted is correct.
Important
Qontak will only record customer responses received within 30 days after the Marketing Opt-In template is sent.
E. Creating Recipient Lists with Marketing Opt-in Filter
Customer marketing consent status can also be used when creating a Recipient List to filter customers who have given consent to receive marketing messages.
Follow these steps.
- Log in to your Qontak account.
- Go to the Campaign menu, then select Recipient lists.
- Then, click “Create recipient list”, then choose “Select from customers”.
Check the box Only show customers who opt-in to marketing campaign to display only customers who have given consent to receive marketing messages.
If the Recipient List will be used to send Utility Messages, you do not need to check the “Only show customers who opt-in to marketing campaign” option, because sending Utility Messages does not consider the customer's marketing consent status.
Alternatively, you can click “Filter” and select “Marketing opt-in” then specify which business number your customers have given their consent/opt-in.
Then, check the customer data you want to include in the recipient list according to the customer's opt-in status.
Learn how to apply filters and create recipient lists from “Select from customers”
F. Sending Marketing Opt-in Template
After the Marketing Opt-In template has been created and approved by Meta, you can send it to customers who have not yet given consent to receive marketing messages.
- Log in to your Mekari Qontak account, then select the Campaign menu.
- Then click the “WhatsApp” tab.
- Then click “Create campaign”.
On the campaign creation page, complete the following information.
| No. | Feature Name | Description |
| 1 | Campaign name | Enter the campaign name for system identification purposes. The campaign name will not be shown to customers. |
| 2 | Sender |
Select the WhatsApp number you want to send the opt-in request from. Important: |
| 3 | Recipient list | Used to select the list of customers who will receive the consent request (opt-in) to receive marketing messages via WhatsApp. |
| 4 | Message template | Select the marketing opt-in template you have created and approved by Meta. Always check the template quality before sending the message. |
| 5 | Content | Displays the content of the marketing opt-in message that customers will receive. |
| 6 | Campaign assignment | Select the name of the division (or assignment) you want to route to when your customers reply to the campaign within 30 days after sending. |
| 7 | Sending options |
There are 3 types of sending time options:
|
Sending the Marketing Opt-In template will incur charges as marketing messages, according to Meta's pricing policy. Learn more about Meta pricing
If all the above information is complete, click “Send campaign”.
After the campaign is successfully created, you will be directed to the main WhatsApp page.
G. Viewing Marketing Opt-In Template Responses
After sending the Marketing Opt-In template, you can view the delivery results and customer responses through the Campaign detail page. This page displays the following information:
Campaign information, such as campaign name, status, template name, audience name, campaign creator (created by), creation date (created at), and campaign sending date (sent at).
Campaign statistics, including the number of messages with status read, sent, delivered, pending, and failed.
-
Marketing preferences, to see the number of customers who:
responded with opt-in (agreeing to receive marketing messages)
responded with opt-out (choosing to stop receiving marketing messages), and
did not respond within 30 days after the campaign was sent
Campaign logs, showing customer data to whom the campaign was sent along with detailed delivery status and marketing consent responses.
The “Marketing preference” section and the “Marketing preference in Campaign Logs” column are only available for campaigns that send templates of the Marketing Opt-in type.
As with other campaigns, you can also apply filters before exporting data into a CSV file format.
H. Frequently Asked Questions about Marketing Opt-in
1. Where is the customer's marketing consent status stored?
The marketing consent status is stored based on the customer's WhatsApp number. Therefore, if a business uses more than one WhatsApp number, customer consent must be obtained for each number.
2. Can customers who have opted out give consent again (opt-in)?
Yes. Customers can give consent again (opt-in) through one of the following ways.
Re-enable marketing message reception settings on the business account profile in WhatsApp.
Respond with opt-in on the Marketing Opt-In template sent by the business. (Only possible if the last opt-out status did not originate from Meta).
3. Can the marketing consent status be viewed on the Customer Detail page?
Not yet. In the current release version, the marketing consent status is not available on the Customer detail page. However, this information can be seen when creating a Recipient List via the Select from customers option, and through the Campaign Logs page.