Run Facebook and Instagram ads to WhatsApp

Ads that open a real chat

Kenyan buyers trust WhatsApp more than a long form. Click-to-WhatsApp ads send people straight into your inbox. Timi answers first questions while you are busy. The buyer already showed intent by clicking — your job is to reply fast with clear prices and delivery details before they message a competitor.

Campaign structure basics

Run one clear offer per ad set. If you sell furniture and fashion, split them into separate campaigns so you know which product line the chat is about. Match your ad creative to what Timi will say in the first reply — same product, same price range, same delivery promise. Mismatched ads and replies confuse buyers and waste spend.

Use Click-to-WhatsApp as your ad destination

In Meta Ads Manager, set the ad destination to WhatsApp — not a website URL or plain wa.me link. When a buyer taps the ad, WhatsApp opens on your business number. Timi reads the referral data on the first inbound message so paid chats show up clearly in your Feed. You still create and manage campaigns in Ads Manager; Timi is the reply and conversion layer.

First-reply playbook after the click

Define what the first three messages should achieve. Message one confirms the request and sets expectations. Message two delivers the most important facts — product fit, price range, or location coverage. Message three invites a next step such as confirming quantity or sharing a delivery pin. Timi handles this opening while you pack orders or serve walk-in customers.

Click-to-WhatsApp vs plain wa.me

Both open WhatsApp, but only Click-to-WhatsApp gives Meta the data to optimise for conversations that pay.

• A plain wa.me link in an ad opens WhatsApp with no campaign attribution.
• Click-to-WhatsApp passes referral data Timi reads on the first message.
• Paid chats are labelled in your Feed so you know which came from ads.
• With Meta connected, Timi sends QualifiedLead (engaged chats only), InitiateCheckout, and Purchase to Ads Manager.
• ROAS and cost per qualified lead live on your Ads dashboard.

Connect Meta Ads in Timi Settings

Open Settings → Ad conversion tracking and click Connect Meta Ads. Sign in with the Facebook account that manages your ads, pick your pixel, and turn on conversion events. Timi sends QualifiedLead when a buyer engages beyond a bare Hi, InitiateCheckout on handoff, and Purchase when you confirm M-Pesa or mark the sale. Track ROAS and cost per qualified lead on the Ads page. No spreadsheet uploads.

Audience Autopilot (separate from conversion events)

Audience Autopilot is included in all paid plans. It hashes customer phone numbers and keeps five Meta customer-list audiences synced: Customers, Qualified WhatsApp leads, Ad chats no sale, Disqualified leads, and Re-engage. This is not the same as CAPI conversion events — only Click-to-WhatsApp ad chats feed Ads Manager optimisation signals. Timi does not create or edit campaigns, budgets, creatives, or ad sets.

Use customer data lawfully

Your business remains the controller for its customer data. Before using customer-list audiences, identify and document a lawful basis, provide required privacy notices, respect objections and opt-outs, and comply with Kenya's Data Protection Act. Hashing protects the raw phone value during transfer but does not make the processing anonymous. Meta's Custom Audience Terms, Business Tools Terms, and advertising policies also apply.

M-Pesa confirmations become Purchase events

The sale happens when the buyer pays M-Pesa, not on a landing page. Timi reads the M-Pesa confirmation in the chat and queues the sale for one-tap approval in Feed. When you confirm, it sends a Purchase event back to Meta with the click ID from the original ad — so Meta learns which campaign produced a paying buyer, not just a chat. Only purchases from Click-to-WhatsApp ad chats are reported; organic chats are not. Confirm sales so your ROAS and cost-per-qualified-lead numbers stay honest.

Customer chat link is for organic sharing

Your WhatsApp link from Feed is for Instagram bio, posters, and WhatsApp Status — not for Meta ad destinations. Use Click-to-WhatsApp in ads; use your WhatsApp link everywhere else buyers tap a URL.

What to measure weekly

Track first-response speed, qualification rate, and close rate from qualified chats — not just chat volume. Review which ad sets produced paying customers, not just cheap clicks. Run one simple review every Friday: one chat that converted fast, one that stalled, and one that created confusion. Fix the ad set or the first reply based on that — a small weekly change beats a panic rework during a spike.