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What do the words "Marketing" and "Utility" mean in the Guest journey builder?

WhatsApp messages created in the Guest journey builder are classified by Meta as either Utility or Marketing templates. This article provides guidance on keeping templates personalized, service-oriented, and non-promotional to increase the likelihood of Utility classification.

When sending outbound messages to guests who have not initiated contact, there must be a clear and valid service-related reason. This aligns with both our internal policy and Meta’s (WhatsApp) guidelines.

All messages created in the Guest Journey Builder are automatically submitted to Meta as WhatsApp templates. Meta classifies each template as either Marketing or Utility (Authorization templates also exist but are not relevant here).

Template Types

Marketing Templates
Used to generate awareness, drive sales, or retarget customers. Marketing templates have a lower delivery rate by Meta, particularly for recipients with US phone numbers.

Utility Templates
Used to follow up on user actions or requests. These are typically triggered by a guest action and are service-oriented. Utility templates are generally delivered reliably.

You can find specifics about fee per message type in this link. 

Do note that Meta makes the final classification decision. There is no guarantee how a template will be categorized, and rules may vary by market.

Guidelines for Template Creation

When editing templates in the Guest journey builder, keep messages as service-oriented as possible to increase the likelihood of classification as Utility.

Recommendations:

  • Include specific variables indicating the message is intended for a particular individual (e.g., transaction IDs, reservation numbers, timestamps, guest names).

  • Avoid promotional or sales-oriented language.

  • Avoid imperative calls-to-action.

    • Marketing example: “Please click this link to confirm your order.”

    • Utility example: “If you would like to confirm your order, you can follow this link.”

  • Do not combine multiple types of information within a single template.

  • Use the correct variable format with double curly brackets (e.g., ), not square brackets.

Default Template Examples
  • After reservation
    Dear [guest_name], this is a confirmation of your reservation in [hotel_name]. If you have any questions related to your stay, feel free to reach out.
  • Before Checkin
    Your check-in at [hotel_name] is tomorrow. We are looking forward to welcoming you. Feel free to reach out in case you have any questions.
  • After Checkin
    Welcome to [hotel_name]. You are now checked in. In case you need any assistance with our facilities or have questions about the things to do in [hotel_city], just let me know.
  • After first night
    Good morning! I hope your first night at [hotel_name] was comfortable. If there's anything we can do to make your stay even better, please let me know.
  • Before Checkout
    Dear [guest_name], tomorrow is your last day at [hotel_name]. We hope you had a wonderful experience in [hotel_city] and that your stay was comfortable. Wishing you safe travels!
  • After Checkout
    Dear [guest_name], we hope you had a wonderful stay at [hotel_name]. Did everything meet your expectations?

Note: Final classification of templates is determined by Meta. Approval and categorization may vary by market and over time.