How do public bodies use WhatsApp to reach citizens?
Through the WhatsApp Business API, a public body can send approved message templates to residents who have opted in — water supply disruptions, tax due dates, ward notices, emergency alerts — targeted geographically and delivered in the local language, with replies routed into the service system.
The channel people actually read
SMS is ignored, portals are visited only when something is wrong, and app installation is a barrier most residents will not cross for an occasional interaction. WhatsApp is already open on the phone, and messages there get read.
The discipline required is restraint. Broadcasting frequently or irrelevantly gets a public body's number blocked and reported, and once trust in the channel is lost the emergency message goes unread too. Ward-level targeting matters precisely because it keeps messages relevant.
Process
How we deliver it
Process flow for WhatsApp broadcasting platforms
01
Set up the API
Business verification, number provisioning, template approval.
02
Build the audience
Opt-in capture with ward and language attributes.
03
Create templates
Approved multilingual templates for each message type.
04
Target and send
Ward, category or property-linked segmentation.
05
Handle replies
Two-way routing into the grievance or service system.
Deliverables
What you receive
Verified WhatsApp Business API account and number
Approved multilingual message template library
Opt-in capture with ward and language segmentation
Broadcast interface with targeting and scheduling
Delivery and read reporting, plus reply routing into service systems
Engagement shape
Eight to sixteen weeks. Business verification and template approval sit with the platform and add lead time we plan around.
Stack decisions follow the problem. This is where we usually start, not a fixed menu.
Frequently asked
Questions we get about this
Do residents have to opt in?
For most message categories, yes — WhatsApp's policies require it and it is also the right practice. Opt-in can be captured at any touchpoint: paying tax, raising a complaint, at a counter. Building the list takes time, which is why we start early.
What does it cost to run?
WhatsApp charges per conversation, with rates varying by category and changing periodically. We model expected monthly cost at your resident volume and message frequency before build, so the operating cost is understood rather than discovered.
Talk it through before you commit
A discovery call is a working session on your constraint, not a sales pitch.
