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Conversions from click-to-WhatsApp ads
When someone messages you from a click-to-WhatsApp ad, the message itself carries the ad and the click ID. TraceClose links the conversation to the ad on its own, no link needed. If the Meta connection has the WABA and the WhatsApp dataset, and the click is less than 7 days old, events go out linked to the click; otherwise, they go through the pixel.
How the conversation is linked to the ad
The first message from someone who clicked the ad arrives with the ad ID and the click ID. On the lead, the source is Paid traffic with the Ad click method, and the conversation shows Conversation started from the ad. The campaign and ad set are worked out from your ad account’s synced structure, so the account must be connected (connect Meta).
These ads don’t need a tracked link: the attribution comes in the message.
What to set up for conversions
- In the Meta connection, check Conversions destination.
- Fill in the WhatsApp Business account ID (WABA) and the WhatsApp dataset ID (the dataset linked to that account).
- Also fill in the Pixel ID, which is the fallback path.
- Turn on Send conversions in Settings › Operations and pick the stage events in Settings › Pipeline (step by step).
Which path each event takes
With the WABA, the dataset and a click less than 7 days old, the event goes through the messaging channel, linked to the click. Not every event has a matching name there:
| Stage event | Through the messaging channel | Without those conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | LeadSubmitted | Pixel |
| Schedule | QualifiedLead | Pixel |
| InitiateCheckout | InitiateCheckout | Pixel |
| Purchase | Purchase (with value) | Pixel |
| Contact, SubmitApplication, CompleteRegistration | No equivalent: goes through the pixel | Pixel |
Through the pixel, the event goes with the phone, email, name and country hashed (SHA-256), without the click ID. Each path has its own test code: WhatsApp dataset test code for the messaging channel and Pixel test code for the pixel.
Example
Fictional example: John clicks Example Co.’s “September offer” ad and messages on WhatsApp. The lead is created with the trail Campaign “September” → Ad set “US 25-45” → Ad “September offer”. The connection has the WABA and the dataset, so Lead goes out as LeadSubmitted. Three days later, John buys for $890.00: Purchase goes out through the messaging channel, linked to the click. If he had bought 10 days later, the click would have expired and Purchase would go through the pixel.
Didn’t work? See…
- The conversation doesn’t show the ad: the ad ID only comes through when the person messages from the ad’s button; see conversation with no source.
- The ad shows up but not the campaign: the ad account hasn’t synced yet or isn’t checked (ad accounts and sync).
- The event doesn’t arrive: the sale doesn’t show up in Meta.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a tracked link in click-to-WhatsApp ads?
No. The ad identification comes with the first message.
What if I don’t have the WABA and the dataset?
Events go through the pixel, with hashed contact data, as long as the connection has the pixel ID.
How long is the click valid?
The click ID is valid for 7 days for conversions through the messaging channel. After that, the event goes through the pixel.
See the path from ad to sale in your WhatsApp.
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