It's the week before Diwali. You write "Flat 20% off on everything" and send it to every customer you have. A few people order. A few people block you. Most of the messages sit there with grey ticks.
A WhatsApp broadcast sends the same message to everyone on a list. A targeted campaign sends a message only to the people it's about, chosen by what they asked for, bought, or told you. Both have a place. The trouble starts when a broadcast is used for a message that only matters to a tenth of the list.
Three ways to message many customers on WhatsApp
| Broadcast list (Business app) | Broadcast to a list (Business API) | Targeted campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who receives it | Up to 256 people per list, only if they saved your number | Anyone on your list who opted in, within your daily messaging limit | Only customers who match your rules |
| The message | Same text for everyone | An approved template, with variables | A template or message filled in for each customer |
| When it goes out | When you send it from the phone | Now, scheduled, or repeating | Now, scheduled, repeating, or when something happens |
| Replies | Arrive as separate chats on one phone | Arrive in a shared inbox | Arrive in a shared inbox, and can start automation |
| Cost | Free | Meta's fee for every delivered marketing template, plus your tool | The same fees, on far fewer messages |
The broadcast list in the free app has two catches that surprise people. It only reaches contacts who have saved your number, and each list is capped at 256. It's fine for a small shop and its regulars, and not much beyond that.
When a broadcast is the right call
Send to everyone when the news is true for everyone:
- "We're closed from 1 to 5 November."
- "Our new branch in Wakad opens on Sunday."
- "The price list for all dealers changes from 1 October. New list attached."
- "Payment links are down for an hour. Please pay by UPI to the number below."
These messages don't need targeting, because nobody on the list would wonder why they got it.
When a broadcast quietly costs you
An offer, a product launch, or a restock usually matters to a slice of the list. Sending it to everyone has costs that don't show up in the sent count:
- Deliverability. WhatsApp may hold back marketing messages from people who already get many and read few. Every ignored blast trains that.
- Blocks and reports. On the Business API they lower your quality rating, which can slow how fast your messaging limit grows. On a personal number, they can get the number banned.
- Money. Meta charges for every delivered marketing template, whether or not anyone reads it.
- Attention. Customers learn that your messages are usually not for them, and stop opening the ones that are.
What targeting looks like in practice
| Broadcast | Targeted version | Audience rule |
|---|---|---|
| “Diwali gifting collection is live!” to everyone | “Your office hampers from last Diwali are back, with two new sizes.” | Profile: bought for = corporate gifting |
| “New stock arrived” to all dealers | “20L drums are back in stock. Same 60 as your last order?” | Profile: product line = paints, and event: order placed in the last 90 days |
| “Admissions open” to every enquiry | “The evening JEE batch you asked about starts on 6 October.” | Profile: course = JEE, batch = evening, and no Enrolled event |
| “Site visits this weekend” to every lead | “Two 3 BHK flats in Baner open for visits on Saturday.” | Profile: locality = Baner, BHK = 3 |
Turn a broadcast into a targeted campaign in three steps
Save the rules as a segment if you'll reuse them. A segment refreshes on the schedule you set, so someone who orders this morning isn't in tonight's campaign. The full walkthrough, including template variables and fallbacks, is in how to send personalized WhatsApp campaigns.
The most targeted message is a triggered one
A segment picks people by what's true about them. A trigger sends because of what they just did. Querygen can reply automatically when a message matches a keyword or a condition you describe, run a sequence that stops the moment the customer replies, and nudge a customer who goes quiet after a quote. None of those are broadcasts, and they usually get the most replies. See how to automate lead follow-up.
What it costs
In Querygen each campaign message uses 1 credit (₹1 on the INR plan), and on a Business API number Meta also bills its marketing template fee. A 3,000-person broadcast uses 3,000 credits. A 150-person targeted campaign uses 150. The plan is ₹9,900 + GST a month with 9,900 credits included.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a WhatsApp broadcast and a targeted campaign?
A broadcast sends the same message to everyone on a list. A targeted campaign sends only to the customers the message is about, chosen by rules such as what they asked for, what they bought, or where they live, and can fill in details for each person.
How many people can I send a WhatsApp broadcast to?
In the WhatsApp Business app, a broadcast list holds up to 256 contacts, and only people who saved your number receive it. On the WhatsApp Business API, you can reach customers who opted in, up to your messaging limit: 250 unique customers a day for a new business portfolio, rising to 2,000, 10,000, 100,000, and unlimited.
Why are some of my WhatsApp broadcast messages not delivered?
In the app, the recipient probably hasn't saved your number. On the Business API, the customer may have opted out, you may have reached your messaging limit, or WhatsApp may have held back a marketing message because that person already receives many and reads few.
Do I need permission to send WhatsApp broadcasts?
Yes. WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy requires a customer's permission before a business messages them. An imported contact list doesn't prove that permission on its own.
What is the best WhatsApp campaign tool for a business?
If you mostly send the same offer to one large list, a broadcast-first tool on the official API is usually the cheapest. If you want campaigns targeted by what customers said and did in chat, choose a tool that stores that information and builds segments from it, like Querygen.
From the journal
Keep reading
How to Send Personalized WhatsApp Campaigns in India
Use what customers told you in chat (the product they asked about, their city, their budget) to choose who gets each WhatsApp campaign and what it says.
Read articleInstagramInstagram vs WhatsApp for Selling in India
Instagram gets you found. WhatsApp brings customers back. What each channel allows, where each one wins, and how to sell on both without doubling the work.
Read articleWhatsAppWhatsApp CRM for Small Businesses in India
A WhatsApp CRM should fill itself in from your chats, not add typing. What to look for, how to set one up in a day, and what it costs a small team in India.
Read articleMore ideas are waiting in the journal.
Browse all articles