> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.digifist.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# First Campaign

> Create a WhatsApp message template, get it approved, and send your first campaign broadcast.

Campaigns are one-time WhatsApp broadcasts sent to a targeted audience. Before you can send a campaign, you need at least one approved message template — Meta must review and approve all templates before they can be used in outbound messages.

This guide walks you through creating a template, waiting for approval, and launching your first campaign.

## What this covers

* Creating and submitting a message template for Meta approval
* Setting up a new campaign
* Selecting an audience
* Scheduling or sending immediately

## Before you begin

Confirm the following are ready:

* Your WhatsApp Business Account is connected — see [WhatsApp Connection](./whatsapp-connection)
* You have at least one Customer List or Segment with `SUBSCRIBED` customers

<Note>
  Only customers with `SUBSCRIBED` marketing consent status are included in campaign sends. Customers who have not opted in are automatically excluded.
</Note>

## Step 1 — Create and submit a template

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Templates">
    In the Galantis dashboard, go to **Templates** and click **New Template**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build your template">
    Add a header (optional), body text, footer (optional), and buttons (optional). Use `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` placeholders in the body for dynamic content such as customer name or order details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the correct category">
    Select **Marketing** for promotions, offers, and product announcements. Select **Utility** for transactional messages such as order confirmations or shipping updates. The category must accurately reflect the message content.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit for Meta approval">
    Save and submit the template. Status will change to `PENDING_APPROVAL`. Approval typically takes minutes to a few hours.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Templates in `DRAFT` or `REJECTED` status cannot be used in campaigns. Wait for `APPROVED` status before proceeding. If a template is rejected, review the rejection reason in **Templates → \[Template Name] → Status**, fix the issue, and resubmit.
</Warning>

## Step 2 — Create the campaign

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Campaigns">
    Once your template is approved, go to **Campaigns** and click **New Campaign**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your approved template">
    Choose the approved template from the list. Map any template variables (e.g., `{{1}}` → `customer.first_name`) to the correct customer or order data fields.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your audience">
    Select one or more Customer Lists or Segments to include. You can also add exclusion rules to remove specific groups (e.g., customers who purchased in the last 7 days). Use **Estimate Reach** to preview your final audience count before sending.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Schedule or send immediately">
    Choose **Send now** to dispatch immediately, or set a future date and time to schedule the campaign.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Checking campaign results

After sending, track performance in **Campaigns → \[Campaign Name]**:

| Metric        | Description                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **Sent**      | Messages dispatched to the WhatsApp API           |
| **Delivered** | Confirmed delivered to the customer's device      |
| **Read**      | Customer opened the message                       |
| **Failed**    | Delivery failed — check per-message error details |

## Related guides

* [WhatsApp Connection](./whatsapp-connection) — Required before sending any campaign
* [Templates](/whatsapp/templates/index) — Full reference for template components and formats
* [Campaigns](/whatsapp/campaigns/index) — Audience targeting, scheduling, and analytics