> ## 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. # Template Categories > Marketing and Utility — the two template categories in Galantis, what each covers, and why accurate categorization matters. Every WhatsApp template submitted to Meta must be assigned a category. The category declares the message's purpose to Meta and determines how it is reviewed, how it is priced, and how Meta monitors it after approval. In Galantis, the two categories available are **Marketing** and **Utility**. Choosing the correct category is a compliance decision. It must accurately reflect what the message does — not what you want it to cost or how quickly you want it approved. Miscategorization is the leading cause of template rejection in Galantis and one of the fastest paths to phone number quality degradation. ## What this covers * What Marketing and Utility categories mean * Which messages belong in each category * Why accurate categorization matters for compliance and deliverability * Authentication templates and why they are out of scope ## Categories **Marketing** is the correct category for any message that promotes your brand, drives a purchase decision, or delivers an offer — regardless of how it is worded. **Use Marketing for:** * Promotional offers, discount codes, and sale announcements * New product launches and collection reveals * Seasonal or event-based campaigns * Re-engagement messages and win-back offers * Back-in-stock broadcasts sent as campaigns * Any message where the primary goal is to drive a customer action that benefits your business Marketing templates carry a higher per-message cost on **Meta's pricing model** compared to Utility in most markets. Galantis Conversation credits, however, are flat — 1 delivered message = 1 credit regardless of category — so the cost difference only shows up on your Meta invoice, not on the Galantis (Shopify) invoice. Marketing templates also receive closer scrutiny during quality monitoring: a Marketing template with high block rates will degrade your phone number quality faster than a Utility template under the same conditions, because recipients who block a promotional message signal stronger dissatisfaction. Any message that includes a discount code, promotional CTA, or offer — even if it is embedded alongside transactional content — should be categorized as Marketing. The presence of promotional intent, not the proportion of the message it occupies, determines the correct category. **Utility** is the correct category for transactional, informational, or service messages — messages the customer expects and benefits from regardless of a purchase decision. **Use Utility for:** * Order confirmations and receipts * Shipping updates and delivery notifications * Return or refund status updates * Appointment reminders and booking confirmations * Account or subscription status updates * Operational store announcements (policy changes, service updates) Utility templates carry a lower per-message cost on **Meta's pricing model** in most markets and typically have lower block rates because recipients expect and welcome transactional messages. (Galantis credits are still 1 per delivered message — the Meta saving is real, the Galantis saving is not.) However, Utility templates are held to strict content standards precisely because of these advantages — Meta actively checks that Utility templates do not contain marketing content. Do not use Utility to send promotional content in order to benefit from lower pricing or faster approval. This is a Meta policy violation. Common violations include: adding a discount code to an order confirmation, embedding a "shop now" CTA in a shipping update, or framing a promotional announcement as a service message. Rejected templates and quality flags are the consequence — not just a formal warning. ## Authentication templates WhatsApp supports a third category — Authentication — for one-time passcodes and verification messages. Authentication templates are supported at the WhatsApp platform level but are not currently used in Galantis. If your use case requires OTP or verification messaging, contact Galantis support to discuss availability. ## Why accurate categorization matters Meta enforces category compliance at two points: **During approval** — Meta's review checks whether the submitted template content matches the declared category. A promotional message submitted as Utility is frequently caught and rejected at this stage. Rejection wastes the approval cycle time and delays your campaign. **After approval** — Meta monitors live templates through quality signals: block rates, report rates, and engagement patterns. A Utility template that functions as Marketing will be flagged through quality monitoring even if it passed the initial review. Consequences include the template being paused, reduced throughput on your phone number, and in repeated cases, account-level restrictions. **Cost is not a valid reason to miscategorize.** The Meta per-message pricing difference between Marketing and Utility is real (Galantis credits are flat, so this difference only affects your Meta invoice), but the cost of a quality incident — reduced throughput, template suspension, or phone number restriction — significantly outweighs any short-term savings from incorrect categorization. ## Decision guide When categorizing a template, ask one question: > Would the customer benefit from receiving this message even if they were not being asked to buy something? If yes — the message is informational and Utility is likely correct. An order confirmation, shipping update, or appointment reminder serves the customer's needs independent of any purchase intent. If no — the message is promotional and Marketing is the correct category. A discount offer, product launch announcement, or re-engagement message serves your business's goals, not a pre-existing customer need. If the message contains both informational and promotional content, Marketing is the correct category. The presence of promotional intent takes precedence. ## Related guides * [Creating Templates](./creating-templates) — How to set the category when building a template * [Template Quality](./template-quality) — How category compliance affects quality rating * [Campaigns — Campaign Types](/whatsapp/campaigns/campaign-types) — How template category determines campaign type * [Compliance — Quality & Deliverability](/whatsapp/compliance/quality-deliverability) — Phone number quality consequences of miscategorization