Since April 2024, Meta has introduced a new metric—the Read Rate—to assess the quality of marketing templates in WhatsApp Business API (WABA). If the read percentage is low, Meta may pause or even block the template to protect users from spam.
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In this article, we will cover how to track Read Rate, what to do if your metrics drop, and how to avoid template blocks.
What is read rate and why is it important
Read Rate is the percentage of messages that have been opened and read by customers. In WhatsApp, these messages are marked with two blue checkmarks. Read Rate applies only to marketing templates—Meta tracks it only for templates that initiate a new marketing conversation.
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Meta introduced this metric to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing templates. If a template performs poorly—meaning it has a low Read Rate or users report it as spam—Meta may suspend its sending.
Templates from the Utility and Authentication categories are not subject to this rule. Additionally, if a user has disabled read receipts in WhatsApp settings, their messages will not be included in the Read Rate statistics.
Where to check your read rate
You can track the Read Rate directly in WhatsApp Manager. Follow these steps:
1. Go to WhatsApp Manager and select the WABA account linked to your number in the top right corner.
2. Open the “Message Templates” tab → “Manage Templates”.
3. In the table, find the column “Messages Read Rate”—this displays the percentage of read messages for each template.
4. Click on a template to access detailed statistics.
The Statistics tab provides graphs and a detailed breakdown of sent, delivered, and read messages.
If your Read Rate drops, analyze your recipient list, template text, and sending frequency to prevent blocks.
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What to do if your template gets blocked?
Create a new template with different text. You can follow the recommendations listed below.
Change your approach to messaging — reduce the frequency, add buttons, and segment your audience.
Check your statistics in WhatsApp Manager regularly to catch drops in Read Rate early.
How Meta evaluates read rate
Meta does not disclose the exact blocking algorithm, but based on experience, here are the key factors:
- If the Read Rate drops below 60–70%, the template enters the risk zone.
- If multiple templates have a low Read Rate, Meta may freeze them or completely block the WABA account.
- User complaints are also considered—if users mark messages as spam or block the sender, this speeds up the blocking process.
