Objectives and performance goals
Meta lets you run ads that click to WhatsApp to build awareness, drive traffic or engagement, or generate leads and sales. You need a WhatsApp Business app account or the WhatsApp Business API, with the number connected to your Facebook Page or business portfolio. In a Leads campaign with WhatsApp as the conversion location, Maximize number of conversations is selected by default, and Meta's Marketing API lists conversations as the only optimization goal for the Leads objective. Under Sales, Meta picks a performance goal for you and you may not be able to change it.
Lead and purchase optimization
Meta now offers the performance goal Maximize number of leads through messaging with the Leads or Engagement objectives, and says it is being introduced gradually. For WhatsApp you must first share 10 or more lead or purchase events within 30 days, from the WhatsApp Business app using its predefined labels or through the Conversions API for business messaging, and each chat must be labeled as a lead within 7 days of the ad click. Meta reports 24% lower average cost per lead for WhatsApp ads optimized for leads versus conversations. Purchase optimization is available for ads that click to WhatsApp through the Conversions API for business messaging.
Why the goal matters
A conversation goal rewards chats started. Meta only learns which chats became leads or sales when you share those events back, so on a new account we usually see plenty of chats and few qualified leads, the pattern in WhatsApp ads optimize for conversations, not leads. We turn on event sharing and labeling from day one so the account can qualify for the lead goal. Meta also says some messaging campaigns and metrics are unavailable for ads delivered to and from Europe and Japan, and its WhatsApp setup page adds South Korea.
Common questions
What do click-to-WhatsApp ads optimize for?
In a Leads campaign, Maximize number of conversations by default, so Meta shows the ad to people likely to start a chat. Lead and purchase optimization need event sharing set up first.
Can I optimize WhatsApp ads for leads?
Yes, if your account is eligible. Meta's Maximize number of leads through messaging goal is being introduced gradually with the Leads or Engagement objectives, and for WhatsApp it needs 10 or more lead or purchase events shared within 30 days.
Can click-to-WhatsApp ads optimize for purchases?
Yes. Meta's developer documentation says the Conversions API for business messaging enables purchase optimization for ads that click to WhatsApp and ads that click to Messenger, though not for Instagram.
How do I share lead events from the WhatsApp Business app?
In the app, go to Tools, then Your customers' activity, and turn on Allow Meta to receive information about events. Then label chats from your ads with the predefined labels, such as Lead, New customer or Paid. Meta says custom labels may not be attributed.
What do I need before running click-to-WhatsApp ads?
A WhatsApp Business app account or the WhatsApp Business API, with that number connected to your Facebook Page or your business portfolio. The Page you choose in the ad set decides which WhatsApp number the ads open.