Putting “Message us on WhatsApp” and your phone number on your website sounds easy enough. But think about what you’re asking the customer to do: save your number, open WhatsApp, find you in their contacts, then figure out what to say. That’s a lot of steps just to ask a quick question, and plenty of people won’t bother.

A WhatsApp link gets rid of all of that. They tap it, a chat with your business opens with the first message already typed in, and all they have to do is hit send.

You can make one in a few seconds with the free generator. After that, we’ll show you how to build one yourself, where to put it, and how to tell which of your links are bringing in the most chats.
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What is a WhatsApp link?

A WhatsApp link, also called a click-to-chat link, is a web address that opens a WhatsApp chat with a specific number. It looks like this:

https://wa.me/15551234567

When someone taps it on their phone, WhatsApp opens straight to a chat with that number. On a computer, it opens WhatsApp Web or the desktop app. Either way, the customer doesn’t need to save your number first, and you can add a message that’s already typed in for them.

WhatsApp links work with any WhatsApp number: a personal account, the WhatsApp Business app, or the WhatsApp Business Platform.
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How to create a WhatsApp link (3 ways)

1. Use the free generator

The quickest way is the generator. Pick your country code, type your number, add a message if you want one, and copy your link. You can test it straight away and download a QR code at the same time.

2. Build the link yourself

If you’d rather do it by hand, WhatsApp’s format is simple:

https://wa.me/ + your full phone number in international format

The number is where most links go wrong. Ensure to include your country code, and leave out the plus sign, any leading zeros, brackets, spaces, and dashes.

For example, a UK number written locally as 07911 123456 becomes https://wa.me/447911123456. The country code (44) replaces the first zero.

3. Use the WhatsApp Business app

If you use the WhatsApp Business app, it can make a link for you. Go to Settings (or the ⋮ menu on Android) → Business tools → Short link. You’ll get a link for your business number, a QR code, and the option to set a default message.

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How to add a pre-filled message to your WhatsApp link

A pre-filled message is the text that’s already typed in when the chat opens. The customer can edit it or just press send. It saves them from wondering what to write, and it tells you straight away what they want.

To add one, put ?text= after your number, followed by your message:

https://wa.me/15551234567?text=Hi%2C%20I%27d%20like%20to%20book%20a%20table

The %20s and other codes are there because links can’t contain spaces or certain punctuation, so each one is replaced with a code. This is called URL encoding. You don’t need to do it by hand: the generator above encodes your message for you.

A few examples by use case:

A link customers can share with friends. If you leave your number out, like https://wa.me/?text=..., the link works differently. Instead of opening a chat with you, it opens the customer’s contacts so they can pick a friend to send your message to. For example, a “Share with a friend” button could send something like “I just ordered from Sweet Crumb Bakery, their cakes are amazing! Order here: sweetcrumb.com.” It’s an easy way to turn happy customers into word-of-mouth.

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How to make a WhatsApp QR code

A QR code does the same job as a link, but for the offline world. A customer points their phone camera at it, and the chat opens.

You can download one from the generator above, or get one in the WhatsApp Business app under Business tools → Short link (some versions call it QR code).

QR codes work well anywhere people have their phone out but can’t click a link: on packaging and delivery boxes, receipts, shop counters, menus, flyers, and event stands. Test the code on a couple of different phones before you print it, and make sure it’s big enough to scan from where people will be standing.

Where to use your WhatsApp link

Once you have a link, put it anywhere a customer might want to ask you something.

• Your website. Add a “Chat on WhatsApp” button to your contact page, product pages, and checkout. On product pages, a pre-filled message like “Hi, I have a question about [product]” catches shoppers right when they’re deciding. If you want visitors to be able to chat on your site as well, a website chat widget can sit alongside it.
• Order confirmations. Add the link to confirmation emails and thank-you pages, so questions about delivery or changes to an order come to WhatsApp instead of your inbox.
• Instagram and Facebook. Add a WhatsApp button to your Instagram profile and Facebook Page, put the link in your bio, and add it to Stories with a link sticker.
• Email. Add it to your signature and newsletters, so customers can reply on WhatsApp instead of email.
• Google Business Profile. Add it as a way to contact you, so people who find you on Google Maps or Search can message you directly.
• Ads. Click-to-WhatsApp ads send people from Facebook and Instagram straight into a chat. Our guide to click-to-chat ads covers how to set them up.
• Offline. Use the QR code on packaging, receipts, flyers, and in-store displays.

You don’t need to use all of these. Start with the two or three places your customers already look for you, then add more once you know they’re working.

Tips for WhatsApp links that get more chats

Getting your link in front of customers is half the job. The other half is making sure it gets tapped, and knowing which places are actually bringing in chats.

1. Write the message for the customer, not for you. “Hello” tells you nothing. “Hi, I’d like to know if this comes in size M” gets you straight to the point, and makes it easier for the customer to start.

2. Use a different message for each place you share the link. If your link is on Instagram and on your packaging, set your bio link to start with “Hi, I saw your Instagram” and your QR code to start with “Hi, I scanned your QR code.” In Heyy, an automation can watch for those words in new messages and add a label like Instagram or Packaging to the contact. Over time, you’ll see which links bring in the most chats.

3. Test every link before you share it. Open it on a phone and on a computer, and check that the right number and message come up. A single wrong digit sends your customers to a stranger.

4. Make sure someone can answer. A link that brings in chats only helps if those chats get a quick reply. If they arrive in the evening or at weekends, plan for who, or what, answers them. This is worth getting right as 72.4% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a brand they can message.

wa.me links vs WhatsApp Business Platform short links

If your business uses the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta offers a second kind of link: short links and QR codes created in WhatsApp Manager or through the API. Instead of your number, they use a random code, like wa.me/message/4O4YGZEG3RIVE1.

For most small businesses, a wa.me link is all you need. Short links are worth it if you print QR codes on packaging and want to update the message later without reprinting, or if you’d rather not show your number in the link.

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WhatsApp link FAQs

1. Is it free to create a WhatsApp link?

Yes. WhatsApp links are free to create and free to use, whether you make one with our generator, by hand, or in the WhatsApp Business app.

2. Can I create a WhatsApp link without a phone number?

Yes, if you only want to share a message. A link like https://wa.me/?text=... opens WhatsApp with your message ready and lets the person choose who to send it to. To start a chat with your business, the link needs your number.

3. Does a WhatsApp link work on a computer?

Yes. On a computer, the link opens WhatsApp Web or the WhatsApp desktop app, as long as the person is logged in.

4. Can I use a WhatsApp link with the WhatsApp Business app?

Yes. WhatsApp links work with personal accounts, the WhatsApp Business app, and the WhatsApp Business Platform. The Business app can also make a link and QR code for you under Business tools → Short link.

5. Why isn’t my WhatsApp link working?

It’s almost always the number format. Make sure the link uses your full number with the country code, and no plus sign, leading zeros, brackets, spaces, or dashes. Also check that the number is registered on WhatsApp.

6. Can I track clicks on a WhatsApp link?

Not the clicks themselves. Neither wa.me links nor Meta’s short links come with click analytics. You can track the chats they start, though, by giving each link its own pre-filled message and tagging the chats it brings in.‍

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Make every click count

A WhatsApp link makes it easy for customers to start a chat. Once it’s on your website, Instagram and packaging, messages start arriving at all hours: “Is this in stock?” “Do you ship to Canada?” If those messages go unanswered until the next morning, the link has done its job, but the sale is still lost.

Heyy’s AI Employees reply to every chat in seconds, day or night. They answer questions using your product and policy information, qualify leads, and hand the conversation to your team in the shared inbox when a person needs to step in.

→ Try Heyy free for 7 days
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Sources

• WhatsApp Help Center, How to use click to chat
• Meta for Developers, QR codes and short links
• Heyy docs: New incoming message trigger, Contact actions (Add Label)

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