Why Your WhatsApp Marketing Messages Are Failing: Understanding Error Code 131026 and Exploring RCS as an Alternative

If you have been using WhatsApp Business API for marketing campaigns, and suddenly find that your messages are not reaching users, you are not alone. Many businesses have been receiving Error Code 131026, which signals a “message undeliverable” issue. In this blog, we will explain why this is happening and suggest an effective alternative – RCS Messaging.

What Is Causing the Error Code 131026?

Recently, WhatsApp introduced a policy aimed at improving user experience by limiting the number of marketing messages users receive from businesses. This change is intended to reduce spammy or irrelevant messages and ensure that users only get the most meaningful content.

The error code 131026, commonly among businesses using WhatsApp Cloud API, indicates that your marketing message has not been delivered due to these new limitations. This error primarily affects marketing templates and new conversation initiations but does not impact ongoing, live conversations with users.

Understanding the New Policy

Code

131026 (Message Undeliverable)

Description

Unable to deliver message. Reasons can include:

• The recipient phone number is not a WhatsApp phone number.
• Sending an authentication template to a WhatsApp user who has a +91 country calling code       (India). Authentication templates currently cannot be sent to WhatsApp users in India.
• Recipient has not accepted Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
• Recipient using an old WhatsApp version; must use the following WhatsApp version or greater:

              Android: 2.21.15.15

              SMBA: 2.21.15.15

              iOS: 2.21.170.4

              SMBI: 2.21.170.4

              KaiOS: 2.2130.10

              Web: 2.2132.6

• The message was not delivered to create a high-quality user experience. See Per-User Marketing Template Message Limits.

Possible Solutions

Using a non-WhatsApp communication method, ask the WhatsApp user to:

• Confirm that they can actually send a message to your WhatsApp business phone number.
• Confirm that user have accepted Meta’s latest Terms of Service (Settings > Help, or Settings > Application information will prompt them to accept the latest terms/policies if they haven’t done so already)
• Update to the latest version of the WhatsApp client.

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Why Are My Messages Being Blocked?

WhatsApp now blocks marketing template messages that are less likely to be read by the recipient. If a user has been flooded with marketing content from various businesses, WhatsApp may reject additional messages to avoid overwhelming recipients. This policy was rolled out in India in early 2024 and is gradually being implemented globally.

While this move helps improve user engagement, it leaves businesses with the challenge of ensuring their marketing campaigns continue to reach their audience effectively. Monitoring the performance of these messages has become critical, and businesses need to adapt their strategies.

Real-Time Campaign Analytics: A Way to Stay Informed

To help businesses navigate this change, WhatsApp Business API provides real-time analytics that allow you to track the performance of your campaigns. If you notice that a large number of your messages are not being delivered due to this policy, you can take swift action. One option is to run a follow-up campaign through an alternative platform like RCS (Rich Communication Services).

Why RCS is a Great Alternative

RCS offers many benefits similar to WhatsApp but with fewer restrictions. If you see that a significant number of users did not receive your WhatsApp marketing message, you can easily retarget them using RCS. Here are some reasons why RCS can be an effective alternative:

• Broad Reach: RCS is available on Android devices and allows you to reach users who might have missed your WhatsApp messages.
• Rich Media: Just like WhatsApp, RCS supports rich media, including images, videos, and interactive elements.
• Less Restrictive: RCS currently has fewer limitations than WhatsApp when it comes to message delivery, making it ideal for follow-up campaigns.

How Our Failover Mechanism Helps in Retargeting?

At GreenAds Global, we go beyond just delivering your messages and offer a robust failover mechanism for maximum reach. If due to the policy limitations or delivery issues, your WhatsApp message is not delivered to some of your recipients, then our system allows you to filter those recipients and seamlessly retarget them by automatically switching over to an alternate platform like RCS. This automated flow is important for the optimization of your marketing campaigns-never letting a chance go without being taken. Using our powerful tools and expertise, you can communicate confidently with your audience when barriers pop up.

Conclusion

As WhatsApp continues to optimize its platform to protect users from marketing overload, businesses must stay agile. Tracking real-time analytics is key to identifying when messages are failing and adjusting your strategy accordingly. RCS provides an excellent alternative for businesses facing high WhatsApp message failure rates, offering another way to engage with your audience without hitting the same restrictions.

By blending WhatsApp and RCS in your communication strategy, you will be able to keep your campaigns running smoothly and ensure your message gets through to the right people.

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