How to create a WhatsApp link (wa.me) with a ready message
Creating a WhatsApp link with wa.me is simple: you build an address with your number and, if you want, a message already written. Here is how to do it and how to add click counting.
What is a wa.me link?
The wa.me format is the address WhatsApp offers to open a chat directly with a number. Instead of saving your contact and searching for you, a person taps the link and the chat opens ready. It is what sits behind most WhatsApp buttons on websites, social media bios and ads.
The advantage is convenience: the link works on a phone, where it opens the app, and also on a computer, where it usually opens WhatsApp Web or the installed program.
You do not need to be technical to use it. You only need your full number and, if you want, a short sentence for the first message.
How do you build the link with your number?
The basic format is https://wa.me/ followed by the full number, digits only. That means the country code, the area code and the number, with no spaces, parentheses, hyphens or plus sign.
For example, for a made-up US number the address would look like this: https://wa.me/15555550123. Replace it with the real details of your number. A common mistake is forgetting the country code or leaving a leading zero in the area code, which makes the link open the wrong chat or none at all.
Always test the link on your phone before publishing it. If the chat opens with the right number, you are done.
How do you add a ready message to the link?
To make the chat open with text already written, add the text parameter to the wa.me link, like this: ?text= followed by the message. Spaces and special characters have to be converted into a format that fits in web addresses, for example a space becomes %20. Doing this by hand is tedious and easy to get wrong.
An example result: https://wa.me/15555550123?text=Hi%2C%20I%20found%20you%20on%20your%20website. Here the message is Hi, I found you on your website. Whoever clicks sees the text already written and only needs to press send.
That is why many people use a generator instead of assembling the code by hand. In WhatsClicks, you type the number and the message into normal fields and the dashboard takes care of the format.
How to create the link in WhatsClicks (and count clicks right away)
A regular wa.me link takes people to WhatsApp, but it does not count how many times it was clicked. If you want to measure, use WhatsClicks. It generates a link shaped like https://whatsclicks.com/w/code that records the click and sends the person straight to the chat with your number.
- Create a free WhatsClicks account, no card needed to start.
- In the Links area, create a new link.
- Type the WhatsApp number and the first message. If you already have a wa.me address, you can paste it to import the number and message at once.
- Save and copy the generated link.
- Paste the link into your website button, your bio or wherever you will use it.
Can you change the message without changing the link?
Yes, in two ways. The first is to edit the link in the dashboard: you change the first message and every button that uses that link starts opening the new message, without touching the website.
The second is a different message in one specific place, using the &t= tag at the end of the link. For example, &t=Hi, I came from the pricing page changes the message only for people who clicked there. This is handy when the same account serves several pages and you want to know right away where the person came from. There is an address builder under each link in the dashboard to put this together without mistakes.
Where can you use your WhatsApp link?
A good practice is to have one link for each place. That way, when you look at the dashboard, you know whether contacts come from the website, Instagram or email. Think of simple names like website, bio and signature.
- On buttons and banners on your website or online store.
- In your Instagram bio and other social profiles.
- In your email signature.
- In ads that send people to WhatsApp.
- On printed material, by turning the link into a QR code.
Tips for writing the ready-made message
- Keep it short and natural. Something like Hi, I would like to know more about your service is enough.
- Avoid promising what you cannot deliver, such as deadlines or conditions that may change.
- Leave room for the person to continue. An open first sentence usually starts a better conversation than a long, closed text.
- Test the message on your phone to check accents and emojis.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to create a WhatsApp link?
The wa.me link from WhatsApp itself is free. In WhatsClicks, sign-up is also free and includes a 3-day free trial with up to 2 links.
Does the WhatsApp link work on a computer?
Yes. On a computer it usually opens WhatsApp Web or the installed program, depending on what the person uses.
How do I write the number in a wa.me link?
Use digits only, with the country code and area code, and no spaces, hyphens, parentheses or plus sign.
Does the WhatsClicks link replace wa.me?
It does the same job of opening the chat and also records the click. If you already have a wa.me link, you can import the number and message by pasting the address.