WhatsApp Marketing Glossary

WhatsApp QR code

A WhatsApp QR code is a scannable code that opens a chat with a business WhatsApp number directly, usually with a pre-filled message. It turns physical and digital touchpoints — shop windows, packaging, receipts, menus and printed materials — into an immediate conversational channel, without the user having to save the number or type it in manually.

The code embeds a wa.me link with the number and predefined text: on scanning, the phone opens WhatsApp with the message ready to send. The user's first send opens the 24-hour customer service window and creates the contact on the business side. The WhatsApp Business app generates its own QR from the profile; with the API and platforms you can create separate QRs per store, campaign or material.

The pre-filled message is also a tracking tool: different texts, for example a code or the name of the store, reveal which medium the contact came from and can trigger targeted automations, such as a keyword that starts a dedicated flow. Typical uses: list sign-ups with opt-in, post-sale support from packaging, review collection at the end of service, digital menus in hospitality.

With SendApp, the QR can point to a keyword that triggers automatic replies or the AI agent, and the contact goes straight into the address book, ready for segmentation.

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From theory to practice

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