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Concept map· 6 connected terms

Limited-Time Offer Template(LTO)

Also called: Limited time offer template · LTO template · Offer countdown template · Expiring offer template · limited_time_offer component

In one line
A WhatsApp marketing template that shows an offer heading, an optional expiry countdown and a copyable offer code inside the bubble, plus a URL button.

Reviewed

What is a limited-time offer template?

A limited-time offer template, often shortened to LTO, is a marketing template with a dedicated limited_time_offer component. Instead of burying the deadline in the body, the delivered bubble shows an offer heading of up to 16 characters (for example "Diwali deal"), an optional expiry timer when has_expiration is true, and, if you add a copy-code button, the offer code ready to copy. The timer's wording is set by WhatsApp and cannot be customised; if the customer views the message within the last hour before the code expires, the timer turns red.

The structure is tighter than an ordinary marketing template. The header, if used, must be an image or video; the body is limited to 600 characters, and example values for its variables count towards that limit; footers are not supported. The buttons are a copy-code button carrying an offer code of up to 15 characters and a URL button (label up to 25 characters, URL up to 2,000 characters with one variable at the end); at send time the URL button sits at index 1 after a copy-code button, or at index 0 in a template without one. At send time you supply the expiry as expiration_time_ms in the limited_time_offer component, the code in the copy-code button and the URL suffix.

An LTO differs from its neighbours in one way above all: the clock. A coupon code template also copies a promo code, but it has no timer or offer heading, so any deadline lives only in the text. A carousel shows several products side by side, while an LTO focuses on one offer and one deadline. All three are marketing templates: each delivered LTO is charged at the marketing rate (₹0.94 in India), needs marketing opt-in and counts towards per-user marketing limits.

Key takeaways

  • A limited-time offer (LTO) template is a marketing template that shows an offer heading, an optional expiry timer and a copyable code in the bubble.
  • The offer heading is capped at 16 characters and the body at 600 including example values; footers are not supported.
  • You send the expiry per message as expiration_time_ms, a Unix timestamp in milliseconds; the timer turns red in the final hour.
  • Unlike a coupon code template, an LTO counts down visibly; both are billed per delivered message at the marketing rate.
  • WhatsApp web and desktop users see a notice instead of the offer, so keep the essential detail in the body text.

Drag the clock through a 48-hour offer

13 / 13

Time since it opened

57h 36m

ClosedOffer expired: honour the deadline, do not resend the code
LTO template delivered
Customer opens and copies DROP15
Time-to-live ends: no more late deliveries
Final hour: timer turns red
Offer expires; checkout rejects the code
0h12h24h36h48hWindow closes
From delivery to expiry: drag time to see what the customer sees, when the timer turns red and what is left once expiration_time_ms passes.

57h 36m in: window closed. Offer expired: honour the deadline, do not resend the code.

How does a limited-time offer template work?

  1. Decide the offer and its real end

    Pick one offer, one code and one expiry moment your checkout will actually enforce. The heading must fit in 16 characters.

  2. Create the template

    Submit a MARKETING template with an optional image or video header, a body of up to 600 characters, a limited_time_offer component with text and has_expiration: true, a copy-code button with an example code and a URL button. Do not add a footer.

  3. Send with the expiry and the code

    In the send request include the limited_time_offer parameter with expiration_time_ms, the copy-code button (sub_type: copy_code, coupon_code up to 15 characters) and the URL button suffix. With a copy-code button, the URL button sits at index 1.

  4. Match time-to-live to the deadline

    Give the template a custom time-to-live (message_send_ttl_seconds, 12 hours to 30 days for marketing, honoured on the Marketing Messages API for WhatsApp) so WhatsApp stops trying to deliver before the offer ends; TTL is a template setting, not a per-send field, and a message that arrives after expiry only creates complaints.

  5. Enforce the expiry at checkout

    Reject the code after the stated time on your own systems too. The timer in WhatsApp is a display; your checkout is what makes the deadline true.

Key facts at a glance

A limited-time offer template: key facts and limits

Category
Marketing only
Offer heading
Up to 16 characters
Body
Up to 600 characters, examples included
Header
Image or video
Footer
Not supported
Offer code
Up to 15 characters (copy-code button)
URL button
Label up to 25 characters; index 1 after a copy-code button
Web and desktop
Offer not shown; a notice appears instead

Example: A 48-hour flash sale for a Hyderabad sneaker store

A Hyderabad sneaker store announces a 48-hour drop to customers who opted in to offers. The LTO template shows a video header of the new pair, the heading "Weekend drop", an expiry timer and the code DROP15, with a "Shop the drop" URL button ending in the campaign ID. The send sets expiration_time_ms to Sunday 23:59 IST, and the template carries a 24-hour time-to-live so a phone that stays offline never receives the offer late. Customers who open the message on Sunday evening see the timer turn red in the final hour, and the checkout stops accepting DROP15 at midnight, exactly as the bubble said.

Common wrong turns

Common mistakes with a limited-time offer template

  • Reusing coupon-template copy

    LTO bodies are capped at 600 characters, not 1,024, and the example values count. Write tighter copy and test with your longest real variable values.

  • A deadline your checkout does not enforce

    If the code still works after the timer ends, customers learn to ignore your countdowns. Expire the code in your own systems at the same moment.

  • Forgetting WhatsApp Web and desktop

    Customers reading on web or desktop see a notice that the offer is not supported there. Mention the key detail in the body so the message still makes sense.

  • Manufactured urgency

    Sending a fresh "ends tonight" offer every week erodes trust and drives blocks, which hurts template and number quality. Reserve LTOs for genuinely time-bound offers.

Why does a limited-time offer template matter?

Urgency is the oldest lever in promotions, and on WhatsApp it is also the easiest to fake badly — "last chance!" in capitals with no real end. The LTO format makes the deadline concrete and visible in the bubble, counts it down for the customer and keeps the code one tap away, which suits flash sales, festival windows and limited stock. Used honestly, with a real expiry that your checkout enforces, it turns a vague promotion into a clear decision with a date on it.

Good practice

Best practices for a limited-time offer template

  • Keep the heading concrete: "Weekend drop" or "Diwali deal" beats "Hurry".
  • Pair the timer with a reason the offer ends, such as limited stock or a festival date.
  • Use a dynamic URL suffix per campaign to see how many taps come in the final hours.
  • Schedule sends so most customers have a full day before the timer ends.

LTO FAQs

What is the difference between a limited-time offer template and a coupon code template?+
Both are marketing templates that can copy a promo code, but only the LTO has an offer heading and an expiry timer in the bubble. A coupon code template has no timer, so any deadline has to be written in the body.
Can I change the wording of the countdown?+
No. WhatsApp renders the expiry timer and its text cannot be customised. You control the heading (up to 16 characters), the body and the expiry time you send.
Can a limited-time offer template have a footer?+
No. Footer components are not supported on LTO templates. Put opt-out wording in the body or offer an opt-out elsewhere in your journey.
Do limited-time offer templates show on WhatsApp web or desktop?+
No. People reading on the WhatsApp web or desktop app do not see the offer; they see a notice that the message is not supported there. Put the offer, the code and the end date in the body so it still makes sense.

A limited-time offer template in code

{
  "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
  "to": "919812345678",
  "type": "template",
  "template": {
    "name": "weekend_drop_lto",
    "language": { "code": "en" },
    "components": [
      {
        "type": "header",
        "parameters": [ { "type": "video", "video": { "id": "{MEDIA_ID}" } } ]
      },
      {
        "type": "body",
        "parameters": [ { "type": "text", "text": "Arjun" } ]
      },
      {
        "type": "limited_time_offer",
        "parameters": [
          {
            "type": "limited_time_offer",
            "limited_time_offer": { "expiration_time_ms": 1792952940000 }
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "button",
        "sub_type": "copy_code",
        "index": 0,
        "parameters": [ { "type": "coupon_code", "coupon_code": "DROP15" } ]
      },
      {
        "type": "button",
        "sub_type": "url",
        "index": 1,
        "parameters": [ { "type": "text", "text": "wkd-drop-oct" } ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

POST to /{PHONE_NUMBER_ID}/messages. expiration_time_ms is a Unix timestamp in milliseconds: 1792952940000 is Sunday 25 October 2026, 23:59 IST.

See InfiQ pricing

* Per-message rates for India, ex-GST: marketing, utility and authentication effective 1 July 2026; service messages ₹0.145 since 1 October 2026 (they were ₹0 until 30 September 2026). Volume commitments earn discounts — final rate is confirmed on your account; applicable GST extra. Rates for other countries differ (see the international rate table on /pricing).

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