How to create WhatsApp link to message customers in Singapore
With 4.56 million WhatsApp users in Singapore and 83.7% of their internet users active on this popular messaging app, businesses and governmental organisations are now all communicating with their audience on WhatsApp. Its convenience has led to a hypergrowth in usage and penetration rate in the country. It has offered Singaporeans the easiest and most convenient way to get in touch, and for businesses to communicate with customers for fostering long-lasting relationships.
However, when it comes to reaching out to new customers, many businesses still find it difficult to get customers to initiate a conversation on WhatsApp. It can be tedious and troublesome for these customers to save the business’s WhatsApp number in their contacts before sending out a message.
But fret not, there is a quick solution to this problem - a WhatsApp Link.
As long as you have an active WhatsApp account and a valid phone number, you can create a WhatsApp “click-to-chat” link and make it hassle-free for customers to start chatting with your brand. In this article, SleekFlow will explain what it is, why to use it, how to create one, and examples of the best results. Let’s look into it.
Free tool: WhatsApp link and QR code generator from SleekFlow
The Singapore government using WhatsApp to send out important news to citizens.
What is a WhatsApp click-to-chat link?
A WhatsApp link is a clickable URL that, when clicked, allows a user to directly start a WhatsApp conversation without saving the phone number. These links can be shared via messages, email, social media, or other platforms, and they make it easy for users to connect with each other on WhatsApp without having to search for the person's contact information manually.
This WhatsApp “click to chat” link works on both mobile phones and websites, and you can embed these links in an image or across various platforms according to your own marketing needs.
WhatsApp link formats
WhatsApp supports a few link formats, depending on whether you want to open a chat with a specific number or pre-fill a message.
1. Direct Link to your WhatsApp number
Format
https://wa.me/<countrycode><number>
Here's an example for what it'll look like in Singapore:
If your number is +65 6123 4567, your link is:
https://wa.me/6561234567
Important formatting rules
Use international format and remove “+”, spaces, brackets, dashes, and leading 0s.
Format
https://wa.me/<countrycode><number>?text=<urlencodedtext>
Example
https://wa.me/6561234567?text=Hi%20I%27d%20like%20to%20know%20more%20about%20your%20WhatsApp%20Business%20API
2. Link with only a pre-filled message (no phone number)
This opens WhatsApp with a message ready to forward/share.
Format
https://wa.me/?text=<urlencodedtext>
https://wa.me/?text=<pre-filled message>
Assuming the phone number matches the example above, you can add the greeting message “Hello, I am interested in knowing more about your WhatsApp API service”.
Your link will be:
https://wa.me/6564522442?text=Hello,+I+am+interested+in+knowing+more+about+your +WhatsApp+API+service
Benefits of using a WhatsApp Link for your business in Singapore
WhatsApp Link has the greatest advantage of allowing your customers to initiate a WhatsApp conversation with your brand. Since filling in a lead form and writing an email is more troublesome and may lead to a longer cycle, WhatsApp Link to message enables your audience to send the first message to you within just one click, which can definitely improve your lead creation and sales, making it more accessible and conducive to building a loyal recurring customer base.
With prefilled messages set up for your WhatsApp Links, your customers don’t even have to type in the message to make an enquiry. Also, WhatsApp Links are extremely easy to distribute for marketing purposes. Other than link sharing, you can also generate a QR code or attach it to an image or even a GIF. They can appear anywhere from websites to banner ads, logos to emails, and even in your chatbot flow as the perfect CTA button.
Need a WhatsApp Chatbot? Find out how to create one for your business in Singapore using our blog guide.
How to create a WhatsApp Link with a pre-filled message (URL encoding)
Option 1: Create a wa.me link manually (fastest)
Start with: https://wa.me/
Add your SG number in international format (e.g., 65 + your number)
(Optional) Add ?text= with a URL-encoded message
If you’re not sure about encoding:
Replace spaces with %20
Replace line breaks with %0A
Avoid emojis or special symbols unless properly encoded
Option 2: Create a short link in the WhatsApp Business app
If you use the WhatsApp Business app, you can generate a short link and set a default message:
Settings → Business tools → Short link
This typically produces a link format like:
https://wa.me/message/<unique-code>
Option 3: Use SleekFlow’s WhatsApp link + QR code generator
If your goal is speed + consistency (and you want both a link and QR code for campaigns/events), you can use SleekFlow’s WhatsApp link generator.
How to share WhatsApp links
1. Websites
Best placements:
Sticky “Chat on WhatsApp” button
Product/service pages (“Ask about pricing”)
Checkout and order confirmation pages (“Need help?”)Contact page (replace long forms for simple enquiries)
Tip: Use different pre-filled messages per page so your team instantly knows what the customer is asking about (pricing vs. support vs. partnership).
2. Social media pages
Instead of pasting a raw link everywhere, you can connect WhatsApp to your business profile so the CTA appears natively
For Facebook: go to your Facebook page, click on Add Button > WhatsApp > Set up WhatsApp number
For Instagram: go to your profile, tap Edit profile > Contact options > WhatsApp Business phone number
3. Social media posts and ads
Customer-initiated messages are always better than business-initiated messages if you want to save costs for your business. As you share content across various social media platforms or organise marketing campaigns with social ads, you can always attach your WhatsApp Link to the posts. Even a CTA in your Facebook or Instagram Story can help drive traffic to your WhatsApp Business chat. After that, you can track campaign reach, engagement, and click-through rate in Analytics to see how this WhatsApp Link is helping your business.
4. Google Business profiles
Google holds 95.69% of the search engine market in Singapore. This means that having a Google Business Profile can only be beneficial for your business. While you can activate Google Business Chat for customers to talk to your team, including a WhatsApp link to message will definitely encourage more users to start a conversation with your brand. You can then improve online conversion through WhatsApp and even add this contact, which is also a high-potential lead, to your retargeting campaigns.
Troubleshooting: why your WhatsApp link isn’t working
If your WhatsApp click-to-chat link (wa.me) doesn’t open correctly—or opens WhatsApp but not the right chat—these are the most common causes and fixes.
1) Your phone number format is wrong
Symptoms: Link shows an error page, doesn’t open WhatsApp, or opens a blank screen.
Fix:
Use international format only: countrycode + number
For Singapore, that’s 65 + your 8-digit number
Remove +, spaces, brackets, and dashes
✅ Correct: https://wa.me/6561234567
❌ Wrong: https://wa.me/+65 6123 4567
2) You included a leading “0”
This happens a lot when copying numbers stored in local format.
Fix:
Remove any leading 0s (use the international format instead)
✅ Correct: https://wa.me/6561234567
❌ Wrong: https://wa.me/65061234567
3) Your pre-filled message isn’t URL-encoded
Symptoms: Link opens WhatsApp but the message is missing, broken, or only partially shows.
Fix:
Replace spaces with %20
Replace line breaks with %0A
Avoid special characters unless encoded (e.g., &, ?, #)
✅ Example:
https://wa.me/6561234567?text=Hi%20I%27d%20like%20to%20check%20availability
4) You used the wrong format for your use case
There are two common “text” formats:
Chat with a number + pre-filled message:
https://wa.me/<number>?text=<encoded message>Pre-filled message only (no number):
https://wa.me/?text=<encoded message>
Fix: Double-check you’re using the number-based format if you want customers to message your business directly.
5) It opens WhatsApp Web or a browser instead of the app
Symptoms: On desktop, it opens WhatsApp Web; on mobile, it opens a browser prompt first.
Why this happens: It depends on the device, browser, and whether WhatsApp is installed/logged in.
Fix:
Test on both mobile + desktop
On mobile, ensure WhatsApp is installed and set as the default handler (where applicable)
If you’re using in-app browsers (Instagram/Facebook), try opening the link in the system browser too
6) Your link is being “broken” by the platform you posted it on
Some platforms modify links (especially ones containing ?text=), or they shorten them incorrectly.
Fix:
Paste the link into a plain text editor first to confirm it’s unchanged
If posting in places that strip parameters, use:
a clean number-only link, or
a short link (WhatsApp Business app short link), then add the message instructions in the post copy
7) The number isn’t on WhatsApp (or can’t receive messages)
Symptoms: Link opens WhatsApp, but users can’t start a chat / see an error.
Fix:
Confirm the number is registered on WhatsApp (Business app or WhatsApp Business Platform)
Make sure the number is active and able to receive messages
SleekFlow: unleash the full potential of WhatsApp Links and scale your business beyond Singapore
Using a live chat widget on your e-commerce website is a great way to turn visitors into customers. This is because it encourages the website visitors, to talk to your team, giving your business an opportunity to increase the conversion rate. Since efficiency and convenience are essential parts of the customer experience your brand provides, allowing your customers to chat with your business on WhatsApp is a must.
Moreover, the WhatsApp Business Platform offers a wide range of advanced features for you to sell better and reach out to more customers effectively:
Green tick verification for brand authenticity
Broadcast messages with interactive features such as chat buttons
Personalised messages to build customer relationships
Automated workflows and chatbot for FAQs
Integrations for CRM or lead management
As a leading social commerce messaging platform and the official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) assigned by Meta, SleekFlow offers the best solution for your WhatsApp marketing strategy. In an omnichannel inbox consolidating WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, Telegram, WeChat, and more, you can upgrade your customer communications and allocate your manpower better.
Want to outcompete your peers with SleekFlow's help?
Book your personalised demo with SleekFlow today and unlock the potential of seamless communication
