How to Create and Use Carousel Media Templates in ChatSyncs

A Carousel template lets subscribers swipe through multiple cards in a single WhatsApp message — each card with its own image or video, body text, and up to two buttons.

• Built from the same Message Templates page as any other template.
• This guide covers the full workflow: setup, video cards, product catalogs, sending, limits, and troubleshooting.

Here's what a carousel looks like once it reaches a subscriber on WhatsApp:

Before you start#

You'll need:

• A connected WhatsApp Business Account (see How to Connect Your Number to ChatSyncs).
• Your carousel content ready — images or videos, card text, and button labels/URLs for each card.
• If you're building a product carousel, your store connected to ChatSyncs first (see Connect a Store to ChatSyncs if you're integrating a custom catalog via API).

Create a Carousel Media Template#

1. 1

   Go to Message Templates

   Open Chatbot Manager → Automation → Message Templates.

2. 2

   Click Create

   Click Create and choose Carousel Media Template.

3. 3

   Name it and set the category

   Give it a descriptive name (e.g. summer_sale_carousel) and pick Utility or Marketing — carousels support both categories, the same as any other template. See Guidelines for Utility and Marketing Templates for which one fits your content.

   

4. 4

   Write the message bubble

   Add the intro text shown above the cards, using the same Custom Fields, Variables, Name, and AI Rewrite toolbar as any other template — see Custom Fields, Variables, Name, and AI Rewrite for the exact syntax (#field# for Custom Fields, #!variable!# for Template Variables).

5. 5

   Configure each card

   For every card, choose Image or Video as the header, add body text, and upload the media file.

6. 6

   Add buttons to each card

   Give each card up to two buttons — URL (links to a webpage) or Quick Reply (sends a predefined response).

   

   A URL button's Action Value has its own Variables button, so the destination can be personalized per subscriber too — e.g. https://example.com/product/#!ProductID!#.

   

7. 7

   Add more cards

   Click Add Card to add the next one — repeat until you have all the cards you need (2–10).

8. 8

   Submit for approval

   Save the template. Carousel templates typically take 24–48 hours for Meta's first review — check status under Message Templates.

Using video instead of images#

Change a card's Card Header from Image to Video — everything else (body text, buttons) works the same way. Videos must be MP4 format, under 16 MB, using the H.264 codec.

Carousel Product Templates (ecommerce)#

If your store is connected, you can build a carousel that pulls products straight from your catalog instead of manually uploading each card's image and text:

1. 1

   Connect your store

   Make sure your ecommerce catalog is connected to ChatSyncs.

2. 2

   Create a Carousel Product Template

   Pick Carousel Product Template from the Create menu, then select products from your catalog — image, name, and price are pulled in automatically.

3. 3

   Choose how many products

   Set How many products you want to add into carousel? — from 1 up to 10.

   

4. 4

   Use it in a bot flow

   Wire it into a Keyword Replies flow (see How to Create a Keyword-Based WhatsApp Chatbot) so it's sent automatically when a customer asks about products or browses your catalog.

Sending a carousel#

Once Approved, a carousel template can be sent three ways:

• Bot flows — attach it to a Keyword Replies flow (see How to Create a Keyword-Based WhatsApp Chatbot) with a keyword trigger, so a matching customer message sends the carousel automatically.
• Broadcasts — select the carousel template when creating a Broadcast Campaign.
• Live chat — send it directly to a subscriber from the ChatSyncs inbox during a conversation.

Limits and requirements#

Tips for effective carousels#

• Keep visuals consistent — same image dimensions, style, and layout across every card. Recommended size: 800×800 pixels.
• Use high-quality images. Clear, well-lit product photos outperform blurry or low-res ones.
• Write short card text. 160 characters is tight — highlight one point per card, not a paragraph.
• Use clear button labels. "Shop Now" or "View Details" beats a vague "Click Here."
• Test before broadcasting. Send it to yourself or a test number first, and confirm every image loads, every button works, and cards display in the right order.
• Fewer, focused cards win. 3–5 well-chosen cards usually perform better than a full 10 that subscribers won't swipe through.

Troubleshooting#