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Qualify and route leads from Google Click-to-Message Ads

Turn Google Click-to-Message Ads into a real-time sales channel by qualifying leads automatically and routing high-intent customers to the right team or store.

What you'll achieve

Ads bring people in, but not every click is a sale. Without a way to qualify intent in the moment, sales teams end up chasing cold leads while high-intent shoppers slip away waiting for a reply — and that lost time is lost marketing spend.

This guide shows you how to turn Google Click-to-Message (CTM) Ads into a real-time sales channel: every ad click opens a WhatsApp conversation that automatically asks the right qualifying questions, then routes the lead to the right team or store the moment they're ready to buy.

By the end of this guide, you'll be able to:

  • Capture every lead instantly from Google Click-to-Message Ads

  • Automatically qualify customer intent by collecting purchase requirements

  • Route high-intent leads to the right sales team or store for faster follow-up

  • Reduce manual effort while improving response times and customer experience

  • Increase lead-to-sale conversions and get more out of your ad spend

The short version

To turn your Google Click-to-Message Ads into a qualifying, routing sales channel:

  1. Get your Google Ads account whitelisted for CTM ads (~1 week, via your Customer Success Manager or Wati support).

  2. Create a Google Ads campaign with Leads as the objective and Search or Performance Max as the campaign type.

  3. Add a Message asset and connect your WhatsApp Business number to it.

  4. Set up a qualifying conversation flow in Wati that collects the details you need (product interest, budget, location, etc.).

  5. Configure routing rules so qualified leads are assigned to the right team, store, or agent.

  6. Publish the campaign, then confirm leads are arriving and routed correctly in Wati.

Continue reading for detailed setup instructions and strategic best practices.

When to use this guide

Use this if:

  • You can plan about a week ahead — Google whitelisting isn't instant

  • You're running (or planning to run) Google Search or Performance Max campaigns and want clicks to land in a qualifying WhatsApp conversation instead of a generic chat or landing page

  • Your sales team wastes time on unqualified or low-intent leads

  • You have multiple stores, clinics, or consultants and need leads routed to the right one automatically

  • You want to shorten the time between "ad click" and "first meaningful response"

Do NOT use this if:

  • You're running Facebook/Meta Click-to-WhatsApp Ads instead of Google — that's a separate setup flow with its own guide

  • You're looking to run WhatsApp broadcasts to an existing contact list rather than generate new leads from ads

  • Your leads don't come from Google Ads at all (this guide is specific to the Google Click-to-Message Ads flow)

Limitations

  • Google CTM Ads aren't self-serve: your Google Ads account must be whitelisted by Google before you can run them. Whitelisting typically takes about 1 week.

  • You can't start whitelisting on your own — you need to contact your Customer Success Manager or Wati support to request it.

  • The Message asset is available on Search and Performance Max campaigns — other Google campaign types aren't covered by this setup.

  • Your campaign objective must be Leads for the Message asset flow described here.

  • You need an active, reachable WhatsApp Business number to attach to the Message asset.

Tip: Google's ad review timelines and WhatsApp messaging window policies aren't covered in this guide — check Google Ads Help and Meta's WhatsApp Business documentation for the latest specifics, since they can change independently of this setup flow.

Before you begin

  • Estimated setup time: about 1 week for Google to whitelist your account, plus 15–20 minutes to configure the campaign and Wati flow once approved

  • A Google Ads account with billing configured, whitelisted by Google for CTM ads (see Step 1)

  • An active, registered WhatsApp Business number

  • Admin access in Wati to configure your qualifying flow and routing rules

Key concepts

Click-to-Message (CTM) Ad

A Google ad format where a Message asset lets customers open a WhatsApp conversation with your business directly from the ad, instead of visiting a website.

Message asset

The Google Ads asset type that adds a "Message" button to your ad and connects it to your WhatsApp Business number.

Lead qualification

Automatically collecting the details you need from a customer (like product, budget, or location) before a human agent gets involved, so agents only spend time on leads that are ready to buy.

Routing

Assigning a qualified conversation to the right team, store, or agent automatically, based on the information the customer provided.

How it works

Customer clicks the Message button on your Google ad         
↓ 
WhatsApp conversation opens automatically         
↓ 
Qualifying questions collect intent (product, budget, location, etc.)    
↓
Lead is routed to the right team, store, or agent         
↓ 
Sales team follows up while intent is still high

1. Ad click starts a WhatsApp conversation

When a customer clicks the Message button on a Google Click-to-Message (CTM) ad, they are taken directly to a WhatsApp conversation instead of a website landing page. The WhatsApp conversation becomes the primary channel for lead qualification.

2. Every conversation is tagged with its source

Wati automatically sets the google_ad = true contact attribute for every WhatsApp conversation that starts from a Google CTM ad. This makes it easy to identify conversations that originated from Google CTM campaigns.

3. Lead qualification happens automatically

Wati automatically asks qualifying questions, such as:

  • Product interest

  • Budget

  • Location

  • Any other qualifying questions you configure

Once a customer's responses indicate they are ready for follow-up, Wati automatically sets the google_ad_qualified_lead = true contact attribute to mark the lead as qualified.

4. Qualified leads are routed automatically

Based on the customer's responses and the google_ad_qualified_lead contact attribute, Wati applies your routing rules to automatically assign the conversation to the appropriate:

  • Sales team

  • Store or branch

  • Individual agent

5. Sales teams receive qualified leads and you can track conversions

By the time a conversation reaches your sales team, the lead has already been qualified and categorized, allowing agents to focus only on leads that are ready for follow-up.

When a qualified lead completes a purchase, Wati automatically sets the google_ad_purchased = true contact attribute. You can then export the names and phone numbers of converted contacts, allowing you to track the complete customer journey from ad click to purchase.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1. Get your Google Ads account whitelisted

Goal: Get Google's approval to run CTM ads — this is a gating step that nothing else in this guide can happen without.

Steps:

  • Contact your Wati Customer Success Manager or Wati support to request whitelisting for Google CTM ads.

  • Wait for Google's approval — this typically takes about 1 week.

Result: Your Google Ads account is whitelisted, and you receive a technical onboarding document with instructions for adding a specific tracking URL when you create your ads.

Step 2. Create your Google Ads campaign

Goal: Set up a campaign with the objective this flow requires.

Steps:

  • Create your Google Ads campaign the same way you would for any other Google Ads campaign.

  • Choose Leads as your campaign objective.

  • Add the tracking URL from your technical onboarding document, as instructed.

Result: Your campaign is created under the Leads objective, with tracking configured, ready for campaign type selection.

Step 3. Choose your campaign type

Goal: Pick a campaign type that supports the Message asset.

Steps:

  • Choose Search or Performance Max as your campaign type.

Result: Your campaign type supports adding a Message asset in the next step.

Step 4. Add your Message asset

Goal: Create the button that opens a WhatsApp conversation from your ad.

Steps:

  • Select Assets from the dropdown menu.

  • Choose Message under the Asset menu.

  • Add your WhatsApp phone number.

Result: Your ad now includes a Message button that opens WhatsApp — your Click-to-Message ad is set up.

Step 5. Set up your qualifying conversation in Wati

Goal: Make sure the WhatsApp conversation a customer lands in actually qualifies them, instead of just greeting them.

Steps:

  • In Wati, build a chatbot flow or automated message sequence that asks for what you need to qualify the lead — for example, product interest, budget, size, or location (see the examples below for ideas by industry).

  • Publish the flow so it's live and ready to respond to new conversations.

Result: Every new conversation from your Google ad is met with a qualifying flow instead of a blank chat.

How to identify Google CTM conversations in your Team Inbox

Every conversation that starts from a Google Click-to-Message (CTM) ad is tracked by contact attributes in Wati, so you can identify and segment these leads without guessing where they came from.

If everything is set up correctly, conversations from Google CTM Ads will appear in Wati with the tag "G-CTWA".

  • Ad-source contact attribute: Wati automatically sets google_ad = true on the contact profile for every conversation that started from a Google CTM ad.

  • Qualification tracking attribute: Once a lead's responses show they're ready for follow-up, Wati sets google_ad_qualified_lead = true on that contact, marking it as a qualified Google CTM lead.

  • Purchase tracking attribute: When a qualified lead converts, Wati sets google_ad_purchased = true on that contact — and you can export the names and phone numbers of everyone who converted.

Automate routing for Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) leads with Rules

After a Facebook Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) conversation has been qualified, you can use Automation → Rules in Wati to automatically route the conversation instead of assigning it manually.

Configure your rule as follows:

  • Trigger

    • Select New WhatsApp message is received.

  • Filter

    • Match conversations based on the customer's responses, such as:

      • Product interest

      • Budget

      • Location

    • You can also filter using contact attributes, including the source_id attribute that Wati automatically stores for every CTWA lead. This allows you to create rules that apply only to conversations originating from specific CTWA ads.

  • Action

    • Automatically:

      • Assign the conversation to the appropriate agent or team, or

      • Trigger a chatbot to continue qualifying the lead before handing it over to a human agent.

  • Activate

    • Turn the rule On and Save it. The rule will automatically run for every conversation that matches the configured conditions.

Learn more: For a detailed walkthrough on configuring keyword matching and reply materials, refer to the How to create keyword-based rules guide.

Here are some examples by industry

  • Retail or eCommerce: Bring shoppers from an ad into WhatsApp, understand the products they're looking for, their preferred size, and budget, then guide them to purchase online or visit the nearest store.

  • Healthcare: Bring prospective patients into WhatsApp, identify whether they're looking for a health package, diagnostic test, specialist, or insurance plan, then connect them to the right clinic or care team to book an appointment.

  • Travel & Hospitality: Bring travellers into WhatsApp, gather details about their destination, travel dates, group size, and budget, then help them choose and book the right trip or stay.

  • EdTech: Bring prospective students into WhatsApp, understand which course or programme they're interested in, then guide them to book a free demo class or enrol.

  • Professional Services: Bring prospective clients into WhatsApp, understand the service they need, such as tax filing, investment advice, or legal consultation, then connect them with the right consultant to schedule a consultation or complete the next steps, such as KYC or document verification.

Confirm it's working

To confirm your setup is working, click the Message button on your own live ad (or ask a colleague to).

You should see:

  • A WhatsApp conversation open automatically with your qualifying questions 🎉

  • The lead routed to the correct team, store, or agent once qualifying answers come in

After launch, check Google Ads for clicks and conversions on your Message asset, and check Wati to see which campaigns are generating the most qualified conversations — use this to refine targeting over time.

Pro tips for success

  • Ask only what you need to route the lead: Every extra qualifying question is a chance for a customer to drop off. Keep your qualifying flow as short as the routing decision requires.

  • Match campaign type to intent: Search campaigns tend to catch customers actively searching for what you offer, while Performance Max casts a wider net — tailor your qualifying questions to the intent level each is likely to bring in.

  • Always offer a human escape hatch: Let customers reach a person at any point in the qualifying flow, so a rigid question sequence never becomes the reason you lose a sale.

  • Review performance weekly: Compare Google Ads click/conversion data against Wati's qualified-lead volume to see which campaigns actually convert, not just which get the most clicks.

Troubleshooting

Why can't I set up my CTM ad yet?

Possible causes:

  • Your Google Ads account hasn't been whitelisted for CTM ads yet

  • Whitelisting is still within its typical ~1 week approval window

Resolution:

  • Confirm you've contacted your Customer Success Manager or Wati support to request whitelisting.

  • If it's been longer than a week with no update, follow up with them directly rather than retrying setup — the Message asset won't work until whitelisting is approved.

Why isn't my Message button showing on my ad?

Possible causes:

  • The campaign type isn't Search or Performance Max

  • The Message asset wasn't added, or the WhatsApp number wasn't saved correctly

Resolution:

  • Confirm your campaign type is Search or Performance Max.

  • Go back to Assets → Message and confirm your WhatsApp phone number is entered correctly.

Why isn't the WhatsApp conversation qualifying leads?

Possible causes:

  • No qualifying flow was built or published in Wati

  • The chatbot or automated message sequence isn't set to trigger on new conversations

Resolution:

  • Check that your qualifying flow exists in Wati and is published/live.

  • Confirm it's set to trigger automatically on new incoming conversations.

Why aren't qualified leads being routed automatically?

Possible causes:

  • No Rule was created for routing, or the Rule wasn't turned on

  • The Rule's filter conditions don't match the qualifying answers customers are actually giving

Resolution:

  • Go to Automation → Rules and confirm your routing rule exists and is turned On.

  • Review the Rule's filter conditions against real qualifying answers, and adjust if they're too narrow.

🚀 What's next

Now that your Google CTM ads are qualifying and routing leads automatically, your next step is to set up conversion tracking so you can see exactly which ads are turning into sales.

👉 Learn how to track Google CTM ad conversions in Wati.

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