If you’ve been using WhatsApp for your marketing campaigns, you might have encountered error code 131049 with the message:
"This message was not delivered to maintain healthy ecosystem engagement." 

Let’s break down what this error means, why it occurs, and how you can adjust your strategy to avoid it.

What Is the Healthy Ecosystem?

In order to prevent WhatsApp from becoming a cluttered platform and to protect users from getting bombarded by frequent marketing notifications Meta has implemented Marketing Message Frequency Cap. By limiting the number of marketing messages users receive from businesses within a certain timeframe, Meta aims to maintain a healthy environment for users on WhatsApp. 

Why Are You Seeing Error #131049?

This error usually pops up when a user has received too many marketing messages from businesses within a specific timeframe. This cap for each user adapts based on factors such as how many messages the user has already received or whether they've interacted with previous ones. For example, if six businesses have sent marketing messages to a user, WhatsApp may block a seventh, even if that business is reaching out to this user for the first time and throw the #131049 Error with the following error data : "In order to maintain a healthy ecosystem engagement, the message failed to be delivered."

How to Tackle Error #131049?

Here are some practical steps you can take to minimize the impact of the error:

  1. If you have something urgent to communicate, consider sending a utility message as they are not affected by Frequency Capping.
  2. As the cap is not permanent, try sending marketing messages at increasing intervals (e.g., after two days, then a week, and so on).
  3. Check if users have read (message has blue ticks) the previous marketing messages (in WhatsApp API it comes as a webhook). If a message has gone unread, use an alternate communication channel to prompt users to open it.
  4. If you’re consistently running into this error, reach out to your potential/existing customers through other channels like calls, SMS, or email.

Navigating the WhatsApp Business API takes patience and practice, but with these strategies, you’ll be better equipped to manage your marketing communications effectively. For more insights on Meta’s Marketing Frequency Capping check out our blog on WhatsApp Message Delivery Rate Falling; Here’s Why.