WhatsApp launch groups: how many groups you need and how to run them
A guide for course creators and launch managers who move thousands of leads into WhatsApp, with a calculator for groups, messages and hours of work.
How it works in practice
Direct answer: A WhatsApp launch group is a group, usually admin-only, that holds the leads of a campaign during warm-up, live classes and cart open. Each group takes up to 1,024 participants, so a launch with thousands of leads runs several identical groups with the same messages. Divide expected leads by the seats you want per group to know how many groups to open, and schedule the messages for all of them at once.
In short:
- Each group holds up to 1,024 participants; large launches run several identical groups.
- Admin-only groups keep spam out and keep launch messages visible.
- Use the calculator to see how many groups to open and how many messages to schedule.
What a WhatsApp launch group is
In the online course market, a launch is a dated campaign to sell a course, mentorship or programme: lead capture, warm-up, free content (classes or live streams), cart open and close. WhatsApp works as the notification channel: the lead signs up on a page, joins the group through the link and gets class reminders, links and the cart-open notice there.
A launch group differs from a community group in three ways: it has an end date, members usually cannot post, and the same content goes out in several groups at the same time.
| Phase | What goes into the group |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Welcome, rules and the date of the first class |
| Warm-up | Short content, polls and reminders |
| Classes or live streams | Notice 1 hour before, a "live now" notice and the replay link |
| Cart open | Purchase link, bonuses and deadlines |
| Close | Last call and what happens to the group afterwards |
How many launch groups you need
The basic maths is the leads expected in WhatsApp divided by the seats you want to use per group. The ceiling is 1,024 participants per group, according to the WhatsApp Help Center. Many launch managers stop short of the ceiling to leave room for the team and for people arriving through links already published.
- Expected leads in WhatsApp: not every page sign-up joins the group. Use the history of your previous launches.
- Seats per group: up to 1,024. Leave room for team members and admins.
- Leavers: some leads leave during warm-up. That does not reduce the groups you open, but it reduces who sees the cart open.
If the groups must sit under one panel in the app, a community holds up to 100 groups but no more than 2,000 members in total. Larger launches usually run standalone groups. See community limits and the group size limit.
Launch groups calculator
Enter the forecast for your launch. The result is a plain formula based on the numbers you enter.
With a scheduling bot, each message is written once and goes out to every group at the set time; manual hours shrink to review time.
How to set up launch groups, step by step
- Create the first group with the launch name and image, and number it: "Launch X | Group 01". See how to create a WhatsApp group.
- Close the group to member messages: in Group permissions, let only admins send. The group stays clean and nobody posts third-party links.
- Write the description with the first class date and the rules. Templates in WhatsApp group rules.
- Add at least two team admins to every group.
- Create the next groups with the same name, image and description, changing only the number.
- Manage the entry link: when a group fills, the next link must be live. See how to manage the group link.
Publish a single link on the thank-you page and change its destination when a group fills. Ads and emails already sent keep working.
The launch message schedule
The same message has to go out to every group within the same minute, above all the "live now" notice and the cart open. Posting by hand in 10 groups takes minutes and invites mistakes: a wrong link, a forgotten group, a duplicate message.
| Moment | Example message |
|---|---|
| Day before the class | "Tomorrow at 8 pm, class 1: [topic]. Turn on group notifications." |
| 1 hour before | "Class 1 starts in 1 hour. Link: [link]" |
| Live | "We are live now: [link]" |
| Next day | "Replay available until [date]: [link]" |
| Cart open | "Enrolment open until [date] at 11:59 pm: [link]" |
More in how to schedule WhatsApp messages and how to message several groups.
What to do with the groups after the launch
- Announce the closing date from the start, in the description, so nobody is surprised.
- Turn it into a student group for buyers only, with join approval. See how to control access to a paid group.
- Remove inactive members with notice if you keep the groups for the next launch: how to remove inactive members.
- Delete groups you will not reuse: how to delete a WhatsApp group.
Do not add leads to a group without their request. Joining through the link is the safe path; adding contacts in bulk leads to reports and can restrict the number. See suspended or banned groups.
Read also
FAQ
How many people fit in a launch group?
How do I work out how many launch groups to open?
Should a launch group be admin-only?
Can I send the same message to every group at once?
Community or standalone groups for a launch?
