Auto-Responses is a flow that can be added to your WhatsApp, SMS, or MMS marketing campaigns to enable two-way communication with your end users.
Auto-Responses allow you to configure keywords for specific channels, meaning you can set up different responses for WhatsApp, SMS, and MMS instead of applying the same settings to all messages. When a user replies with a configured keyword, the system will trigger the assigned action based on the channel they’re using.
Additionally, a default auto-reply can be sent if a user sends a message without a matching keyword.
Please note: Default auto-replies for non-matching keywords are currently only available for SMS. While MMS functions as an extension of SMS, the Auto-Responses settings page only allows selection for SMS and WhatsApp, as MMS is inherently covered under SMS.
Defining Auto-Responses
|| NOTE: Admin-level permission is required to access and update settings, including Auto-Responses.
- Navigate to "Settings" in the lower-left-hand corner of your Optimove instance. Go to "Optitext" and select "Auto Replies."
- When opening the UI for the first time, you will see the default and required keyword commands for Auto Reply Actions Opt Out (e.g., 'stop' and 'unsubscribe') and the default and required keyword commands for Help (e.g., 'help' and 'info').
- Existing Responses can be edited by clicking
or new ones can be created by clicking
.
- Responses can be assigned an Action Type, Keywords and Response.
Default Responses
Responses included by Default are Opt Out, Help, and Unknown (used when a message doesn’t match any configured keywords).
You can add keywords for Opt-Out and Help responses, but the default ones cannot be removed. The Action Type for these responses is fixed, meaning the function of opting out or providing help cannot be changed. However, the actual response message can be customized to fit your needs.
Auto-Responses apply to WhatsApp (beta), SMS, and MMS, but only the channels you’ve set up will appear as options. The Unknown response applies to both SMS and MMS since MMS is an extension of SMS. However, since MMS is automatically handled under SMS, the Auto-Responses settings page only allows you to configure responses for SMS and WhatsApp.
- Opt-Out: Sends an automatic confirmation when someone unsubscribes, ensuring they no longer receive messages
- Help: Provides a response that must be configured according to compliance requirements for your region.
- Unknown: (SMS & MMS only): Sends a message when a user replies with a keyword that hasn't been set up.
New Responses
For new responses, choose what action to undertake by assigning the desired Action Type:
- Unsubscribe recipient and send reply
- Resubscribe recipient and send reply
- Send reply only
Editing Responses
- Keywords can be added and deleted by editing defines responses
- Keywords must be single words and are case insensitive
- E.g., Only the exact, single-word message will be processed (case insensitive, so users can respond Stop, stop, STOP, or StoP, etc.)
Response Copy Style Requirements and Best Practices
- The message cannot be blank for a configured Auto-Response.
- Auto-Responses can include ‘short links’ and/or ‘opt out links’
- Maximum length of 300 characters per Auto-Response.
- Characters must be valid UTF-8 characters.
- Auto-Responses can contain emojis.
- Auto-Responses cannot contain attached media.
Use Cases
- Use keywords for Auto-Responses in SMS to comply with your geography’s regulations and best practices.
- Use keywords to allow for multi-language support for Auto-Reponses in your SMS/ MMS program.
- Respond to unknown replies (non-configured key words) to support your customer’s needs and provide improved service.
- Resubscribe your users to your SMS program based on keyword responses