Keyword Campaigns Overview
Set It Up Once. Let It Work for You.
Keyword Campaigns automatically reply the moment a contact texts in a specific word that you define. You can also pair that with an outbound message to a contact group — so one campaign handles both sides of the conversation, making it a perfect tool for disposition syndication and promotional marketing. Here's how to set everything up.
Choose Campaign Type
Campaign Name: Start with a name that makes sense at a glance. You'll thank yourself later when you're managing multiple campaigns.
Send First Message: This toggle decides whether your campaign does more than just listen for keywords.
- Off — the campaign replies to inbound keywords only
- On — the campaign sends an outbound message to a contact group and replies to keywords
Turn it on and a new field appears below: Select Your Contacts.
Select Your Contacts
(Shows up only when "Send First Message" is on)
Pick the contact groups you want to reach. Here's what to keep in mind:
- You can select up to 10 groups per campaign
- Hit the silhouette icon next to any group to see how many SMS-capable contacts are in it
- Groups with landline-only numbers will show 0 — landlines are automatically filtered out, so only mobile contacts get included
Some groups will appear grayed out and can't be selected — that applies to unverified groups and groups with no contacts.
If none of your selected groups contain SMS-capable contacts, you'll see a warning and the Next button will stay locked until you fix it.
ℹ️ The right sidebar updates in real time as you add or remove groups, so you always know exactly what your campaign is working with.
Define Your Message
Outgoing Message Template
(Shows up only when "Send First Message" is on)
This is what your contacts actually receive when the campaign kicks off.
- Use an existing template — click "Message Template," pick what you want from the rotation modal, and save
- Edit a template — click on any saved template, hit the edit icon in the top-right corner, and make your changes. They apply immediately
- Start from scratch — click + Add New to build a new template on the spot
⚠️ Don't forget to select your templates after choosing your groups — if you skip this step, you'll see a warning. Also, if a template gets deleted while a campaign is paused, you won't be able to relaunch until it's replaced.
Reply Message (Keyword Template)
This is the automatic reply your contacts get when they text in your keyword. You can only use one keyword template here.
- Use an existing template — click "Keywords," choose from the modal, and save
- Edit a template — click on the saved template and use the edit icon to update it. Changes go live immediately
- Start from scratch — click + Add New to create a new one
Pick Your Phone Numbers
Choose the number your campaign sends from. Click Select Phone Number to see what's available.
Before you pick, watch out for these flags.
| Warning | What It Means |
|---|---|
| In Use | This number is already running in another active or paused campaign. Using it across multiple campaigns can hurt delivery rates and increase carrier blocks. |
| Blocked | This number has a carrier block rate of 5% or higher — a sign that carriers are already flagging it. |
| Both | In use and blocked. Highest risk — best to choose a different number if you can. |
Schedule Your Campaign
(Shows up only when "Send First Message" is on)
Want your messages to go out at a specific time? Toggle Schedule Your Campaign on and pick your date and time from the calendar. Sends are limited to business hours: 8:00 AM – 8:59 PM in your account timezone.
Send All Messages at Once Toggle
(Shows up only when "Send First Message" is on)
This toggle controls the pace of your campaign sends.
- On — messages go out at your maximum throughput rate
- Off — you set the pace by choosing a batch size and interval: minutes, hours, or days
When batching by minutes, your sends still can't exceed your throughput rate — but you can slow things down if your strategy calls for it.
ℹ️ Your maximum throughput rate is determined at the account level and can be found on your Brand Registration page. Sub-accounts share the same rate as the main account.
Run Campaign for a Set Period
(Shows up only when "Send First Message" is on)
Rather than sending everything at once, you can spread your campaign out over a window of time. The system distributes your messages evenly across the period — but only during:
- 8:00 AM – 8:59 PM in your account timezone
- Weekdays only
Expiration Date
Set a date for your campaign to automatically wrap up. Click the calendar icon to choose when it ends.
ℹ️ If an expiration date is set but there are no messages to send (for example, all contacts are on the Do Not Contact list), the campaign will still go Active and stay that way until the expiration date passes.
Actions for Replies
Want the campaign to automatically take action based on how contacts respond? Enable the Actions toggle and set your conditions. There are two things you can do automatically:
- Add to a group — move or add the contact to an existing group, or create a new one with + Add New Group
- Add a label — tag the contact with a label. Pick an existing one or create a new one with + Add/Edit Label
Trial & Plan Restrictions
On a trial? You can still build and edit Keyword Campaigns, but these scheduling fields will be locked:
- Schedule Your Campaign
- Send All Messages at Once
- Run Campaign for a Set Period
Hover over any locked field and you'll see a prompt to activate your subscription. Click it and you'll get the option to upgrade right then and there. The same prompt appears if you try to launch a campaign without an active subscription.
On the Starter plan? Scheduling fields aren't available regardless of trial or active status.
What's Next?
Once your Keyword Campaign is live, your Reporting page is where you'll see how it's performing — replies, delivery rates, conversions, and more.