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keywords Tag

News, tips & advice from FastSMS

In SMS messaging keywords are used to qualify an inbound message sent either to a Virtual Reply Number or a Shortcode.

Firstly a keyword is required to identify the recipient of a message on a shared shortcode. To have exclusive use of a shortcode, e.g. 87007 is expensive, several hundred pounds per month. Consequently most users opt to share a shortcode with use of a keyword that uniquely identifies them. So if your keyword is FRED then texts to 87007 would be formatted as “FRED + message body”.

With Virtual Mobile Numbers this is usually different. VMNs don’t cost a lot so there is no pressure to share. In this case keywords can be used to prompt a reply. For example the keyword might be a product code and the system would respond to that code with a price and/or stock availability. Equally a keyword texted in which relates to a property code might cause the system to respond with sales details of the property.

Posted on 03/06/2014
In Use Cases

Here's a great real life example of how a retailer used text messaging to offer out a discount voucher to customers who had visited their store. Their approach is simple and intelligent and very focused on one segment of their customer base, those who had recently visited a store.

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