SMS App | Composing Text Messaging Interactions

Compose

Creating text messaging interactions allows you to send automated messages to other people. You can setup a schedule to push out a text message at a specific time or give people the phone number of your app so they can text and receive a response.

Text messages can be interactive, too! So you can setup automated responses to send back to users based on what they text to you.  For example, you might send a message "Text 1 to learn more about deep breathing techniques, or 2 to learn about meditation".  And if the person texts back the number "1" then Chorus can send them a message about deep breathing and if they text "2" then a message about meditation. 

How to create text message interactions in Chorus 

The Compose section of Chorus is where you can create all your interactions. Go there by clicking on the music note in the left-hand navigation. Click "Interactions" in the top left to add a new interaction.

Click "Add interaction"

Make sure the type of interaction is set to "SMS" then type the name of your interaction.

Ok awesome! You just created your first text messaging interaction! Now, just type in the box to enter the message to send as a text.

Tip: to ensure messages do not get broken up as multiple messages, keep the text to less than 160 characters - Chorus lets you know how many characters you've used while you type.

If you've got more to say, click "Add another prompt" to add a second text message to send. You can remove messages by clicking the "X" in the upper right-hand corner. Note: all messages displayed will be sent at the same time. 

                   

Last part, if users reply to your message, they'll get the "Error Message" if you did not setup a response to their text in the "Response set" or if the response sent is not specified in the "Response set" (see below).

Responding to user's text messages

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to various legal compliance requirements, Chorus's SMS provider, Twilio, is required to observe opt-out keywords (such as STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, etc.). To view a full list of unsupported response sets, please visit Twilio's help article here.

Sending out simple text messages is not as fun as interacting with your users! If you want to send specific messages back to users based on what they text, just set up responses in "Response sets" by clicking to the right of the phone:

Here you can enter a value that Chorus will check when the user responds.

If the condition is met (in this example, if the user texts back with a message that starts with "yes"), select the interaction or create a new texting interaction to take the user to.

To create a new text message to send to users to, just select "<Create new interaction>" and enter then name of your new interaction.

To view and edit the interaction you just selected, click "GO"

Repeat this process to add more response conditions to branch to other messages (for example, if response is "yes" go to message 2 but if "no" then go to message 3, etc.).  Add as many text messages as you like! 

Next steps

Once you've got your SMS message workflow set up, learn how to distribute your app in the Client section.