> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.recart.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.recart.com/sms/automated-flows-keyword-reply.md). # Automated Flows - Keyword Reply Use this guide to set up Keyword Replies in your automated flows so you can create interactive, two-way conversations with your subscribers. #### Table of Contents * [What Is a Keyword Reply?](#whatisit) * [Keyword Reply vs. Compliance Keywords](#compliance) * [How to Add a Keyword Reply to an Automated Flow](#how-to-add-a-keyword-reply-to-an-automated-flow) * [Keyword Guidelines](#guidelines) * [Use Case Examples](#usecases) * [Important Notes](#important-notes) * [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) * [Best Practices](#bestpractices) * [What's Next](#whatsnexr) *** ### What Is a Keyword Reply? A **Keyword Reply** lets subscribers respond to your SMS message with a specific word to trigger an action, deal, or follow-up message. This turns one-way texts into interactive, two-way conversations. You're not limited to a single question — you can include multiple questions and keyword options in the same flow to collect detailed preferences from your subscribers. Keyword Replies also work in MMS messages. **Note:** Keyword Reply only works in **Two-way messaging countries** (such as the US and Canada). Subscribers in one-way countries will receive the message but will not be able to respond. ### Keyword Reply vs. Compliance Keywords It's important to understand the difference between conversational Keyword Replies and compliance keywords — they serve completely different purposes. | Type | Purpose | Examples | Managed By | | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | | **Keyword Reply** (conversational) | Triggers a follow-up message or action inside an automated flow | DEAL, YES, REVIEW, SHOP | You (in the flow editor) | | **Compliance keywords** (operational) | Manages subscription status (opt-in, opt-out, help) | STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, START, UNSTOP, RESUBSCRIBE, HELP | Mobile carriers & SMS aggregator | **Key differences:** * **Compliance keywords** are handled at the carrier level. When a subscriber texts **STOP**, they are blocked by the carrier — not by Recart. To opt back in, they must text **START**, **UNSTOP**, or **RESUBSCRIBE**. A popup alone will not resubscribe them. * **You cannot use compliance keywords** (opt-in, opt-out, or help keywords) as conversational Keyword Replies in your flows. ### How to Add a Keyword Reply to an Automated Flow 1. Go to your [**Automated Flows**](https://app.recart.com/automated-flows) page. 2. Select the **flow** you want to edit. ![keyword\_automated\_flows](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FZDyTAgQuiAcL7o40hBfx%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-1.png?alt=media) 3. Open the **text editor** of the SMS message where you want to add a keyword. 4. Click the **Keyword icon** in the editor toolbar. 5. Type the keyword you want to use. 6. Click **Insert keyword**. ![KWR1](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FwjZ2ubPWrsA0vGqBjX6d%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-2.jpg?alt=media) 7. Once inserted, the keyword appears below the message item as a **branch option**. ![KWR2](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2F5126lFZFDUHwWxdBYb3h%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-3.jpg?alt=media) 8. **Connect the keyword to the next item** in your flow (another message, delay, conditional split, etc.) to define what happens when a subscriber replies. ![KWR10](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FYmIX49GecOODMiiMmP7e%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-4.jpg?alt=media) **Important**: You must connect each keyword to another item in the flow. Without a connection, nothing will happen when a subscriber replies with the keyword. ### Keyword Guidelines Follow these rules when creating keywords: | Rule | Details | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Characters** | Use alphanumeric characters only (A–Z and 0–9) | | **Length** | Between 1 and 20 characters | | **No special characters** | Characters like !, @, $, or spaces are not allowed | | **No emojis** | Emojis render differently across devices and cannot be used | | **Single word only** | Keywords cannot contain spaces, phrases, or sentences | | **Not case-sensitive** | "DEAL" and "deal" are treated the same | | **No compliance keywords** | You cannot use STOP, START, HELP, UNSUBSCRIBE, or other operational keywords | > **Avoid common words** like "the," "that," "yes," "no," "can," "here," or "and." Subscribers may accidentally trigger a keyword during normal conversation. ### Some use cases for Keyword Reply in automated flows **Use case:** SMS Receipt feedback follow up - send link to a feedback survey; OR ask customers who loved the product to leave a review while contacting those who were not too happy. ![KWR3](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FgsAUZXztUwoANkndgvzg%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-5.jpg?alt=media) ![KWR4](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FsQOZa5GhIJriTcVxHfmj%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-6.jpg?alt=media) **Use case:** Send VIP customers a special discount and increase engagement with them. ![KWR5a](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FN8411k80LRgGQqWGHsPz%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-7.jpg?alt=media) **Use case:** Send a follow-up message to customers who enter a segment because they have purchased a certain product whether they are interested in your new stock or would like to leave a review.![KWR6](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FPxtx7y3j9QRxdmUpVkKI%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-8.jpg?alt=media) **Use case:** Send a follow-up message to customers who enter a segment because they have purchased a certain product about restocking their supplies. ![KWR7](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2Fucx7n4vVHhMZlsLaukFy%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-9.jpg?alt=media) **Use case:** get interactive in your welcome flow by asking customers whether they want to view reviews. **Use case:** get interactive in your welcome flow by offering customers the chance to enter a competition ![KWR8](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2FMQgdMeSYtoQL63mPC41K%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-10.jpg?alt=media) **Use case:** get interactive in your welcome flow by offering customers the chance to enter a competition ![KWR9](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2F7MO8CKzYpSzEHHIwuaba%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-11.jpg?alt=media) **More ideas:** * Ask subscribers to enter a competition by replying with a keyword * Direct customers to track their order by replying with a keyword * Collect feedback on delivery speed or customer support quality * Let customers rate your service on a scale (1–5) and route responses accordingly * Create a chatbot-like experience in your Help flow using multiple keyword branches ### Important Notes **Editing keywords** You cannot edit a keyword after creating it. To change a keyword, delete the existing one and create a new one. **Keyword status** A keyword inherits the status of its automated flow. Keywords only trigger follow-up messages when the flow is **active**. **Reusing keywords across flows** You can use the same keyword in different flows and even multiple times within the same flow. If a subscriber receives multiple messages containing the same keyword, their reply is matched to the **most recently sent** message with that keyword. **Misspelled or unexpected responses** If a subscriber misspells the keyword or sends a longer response than expected, **no auto-response is sent**. The message is routed to your **Inbox** instead, so you can respond manually. **Quiet Hours and Smart Sending** When a subscriber replies with a keyword, they expect an immediate response. For this reason, **Quiet Hours and Smart Sending are automatically disabled** for the next message after a keyword reply. **Two-way vs. one-way countries** Keyword Reply only works in **two-way messaging countries** (such as the US and Canada). Recart does not block sending to one-way countries — subscribers will receive the message but cannot respond. A warning is displayed when your segment includes one-way subscribers. ![Screenshot 2024-05-06 at 18.32.54](https://2167119381-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2I45aTZ733MBi8Vps3Ib%2Fuploads%2Fei8sLBfsJZkQbB6LIua3%2Fautomated-flows-keyword-reply-12.png?alt=media) ### Troubleshooting **Subscriber replied but didn't receive a follow-up:** Check that the keyword is connected to a follow-up item in the flow, and that the flow is active. Also verify the subscriber is in a two-way messaging country. **Keyword isn't triggering the right response:** If you use the same keyword in multiple messages, the system matches the reply to the most recently sent message. Review your flow to make sure keywords are unique where needed. **Subscriber's reply went to the Inbox instead:** This means the subscriber misspelled the keyword or included extra text. Keyword matching requires an exact, single-word match. ### Best Practices * **Required:** Always connect your keyword to a follow-up item in the flow — an unconnected keyword does nothing. * **Recommended:** Use short, clear, action-oriented keywords (e.g., SHOP, YES, DEAL, REVIEW) that are easy to type and hard to misspell. * **Recommended:** Avoid common everyday words to prevent accidental triggers during normal conversation. * **Recommended:** Include the keyword in your message text so subscribers know exactly what to reply (e.g., "Reply **DEAL** to claim your discount"). * **Avoid:** Using keywords that are similar to compliance keywords (STOP, HELP, START) — this can confuse subscribers. ### What's Next Once you've set up Keyword Replies, you can: * [Add Conditional Splits](https://help.recart.com/en/articles/7507448-how-to-use-the-conditional-split) to create more advanced branching logic in your flows * [Schedule Delays](https://help.recart.com/en/articles/how-do-i-schedule-delays) between your keyword reply and the follow-up message * [Use Trigger Selections](https://help.recart.com/en/articles/6908297-how-to-use-trigger-selections) to control which subscribers enter your flow If you have questions, [contact our Customer Support team](https://help.recart.com/en/articles/360794-how-do-i-contact-recart-support) — we're happy to help. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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