Social Intents uses Twilio to add SMS as a channel. Customers text your Twilio number and the messages are routed to Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat or the web inbox, just like website chats and WhatsApp. The same Twilio number can send one-to-one texts, SMS campaigns, and SMS fallback for WhatsApp broadcasts to US numbers.
Prerequisites
- A Twilio account (twilio.com) and a Twilio number with SMS capability.
- Your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.
- A Social Intents chat widget. Basic includes 1 SMS number, Pro 5 and Business 10.
- For texting US numbers at volume, complete Twilio's carrier registration (A2P 10DLC or toll-free verification) in your Twilio Console.
Setup
Enter Your Twilio Credentials
Go to Settings > Channels and expand SMS (Twilio). Enter the Twilio Account SID, Twilio auth token and your Send-from number in international format (for example +14155551234). If you use a Twilio Messaging Service, add it in Messaging Service SID (optional). You can also reach this section from Integrations > SMS card.
Set the Webhook in Twilio
Copy the URL shown in Twilio webhook URL. In the Twilio Console, open your phone number's messaging settings, paste it as the incoming message webhook and set the method to POST. It looks like this:
https://www.socialintents.com/v1/api/twilio/chat/{YOUR_WIDGET_ID}Route SMS to a Widget
In the same section choose a widget in Route SMS chats to. The widget decides which team channel or space receives texts and which AI agent answers.
Set Session and Outbound Options
Set Auto-close after (hours) (0 keeps SMS conversations open until closed manually) and turn on Let agents start new outbound SMS conversations if agents should text customers first. Click Save channel settings.
Test
Text your Twilio number from your phone. The message should appear in your team platform within seconds.
How SMS Conversations Work
- A customer texts your Twilio number.
- Twilio forwards the message to Social Intents.
- Social Intents routes it to the widget's team platform and the inbox.
- Agents reply from Teams, Slack, Google Chat or the inbox, or the AI agent answers.
- Social Intents sends the reply as an SMS through Twilio.
Sending Texts
- One customer: in the Inbox, open the compose menu and choose SMS message, or use Compose on a contact's page.
- Event-triggered campaigns: Outbound > New campaign > SMS message. See Outbound Campaigns.
- SMS fallback for WhatsApp broadcasts: see below.
SMS Fallback for WhatsApp Broadcasts
Meta doesn't deliver WhatsApp Marketing templates to US (+1) numbers. With Twilio connected, a broadcast can text those contacts instead.
- In the broadcast composer, open Advanced and turn on SMS fallback for US numbers. If it's greyed out, finish the Twilio setup above.
- Write the SMS text. You can use {first_name} and other contact fields. "Reply STOP to opt out." is added if your text doesn't mention STOP.
- Only US contacts whose SMS consent is opted in get the text. The Reach panel shows how many.
SMS fallback messages are billed by Twilio and count toward your plan's monthly broadcast recipients. See US Numbers and SMS Fallback.
SMS Consent
SMS consent is tracked separately from WhatsApp. Open a contact and use the Messaging consent card to see or change their SMS status. See WhatsApp Consent and Opt-Outs.
SMS Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Two-way messaging | Full conversations between customers and agents. |
| MMS from customers | Up to 5 attachments per message, 5 MB each, stored with the transcript. |
| Phone formatting | Numbers are stored in international format (+1XXXXXXXXXX). |
| Auto-close | After the inactivity period, the conversation closes and the next text starts a new one. |
| Location | Carrier-provided city, state, postal code and country when available. |
| AI agent | The widget's AI agent answers texts, the same as website chat and WhatsApp. |
| Messaging Service | Twilio Messaging Service SIDs for high-volume or multi-number sending. |
Webhooks and Zapier
SMS conversations trigger the same webhooks and Zapier integrations as website chats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SMS cost?
Twilio charges per message sent and received, by country. Social Intents doesn't add a fee for the SMS integration.
Can I use a toll-free number?
Yes. Any Twilio number with SMS capability works, including toll-free, local and short code numbers.
Why is SMS fallback greyed out in the broadcast composer?
Twilio SMS isn't fully set up. Add the credentials and send-from number in Settings > Channels > SMS (Twilio), save, and reopen the broadcast.
Does SMS work internationally?
Yes, if your Twilio number supports the destination country. Twilio prices vary by country.