Knowledge Base

Marketing Cloud

Mobile Keywords FAQs

Find answers to the most-asked questions about Mobile Keywords.

On the Mobile Keywords index page, how can someone interpret the "Number of Replies"?

The number of replies counts the unique number of times (1 count per contact or sending phone number) a keyword was received.
📋 Please Note: if a contact sends a keyword that subscribes them to a list but they then send a keyword to unsubscribe them to the list, they will be counted once within each keyword reply. Therefore, the number of reply counts may not represent the number of subscribers to the list.
How can a marketer use Mobile Keywords for a limited time Promo Code/ Coupon/ Offer?

Let’s use an example for BOGO2021 – a buy one get one offer, available for customers who text in the Keyword Short Code on January 1st, 2021.
1. Create an SMS list for the customers who sign up to receive the Promo Code. Call the list "BOGO2021 Recipients".
2. Create the Keyword and assign the action "Subscribe" to the list "BOGO2021".
3. Add your coupon code to the keyword's response message. Another option is to include a link in your keyword's response message that will open a bar code or QR code in your recipient's mobile browser which is then scanned at the point of sale.
4. Activate the Keyword on January 1st, 2021 at 12:00 am.
5. Promote the offer with the keyword on marketing materials such as digital ads, flyers, weekly ads, in-store and online banners, within emails, etc. If you have existing SMS Contact lists you want to promote the offer to, create an SMS campaign informing them of the offer and the Keyword.
6. Deactivate the Keyword on January 1st, 2021 at 12:509 pm. At this point in time, any customer who sends the keyword will receive your automatic invalid response.
7. Go to your BOGO2021 list and use it to send a series of remarketing campaigns since you know that these individuals were the ones who (most likely) redeemed your coupon code to purchase a product or service.
How can a marketer use Mobile Keywords for a "Text to Win" Campaign?

Follow the same steps as the answers in FAQ #2, but in step 7, select a winner from the subscription list and inform them they won via SMS.
How can a marketer use Mobile Keywords for an "Inventory Alert" or "Message when back in stock"?
1. Create an SMS contact list for Item1Inventorynotice.
2. Assign a keyword such as “Item1Stock” and assign the action ‘Subscribe’ to the list created in step 1 “Item1InventoryNotice”. Activate the Keyword.
3. Advertise the Keyword on the product page of the item/product that is out of stock.
4. Once the item is back in stock, deactivate the Keyword and remove the Keyword from the product page itself. At this point in time, contacts who message this keyword will receive an invalid message.
5. Send an SMS message (with the link to the product page) to all subscribers in the list created in Step 1 informing them the item is back in stock for purchase.
What happens when a Mobile Keyword is inactive?

Once a mobile keyword is inactive and a contact sends the keyword, they will get the invalid keyword response message that you have configured for your account. This message will also be used if the contact sends a keyword with a spelling error or a keyword that does not exist. We recommend keeping this invalid keyword response generic enough to handle all scenarios.