Self Registration into Groups

Self Registration into Groups

Keywords vs Triggers

Group Keywords

You can give your contacts the flexibility to drive the conversation by providing them with the tools to start it. In Echo, you can define keywords( which are also the group names). You can create up-to 5 groups when connected to a shared communication channels or up to 10 groups when connected to a private communication channels. 

For more information on group limits and communication channels, feel free to drop an email to support@echomobile.org

How to Create a Group Keyword:
  1. From the Left hand menu, navigate to Groups
  2. Click on New Group in the sub-menu
  3. Click on "Name/Keyword".
  4. Use a memorable key-word or group name. The name of the group should be between 2-9 characters.
  5. Enable self-registration for the desired group under registration & response settings.

Trigger Keywords

Accounts with private communication channels can use trigger keywords to register contacts. Triggers under the default group can be accessed by contacts in order drive the conversation. This provides an instant benefit to organizations with private channels as they have the flexibility of working with the group keyword(main) and the trigger keyword(sub).

  • This only works on the default group and for accounts with private communication channels
  • New (unregistered) contacts cannot trigger keyword set up in other groups.
  • Self-registration needs to be enabled on the default group to allow new(unregistered) contacts to "access" triggers and keywords.
  • Contacts in other groups can only access triggers keywords if they're set up under the groups they are registered in.
  • Triggers must not be similar to group names.

How to Set up a Trigger Keyword

  1. Navigate to your default group
  2. Under Settings, click on Triggers & Keywords and  "Add Trigger"
  3. Apply the desired setup and click on "UNSAVE,SAVE NOW" to save the setup or update changes.

How it Works

  1. When an unregistered contact sends a keyword, the platform checks if it matches a group name. If it does not match a group name, the system looks at the triggers in the default group.
  2. If it finds a match in the triggers set up under the default group, it runs the actions for the trigger matched. It doesn't run the group registration survey but still puts the contact in the default group.
  3. If it doesn't find a match in the default group triggers, the contact is added to the default group and actions set up under the Default group registration are run.

Self Registration Across Channels

With these group keywords, contacts can either text in the name of the group to the short code allocated to your organization, dial the voice number allocated to your organization or dial the USSD code and input the keyword. All these actions are termed as self-registration within the Echo platform.
We highly recommend that respondents self-register to ensure that accurate contact information is collected.  This information can be communicated during your campaign (On Social Media, banners, Websites, Radio stations and T.V stations etc.)

Self Registration via SMS

Contact can register into the group using SMS short-code. Instruct respondents to self-register by sending a free SMS to the Echo short-code, with the group name as the keyword in the SMS.
For example, for an Organization that has a group named DEVTEAM whose SMS short code is 20788, respondents register themselves by sending in an SMS with the word "DEVTEAM" to 20788.

Self Registration via Voice

A new contacts can register can into a group by placing a call to your Voice(IVR) phone number. This can be done in two forms:
  1. Opt-ins via an Incoming Call: The new contact can dial the number and once the call is picked, they could input the keyword( group name to get registered into the group)
  2. Opt-ins via a Missed Call Triggers: A new contact dials an IVR number, then hangs up before they are charged. As a response to this the contact is registered into a group and can now receive the desired engagement (Voice Message or an SMS message).

Self Registration Via USSD

A new contact can register into a group by dialing a ussd code. When a contact dials the ussd code, they will receive the survey/notice set for the new contacts.

When no survey/notice has been set up in the default group, the new contact will get the error message “No Service Available”


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