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How to Create a Twilio Account

Twilio is a cloud-based programmable communications tool that Ventrata utilises for sending and receiving text and WhatsApp messages.

Updated over a week ago

To use Twilio, you need


A2P

Application-to-Person messaging (A2P) is any kind of communication coming from an application instead of a real person. Creating SMS/MMS/WhatsApp campaigns using Twilio is a type of A2P communication. Especially in the US and Canada, A2P is subject to strict regulation.

📗 TIP

Please familiarise yourself with A2P messaging and consider your use case to use the correct tools from the Twilio offering.


Create Account

  1. Go to twilio.com.

  2. Fill in the form and press the Continue button.

    Sign Up

    Sign up to Twilio

  3. You will receive a verification code to the email address you provided in the sign up form.

  4. Enter the code on the website.

    Verify Email

    Enter Verification Code

  5. On the next screen, enter the phone number you wish to use with Twilio.

    Verify Phone Number

    Enter Phone Number

  6. Enter the code you received to your phone on the website and press the Verify button.

  7. A recovery code will be presented to you.

    Recovery Code

    Recovery Code


    ❗️IMPORTANT❗️

    Save this code somewhere safe! In case you lose your phone or other means of verification, you can use this code to recover your account.


  8. Press the Continue button.

  9. Answer the questionnaire with information about your use case.

    Questionnaire

    Fill in Questionnaire


    📗 TIP

    We recommend selecting ‘Alerts & Notifications’ or ’Promotions’ in the first question, to receive personalised suggestions from Twilio. However, your answers do not limit your options.



Buy a Virtual Phone Number

You will be redirected to the dashboard of your Twilio console and requested to buy a phone number.

  1. Press the Get a Twilio phone number button.

    Get a Twilio Phone Number

    Get a Twilio Phone Number


    📗 TIP

    You need a virtual phone number to be able to send and receive SMS messages with Twilio.


  2. On the confirmation page about receiving a Twilio phone number, press the Next button.

  3. Select the country where the phone number is from.

  4. Select ‘SMS’ and ‘MMS’ capabilities.

  5. You can further delimit your search results by setting additional search criteria.

  6. Press the Search button.

    Search Number

    Buy a Number

  7. Select a number from the table that satisfies your search criteria.

  8. Press the Buy button.

    Buy Number

  9. Review the phone number, then tick the box that says ‘I agree to comply with the Emergency calling terms and conditions.’

  10. Press the Buy [phone_number] button.

    Buy Phone Number

    By Phone Number

  11. On the confirmation page, press the Next button.

    Phone Number Purchased

    Next Step

  12. At this stage you can decide to use a prebuilt app to send SMS notifications or build your own solution.

  13. Press the Next button to invite your colleagues or upgrade your account.

📒 NOTE

A trial account provides a glimpse into Twilio’s capabilities, however, the account needs to be upgraded to use the full range of features. The upgrade starts at $20 and serves as credit to send SMS and WhatsApp messages. To upgrade, go to Billing > Upgrade in the top right corner of the Twilio console.

Upgrade Account

Upgrade Account


Create a Messaging Service

  1. In your Twilio console, go to the Develop tab.

  2. Select Messaging > Services.

    Messaging - Services

    Services

  3. Press the Create Messaging Service button.

    Create Messaging Service

    Create Messaging Service

  4. Enter a name for your Messaging Service.

  5. Select ‘Notify my users’ for the purpose of your Messaging Service.

    Messaging Service Setup

    Messaging Service Setup

  6. Press the Create Messaging Service button.

    Create Messaging Service

    Create Messaging Service

  7. Press the Add Senders button to select your sender number.

    Sender Pool

    Add Senders


    📒 NOTE

    You can select either the virtual phone number purchased during the account creation process, or add a list of phone numbers by selecting ‘Bulk-add Phone Number’.


  8. Press the Add Phone Numbers button.

    Add Phone Numbers

    Add Phone Numbers

  9. In the Integration step, select the ‘Drop the message’ option.

  10. In the ‘Callback URL’ field, enter the following link: https://api.ventrata.com/twilio/webhook

  11. Press the Add compliance information button.

    Integration

    Add Compliance Information


    📒 NOTE

    Countries require certain information from businesses using Twilio to be able to send messages to their customers. Please follow Twilio’s guidelines on local country regulations to complete this step. This step cannot be completed with a trial account.


  12. Press the Complete Messaging Service Setup button.

    Compliance
    Complete Messaging Service Setup

    Complete Messaging Service Setup

  13. Continue to view the details of your new Messaging Service or try sending a message.

    Messaging Service Setup Completed

    View My New Messaging Service


Autocreate Conversations

Open a two-way communication port with your customers and keep a log of all conversations.

  1. On the Develop tab, go to Conversations > Addresses.

  2. Select Configure addresses.

    Conversations - Configure addresses

    Configure Addresses

  3. Your virtual phone number (or the number you set up as your sender number is listed on the screen. Press the pen icon to configure.

    Configure Addresses

    Configure Sender Number

  4. Press the toggle button to enable automatic conversations creation for new messages.

    Autocreate Conversations

    Autocreate a Conversation

  5. You have the option to select a conversation service in which new conversations are created.


    📗 TIP

    Conversations are message threads between your Twilio account and your customers’ phone numbers or WhatsApp accounts. For more information about Twilio Conversations read Twilio Docs.


  6. You have the option to set up webhooks to receive events about auto-created Conversations or connect a new Conversation to a Studio Flow. You can however choose to do neither by selecting ‘No’.

    Conversations - Integration

    Choose Next Step

  7. Press the Create button to create address configuration.

    Configure Address

    Create Address Configuration

    When a customer responds to your message, a default Conversation is created in Conversations > Manage > Services.

    Services

    Default Conversation Service

    Select your Default Conversations Service and navigate to Conversations in the left-hand navigation bar. Each new thread creates a new Conversation with a unique SID.

    Conversations

    Conversation SID

    Select a Conversation by pressing the conversation SID and go to the Messages tab to view all incoming messages from your customers.

    Messages

    Messages


Connect WhatsApp

Prerequisites:

  • You have an upgraded Twilio account.

  • You have purchased a Twilio phone number.

  • It is recommended to use an existing Meta Business Account.

  • You have administrator with full access to your Meta Business Account.

Please follow the steps outlined in Twilio Docs to connect your WhatsApp account.

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