What are Recommended Replies?


When running large texting campaigns in ThruText, efficiency and consistency are essential. Recommended Replies are prewritten responses created by admins that help texters respond quickly and accurately to common messages. Instead of typing out the same response multiple times, texters can choose a Recommended Reply, personalize it if needed, and send it. This saves time while ensuring consistent communication.


This guide will show you how to create recommended replies, and some examples you can use. For instructions on how to use global replies in an assignment, check out the guide: Using Recommended & Saved Replies in your Assignment.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


There are two types of Recommended Replies. Understanding the difference helps you decide when to use a campaign-specific reply or a global reply.

  • Global Replies are available across every campaign in your organization. They appear in the messenger without any further actions to add them to campaigns. They are best for common or recurring questions, such as “How did you get my number?” or “What is your organization?”.
  • Campaign Replies are tied to a single campaign. They are best for campaign-specific details, such as event logistics, RSVP links, or poll closing times. These replies only appear in the campaign where they were created.


To create a Global Recommended Reply, start in the left sidebar navigation menu and expand the ThruText menu, and then expand the ThruText Tools menu, and click Global Replies:


Screenshot of a column of white text on a dark blue background. There is a dark green solidly lined rectangle calling attention to "Recommended Replies""


After clicking New Reply, the recommended reply editor will appear. Here's a breakdown of the elements on this page:


This image shows the recommended replies editor on the global replies page


  1. All Replies: A table displaying every reply created for the campaign.
  2. Reorder Replies: Click on the arrows and drag and drop replies to adjust their order. 
  3. Edit/Delete: Use these buttons to modify or remove a reply.
  4. Title: Enter a descriptive title that helps texters understand when to use the reply.
  5. Variables: Insert variables such as contact first or last name or sender first or last name.
  6. Message Text: Type the body of the reply.
  7. Message Preview: View a preview of the reply with sample data replacing variables or custom fields.
  8. Total Segments: An estimate of how many message segments the reply will use. This varies depending on variable or  custom field length. Read more about segments here: Text Message Segments.
  9. Characters Remaining in Current Segment: The approximate number of characters left in the current segment This is also an approximation because variables vary in length. 
  10. Character Set: This is the character set of your text message. Read more about this here: Text Message Encoding.
  11. Save Reply: Click to save your replies and move to the next step of campaign creation.


You create Recommended Replies in the Replies step of campaign creation. To read more about campaign creation, read our guide: Launching a ThruText Campaign.


You can start by creating a campaign. To do so, go to the left sidebar navigation menu and expand the ThruText menu, and then expand the Campaigns menu and click Create New Campaign. After completing the first 4 steps of campaign creation, you'll see the Replies page.


Screenshot of the Recommended Replies header at the top of the page with a magenta "Create New Reply" button to its right, highlighted by a green rectangle around the button.

After clicking + Addy Reply, the Recommended Reply editor will appear. The editor includes the following elements:


This image shows the replies step of campaign creation. This highlights the differences in the campaign replies from the global recommended replies


The campaign reply editor uses the same elements described above - see How to Create Global Recommended Replies for details. Here are the main differences:

  1. + Add Reply: Add additional replies.
  2. Add Trackable Link: You can create or insert an existing trackable link to your reply. Read more about trackable links here: Trackable Links.
  3. Save & Next: Click to save your replies and move to the next step of campaign creation.


NOTE - Your replies will not be saved if you don't click Save & Next. Be careful not to proceed to the next page with the navigation menu at the top or your replies will not be saved.


Adding and Editing Replies in Active Campaigns

To add or edit replies in a campaign after you've launched it, click Recommended Replies on the Campaign Summary page.


This image shows a portion of the campaign summary page and highlight the recommended replies tab on this page.


To add a trackable link in an active campaign, you’ll need to manually type the link variable directly into the message body. Since the active campaign editor does not yet support the button-based link insertion, we recommend adding trackable links during campaign creation for ease and accuracy. This functionality will be updated soon to align with the campaign creation experience.


Best Practices and Tips

  • Add a Descriptive Title: Picking a relevant and easy-to-understand title is key to prompting texters to identify the proper recommended reply for each scenario.
  • Reorder Replies: You can reorder your replies to have more frequently used replies at the top.
  • Reply Length: Recommended replies can be a maximum of 9 segments; this limit is in place because some carriers filter longer text messages. 
  • Ensure the Character Set is 7-bit: Special characters or emojis can change the text message encoding from 7-bit to Unicode. This will reduce the maximum character length of your segment, which can double the segment count of your text. If you are on per-segment pricing, this can significantly affect your costs. It can also impact your deliverability with regards to rate limits. Read more about this here: Text Message Encoding.
  • Avoid Using Public Link Shorteners: Our texting partners recommend avoiding using link shorteners, like bit.ly, in any text messaging. Please check out our guide for more details on avoiding link shorteners and other best practice recommendations: Text Messaging Best Practices.


Here's a list of example recommended replies:

  • Global Replies
    • Wrong Number: Sorry about that! We'll update our records. Our organization is a grass-roots campaign working to elect representatives that will work for you. Click here to learn more: www.organization.org.
    • How did you get my number?: We have your number on file from your profile on our website.
    • Do you have a number I can call?: Yes, you can reach us at 248-555-1231
    • What is your organization?: We’re a grassroots campaign working to elect Jane for Congress. Jane believes in affordable healthcare, climate action, and protecting our rights. We’re powered by volunteers and small-dollar donations - no corporate PACs.
  • Campaign Replies 
    • Interested in the Ask: Great to hear! You can RSVP to the event here: %TrackableLink_WfDBe18%
    • Supportive but not Interested in the Ask: No problem, thank you so much for your support! If you’d like, we can share other ways to get involved.
    • Negative Response: Sorry to hear that. Thank you for your time and have a great day.
    • Recipient tried to call: It looks like you tried to call us, and we were unavailable. Please try us again at 248-555-4612 for support.
    • When is my membership expiration date?: Your membership expires on %expiration_date% (custom field)

For a video demonstration, check out our tutorial: How to Set Global Recommended Replies.