Send a broadcast

This page takes you through sending a broadcast, from a filtered list of contacts to the moment it goes out. For what each setting does in detail, see Broadcast settings.

Before you start

• An approved template. Unless everyone you are sending to messaged you in the last 24 hours, you need one. See Create a template.
• Contacts you can filter to. Usually a tag. See Filter contacts.
• The media file, if your template has an image, video or file. You attach the real one when you send.

Send the broadcast

1. Filter your audience

1. On the Contacts page, click Filter.
2. Add the conditions for this broadcast, such as a tag.
3. Add Tags not has dnd, if you keep a do-not-contact tag.
4. Click Apply.

Check the dot above the Filter button, then check the count. It has to fit inside what is left of today's messaging limit.

You do not need to filter out opted-out contacts. They are skipped when the broadcast goes out. To see how many people it will really reach, add Opted in is Yes while you check the count. See Opt-in and opt-out.

2. Start the broadcast

1. Select the filtered contacts.
2. Click Broadcast.

3. Name it and pick the message

1. Enter a Campaign Name. It has to be one you have not used before.
2. Choose the message type: Pre-approved Template Message or Regular Message.
3. Pick your approved template.

Name campaigns so you can find them in three months: what, who, when. restock_linen_shirt_waitlist_jun26 tells you everything. broadcast_5 tells you nothing.

4. Fill in the variables

Each variable in the template, such as {{1}}, needs a value.

1. Click the attribute button next to the variable to see your attributes.
2. Pick one, such as $FirstName. You can also type an attribute or a fixed value.
3. Enter a fallback: the value to use for a contact who has no value for that attribute.
4. Press Enter.

Without a fallback, any contact missing the attribute does not get the message. See Broadcast settings.

If a button link ends in a variable, fill that in the same way.

5. Attach media

If the template has an image, video or file, attach the one for this broadcast.

6. Choose when it goes

• To send now, go to the next step.
• To send later, turn on Schedule Date & Time and pick the date, time and timezone. See Broadcast settings.
• To retry messages that fail, turn on Retry Campaign and set up to three retries. See Broadcast settings.

7. Check and send

Read the preview once as a customer would. Then click Send Now, or Schedule Campaign if you scheduled it.

If you see Audience size exceeding remaining quota, some messages may not be delivered, the audience is bigger than what is left of today's limit. Everyone beyond the limit gets nothing, and they show up as failed. Go back and narrow the filter, or split the audience over two days.

A broadcast sent now goes out straight away.

8. Open the results

Click Go to Campaign to see the broadcast's results as they come in.

See Broadcast performance for how to read them.

Before you press Send Now

Most broadcast mistakes are only visible after sending. Run through these first:

• The filter dot is showing, so you are not sending to everyone.
• The count fits inside today's limit, once opted-out contacts are left out.
• Every variable has a fallback.
• The media is the right one for this broadcast, not the last one you sent.
• The link works. Open it on your phone.
• You sent it to yourself first. Broadcast to a test_team tag with your own number before the real audience. You see it as a customer will, on a real phone.

Broadcast a regular message

A regular message needs no template, so you can write it on the spot. But it only reaches ACTIVE contacts, who messaged you in the last 24 hours.

1. Filter and select the contacts, and click Broadcast.
2. Choose Regular Message as the message type and write the message. You can add an image, video or file. Buttons are not available.
3. Click Send Now.

Use it to follow up with a group that is mid-conversation, such as everyone who asked about a product in the last day: "It's back in stock, here's the link." Anyone whose window has closed does not get it, which is why a template is the safer choice for anything that matters.