Social Intents integrates with Twilio to add SMS as a customer communication channel. Customers text your Twilio phone number, and messages are routed to your team in Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat, or the web inbox - the same way as website chats and WhatsApp conversations.
Prerequisites
- A Twilio account (twilio.com)
- A Twilio phone number with SMS capability
- Your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token (found in the Twilio Console dashboard)
- A Social Intents chat widget connected to a team platform
Setup
Enter Twilio Credentials
Go to Settings > Outbound Settings. Enter your Twilio Account SID, Auth Token, and the phone number you purchased (the "Send From Number").
Set the Webhook URL
In your Twilio Console, go to your phone number settings and set the incoming message webhook URL to:
https://www.socialintents.com/v1/api/twilio/chat/{YOUR_WIDGET_ID}Replace {YOUR_WIDGET_ID} with your Social Intents widget ID. Set the method to POST.
Route to a Widget
In Outbound Settings, select which widget handles SMS conversations using the routing dropdown. This determines which team channel or space receives the messages.
Configure Session Settings
Set the auto-close interval for inactive SMS conversations and configure any outbound compose preferences.
Test
Send a text message from your personal phone to your Twilio number. The message should appear in your team platform within seconds.
How SMS Conversations Work
- A customer sends a text message to your Twilio phone number
- Twilio forwards the message to Social Intents via webhook
- Social Intents routes it to your connected platform as a new conversation
- Agents reply from Teams, Slack, Google Chat, or the web inbox
- Social Intents sends the reply back to the customer as an SMS via the Twilio API
The agent experience is the same as handling any other conversation - the only difference is a label indicating the source is SMS.
SMS Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Two-Way Messaging | Full two-way SMS conversations between customers and agents |
| MMS Support | Customers can send images via MMS. Up to 5 media attachments per message, 5 MB max each. Media is downloaded and stored securely. |
| E.164 Formatting | Phone numbers are automatically formatted to E.164 standard (+1XXXXXXXXXX) |
| Auto-Close | Configurable inactivity timeout. After the set period, the conversation is closed and a new text creates a fresh session. |
| Geolocation | Carrier-provided geolocation data (city, state, zip, country) is captured when available |
| Compose from Inbox | When enabled, agents can initiate outbound SMS conversations by entering a phone number |
| AI Chatbot | Your AI chatbot responds to SMS messages automatically, same as website chat and WhatsApp |
| Messaging Service | Supports Twilio Messaging Service SIDs for high-volume or multi-number SMS sending |
AI Chatbot with SMS
When the widget handling SMS has an AI chatbot enabled, the chatbot automatically responds to incoming text messages. All chatbot features work the same as website chat - custom training data, AI actions, escalation to human agents, and conversation context. Configure your chatbot on the widget's Chatbot tab.
Webhooks and Zapier
SMS conversations trigger the same webhooks and Zapier integrations as website chats. When an SMS conversation closes, the full transcript and visitor data are sent to your configured webhook URLs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SMS cost?
You need a Twilio account with a phone number. Twilio charges per SMS message sent and received. Pricing varies by country. Check Twilio's current pricing for details. Social Intents does not charge additional fees for the SMS integration.
Can I use a toll-free number?
Yes. Any Twilio phone number with SMS capability works, including toll-free, local, and short code numbers.
Can I send MMS (images) to customers?
MMS support depends on your Twilio number type and the customer's carrier. Customers can send MMS to you (up to 5 attachments, 5 MB each). Outbound MMS support varies by configuration.
Does SMS work internationally?
Yes, if your Twilio number supports international SMS. Twilio pricing varies by destination country.