how to integrate text and phone messaging with your website

How to Integrate Text and Phone Messaging

with Your Website

by Cindy Cullencindycullen.com

Programming since 1983Building websites since 1999

Freelance web developer since 2003Cell phone user since they were too big to carry

Taught Computers to children and adults – Online, Homeschool co-ops, Elementary School,

Junior High, High School, College, Seminars

Messages

MyOutdoorCalendar.com

Images courtesy of vectorolie / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We tried…

“We need phone calls and text messages”

Email Mobile Apps

Image courtesy of zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Short Codes

O Five digit number

O About $1000+/month

O Long application approval process

Shared Short CodesO Buy Keyword(s) – about $25/month

O Phone numbers – about $3/monthO Voice – about $0.05/minuteO Text - about $0.05/minute

O Bulk Monthly plans usually available

Images courtesy of vectorolie / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

BowlingGreenMassage.com

Mass TextOpening today at 3pm

Database of phone numbers

Opening today at 3pm

Opening today at 3pm

Opening today at 3pm Opening today at 3pm

Openin

g to

day a

t 3pm

I’ll ta

ke it!615-555-0123 gets it!

Web Meets Messaging with 10 digit phone numbers

O Twilio

O Tropo

O Plivo

O Nexmo

How it WorksO Buy Phone Number (or short code)

O Receive messages on my websiteO Call or Text that numberO Twilio/Tropo/Plivo/Nexmo sends the message to

my URLO My website processes the message and

responds (usually with XML)

O Send messages from my websiteO My website sends instructions to that number

using a provided library and API

PricingO Phone Numbers

O $0.80/month - $3/month (Avg. $1/month)

O VoiceO Inbound $0.0050/min – $0.03/min (Avg. $0.01/min)O Outbound $0.0130/min – $0.03/min (Avg.

$0.02/min)

O SMSO Inbound Free – $0.01/msg (Avg $0.0075/msg)O Outbound $0.0065/msg - $0.01/msg (Avg.

$0.0075/msg)

My Pick

TwilioO Average pricingO Great documentationO Great tutorialsO SubaccountsO AnalyticsO Developer toolsO TriggersO Easiest to get up and running for ME

Mass TextOpening today at 3pm

Database of phone numbers

Opening today at 3pm

Opening today at 3pm

Opening today at 3pm Opening today at 3pm

Openin

g to

day a

t 3pm

I’ll ta

ke it!615-555-0123 gets it!

Sent to My Script

require "Services/Twilio.php";$AccountSid = “Bxxxxxxx”;$AuthToken = “2xxxxxxxx";$client = new Services_Twilio($AccountSid, $AuthToken);$twilio_number = “615-555-0123”;

If ($_POST[‘From’] == $twilio_number) { $body =; $users = get_users('meta_key=phone'); $special_chars = array("-","(",")");

foreach ($users as $user) { $phone = '+1'.str_replace($special_chars,"",get_user_meta($user->ID, 'phone', true)); $numbers[] = $phone; }

foreach ($numbers as $number) { $sms = $client->account->messages->sendMessage($twilio_number, $number, $_POST[‘Body’]); }} else { // Process user message}

Respond to Text

<?php header(“content-type: text/xml”);echo “<?xml version=\”1.0\” encoding=\”UTF-8\” ?>\n”;?>

<Response> <Message>Thanks <?php echo $name ?> for your response.</Message></Response>

CloneMeServices.com

Dial 1 for emergency

Dial 2 to leave a message

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When the number is called…<?php date_default_timezone_set('America/Chicago'); header("content-type: text/xml");echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n";if (date("H") > '20') : // time later than 9PM? ?> <Response> <Gather action="/user-input" numDigits="1"> <Say>Welcome to Clone Me Services.</Say> <Say>If this is an emergency please press 1</Say> <Say>Otherwise, please press2</Say> </Gather> <Say>Sorry, I didn't get your response.</Say> <Redirect>/phone</Redirect></Response><?php else: ?> // time before 9PM, just forward <Response> <Dial>+12707916649</Dial> </Response><?php endif; ?>

User presses number…<?php // if the caller pressed anything but 1 or 2 send them back if($_REQUEST['Digits'] != '1' and $_REQUEST['Digits'] != '2') { header("Location: /phone"); die; } // otherwise, if 1 was pressed we Dial CloneMeServices. If 2 we make an audio recording up to 30 seconds long. header("content-type: text/xml"); echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n”; ?>

<Response><?php if ($_REQUEST['Digits'] == '1') { ?> <Dial>+16155551111</Dial> <Say>The call failed or the remote party hung up. Goodbye.</Say><?php } elseif ($_REQUEST['Digits'] == '2') { ?> <Say>Record your message after the tone.</Say> <Record maxLength="30" action="/after-recording" /><?php } ?></Response>

After the recording…

<?phpheader("content-type: text/xml");echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n";?>

<Response> <Say>Thanks for your message. Goodbye.</Say></Response>

Image courtesy of zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

ApplicationsO Appointment RemindersO Call Queue’s – matching callers and

agentsO Call Screening – find a live body to

answerO Call MetricsO Click to Call – button on website

(calls to or from browsers or mobile devices $0.0025/min)

O Automated Phone System

More ApplicationsO Conference CallsO Phone PollsO Voice BroadcastO VoicemailO Voice TranscriptionO Audio Recording from your WebsiteO Browser PhoneO Browser to Browser Calls

And More!O Group ChatO Text to SpeechO SMS notificationsO SMS from a callO MMS (some may support – only on

short codes with twilio)

Who Will Want This?O DoctorsO DentistsO Hair and Nail SalonsO Massage TherapistsO Other Professional ServicesO Marketers (careful with bulk

messaging!)O Dry CleanersO Restaurants

Who Can Use this?O SchoolsO Clubs and GroupsO ChurchesO Political GroupsO Fitness Centers & Sports ClubsO Anybody!