Summary
Integrating Twilio with Wati enhances your messaging capabilities by providing:
Automated SMS fallback for WhatsApp delivery failures, ensuring your messages reliably reach your audience every time.
Direct SMS campaign campaigns, allowing you to efficiently reach your customers through both WhatsApp and SMS channels
This seamless integration improves message delivery, broadens your reach, and offers a unified platform for effective multi-channel communication.
Broadcasts are now Campaigns – same powerful features, updated name!
If you’re on the Business Plan, this integration is already included by default - there’s no need to enable it manually.
Instructions
Prerequisites
You should have an active Twilio subscription.
If you’re on the Growth or Pro plan and want to use this integration, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business plan.
Why integrate Wati with Twilio?
1. Seamless SMS Fallback for Reliable Communication
Integrating Wati with Twilio enables automated SMS fallback when WhatsApp messages fail to deliver. This ensures your critical notifications and updates reach your audience consistently, maintaining high engagement and reducing missed connections.
2. Efficient Multi-Channel Campaigns
The integration also allows you to send campaign campaigns via SMS alongside WhatsApp messages. This multi-channel approach broadens your reach, improves campaign effectiveness, and provides flexibility to communicate with customers through their preferred channels.
How to Integrate Wati with Twilio
Step 1: Setting up and testing Twilio integration
Navigate to the Integrations page in your Wati account and click on the Twilio card. A pop-up will appear - simply click on the "Connect With Twilio" button.
You will need your Twilio Account SID, Auth Token, and Phone Number. You can find these details easily in your Twilio Console. Copy and paste each of these into the respective fields in Wati, then click Continue.
To verify the credentials and phone number, a test message will be sent.
We provide a sample recipient phone number, but you can also enter your own - just ensure it’s an active number that allows communication with your Twilio number. Click the "Send Test SMS" button.
Once you receive a successful delivery notification from Twilio, indicating the message was sent correctly, click "Finish Set Up" to complete the integration.
Note:
Currently, Wati supports integration with only one Twilio phone number at a time. If you need to remove the existing connection or switch to a different number, please contact the Wati support team for assistance.
Turn on the toggle shown in the screenshot below to enable automated SMS fallback for all WhatsApp broadcasts.
Once enabled, any WhatsApp broadcast sent through APIs or integrations will automatically trigger SMS fallback. Contacts whose messages fail to deliver on WhatsApp will receive an SMS instead.
Step 2: Create SMS Templates
In your Wati account, go to Campaigns > Templates > SMS.
This page displays both published and draft SMS templates. Unlike WhatsApp templates, SMS templates do not require approval.
Click the "Create New SMS" button.
While developing your SMS template, you have the option to select a WhatsApp template that you want to map to this SMS.
When configuring SMS fallback for WhatsApp campaigns, the linked SMS template will be automatically selected if available.
Alternatively, you can choose not to link any template and just create a standalone SMS template.
Once finished, you can click "Save" to publish, or "Save as Draft" to make further edits later.
Note:
Include the correct footer in each message based on the contact’s opt-in status.
For contacts who have opted in, add your standard marketing footer.
For contacts who have opted out (for example, by replying STOP), do not send any further SMS messages. These messages should be automatically blocked.
Wati records STOP and similar keywords to help prevent unwanted messages and ensure compliance with messaging regulations.
Also note that some countries require additional registrations or approvals before you can send SMS. If the required registration is missing, Twilio may automatically block message delivery. For example, in the United States, 10DLC registration is mandatory for sending messages.
Step 3: How to do an SMS Fallback
In your Wati account, go to Campaigns > Campaign Overview. Click on the New Campaign button.
Choose the WhatsApp template you want to use and toggle the switch shown in the screenshot below to enable SMS fallback for the campaign.
If a linked SMS template exists for the selected WhatsApp template, it will be automatically selected.
Otherwise, you can use the dropdown menu to choose a different SMS template.
You're all set!
To view the results of the SMS fallback, click the View Insights button for the campaign where you enabled fallback. Then, select Delivery Stats on the page that appears.
You will see a list of contacts where the WhatsApp message failed and an SMS was sent as a result.
Additionally, you can export the delivery data in CSV format by clicking the button highlighted in the screenshot below.
Step 4: Sending SMS Campaign
In your Wati account, navigate to Campaigns > Campaign Overview and click on the New Campaign button.
On the campaign creation page, select SMS as the channel and choose the SMS template you want to send.
If no SMS templates are available, an informational message will prompt you to create one : simply follow the steps outlined in Step 2 of this document.
You also have the option to schedule your SMS campaign. After completing the configuration, click on the Add Campaign button.
To view the performance insights, return to the Campaign Overview page and toggle the switch to SMS. Here, you'll find detailed delivery stats for all your SMS campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General questions
1. What does the Twilio integration with Wati do?
It connects Wati with Twilio so you can send SMS messages, enable automatic SMS fallback for failed WhatsApp deliveries, and run SMS and WhatsApp campaigns from one platform.
2. What is SMS fallback?
SMS fallback automatically sends an SMS when a WhatsApp message cannot be delivered, helping ensure your message still reaches the contact.
3. Which Wati plans support this integration?
The integration is included in the Business plan. Growth and Pro users must upgrade to access it.
4. Do I need a Twilio account to use this feature?
Yes. You need an active Twilio subscription and your Account SID, Auth Token, and Twilio phone number to connect.
Setup and templates
5. How do I set up the Twilio connection in Wati?
Go to Integrations, select Twilio, enter your credentials, and send a test SMS to confirm the setup is working.
6. Can I connect more than one Twilio phone number?
No. Only one Twilio phone number can be connected to a Wati account at a time. Contact support if you need to switch numbers.
7. Do SMS templates require approval?
No. SMS templates can be created and used immediately without approval.
8. Can I link an SMS template to a WhatsApp template?
Yes. You can map an SMS template to a WhatsApp template so it is automatically used when SMS fallback is triggered.
Campaigns and compliance
9. How do I enable SMS fallback for a campaign?
While creating a WhatsApp campaign, turn on the SMS fallback option and select the SMS template to use.
10. Can I send SMS-only campaigns?
Yes. Choose SMS as the channel when creating a new campaign and select your SMS template.
11. Are there opt-in or compliance requirements for SMS?
Yes. Send messages only to opted-in contacts. Do not send SMS to users who replied STOP or opted out, and follow any local regulations or registrations required by Twilio.
12. How can I track SMS delivery results?
Open the campaign’s Insights or Delivery Stats to view performance details and export results in CSV format if needed.