In this article, you'll learn how to create a Twilio account. Doing so will let you use the ActiveCampaign Twilio app to send SMS messages to your contacts.
Take note
- The ActiveCampaign Customer Experience Team cannot assist you with setting up a Twilio account. If you need help setting up an account, or have questions about using Twilio, please contact Twilio's support team
- You can create a free trial with Twilio before providing payment information
- You will have a starting balance with your trial that you can use to test with the ActiveCampaign Twilio App
- You can use your Twilio trial credits to test the SMS functionality
Create a new Twilio account
To create a new Twilio account:
1. Go to Twilio's sign up page and click the "Sign Up" button to create a free trial account.
2. Complete the Twilio trial information form and click the "Start your free trial" button. A confirmation message will appear.
3. Twilio will send you a confirmation email. Open this email and click the link in the email.
4. On the verification screen, provide your phone number and click the "Verify" button.
Twilio requires a verified phone number in order to make their platform more secure and for you to use when testing their products during your trial. You can also use this number's caller ID when making outbound phone calls using Twilio phone numbers.
5. Twilio will send you an automated SMS message to the phone number you provided. This message will contain your verification code. Type the verification code into the the field provided on the verification screen. Then click the "Submit" button.
Once your information is verified, Twilio will take you to your console.
Get a trial phone number
Your trial will contain credits that you can use to test before upgrading your account. To test, you’ll need to secure a trial phone number.
Twilio will provide you with an option. We suggest using their option to get started. You can always change this later.
Connect to the ActiveCampaign Twilio App
Now that you have your Twilio trial account and phone number, you can use the ActiveCampaign Twilio App in your automation.
For step-by-step instructions, please see this "Use ActiveCampaign's integration with Twilio" help article.
Upgrade your Twilio account
Once you’ve successfully connected and tested the ActiveCampaign Twilio App, you can upgrade your Twilio trial to a paid account.
Note that you can upgrade your Twilio account at any time. There is not requirement to test within your trial
1. From your Twilio trial account, click the “Upgrade Account” option.
2. Enter your contact and billing information into the "Upgrade Account" page.
3. Provide the amount you would like to prepay.
- Minimum amount that can be loaded is $20.00
- Maximum amount that can be loaded at one time is $2,000.00
Twilio will provide a confirmation that your Trial Phone Number has been successfully transferred.
If you’d like to purchase a new phone number, you can do so by selecting “Buy a Phone Number” or just navigate back to your Dashboard.
Leveraging Twilio's global database also provides you with access to 150 countries.
Purchase US phone number(s)
Now that you have your account successfully setup, you can purchase additional phone numbers. Twilio has several numbers to choose from. All you need to do is enter your search criteria and there will be search results.
Not seeing the number you want or need additional help? Twilio will assist you in getting what you need.
Purchase global phone numbers
Securing a global phone number is similar to securing a US phone number. However, you will need to create and assign a Regulatory Compliance Bundle before purchasing a global number.
Here is an example using an Australian phone number:
1. Navigate to “Buy a Phone Number” and search by Country to view a list of available Australian numbers.
Twilio follows a “Pay As You Go” pricing structure, which gives you freedom when buying phone numbers and sending SMS messages. For transparency, you’ll always be able to review any additional charges before proceeding.
2. Select the type of usage for the number. Your options are either Business or Individual.
3. Based upon your type of use, there will be specific Regulatory Compliance information required. You can enter, upload, and submit any necessary information with their Regulatory Compliance Bundles.
4. Since you’re just getting started, you will need to create a new compliance bundle for the number you are purchasing. By selecting “Create A New Bundle,” Twilio will take you to the correct location to get started with your information.
You will see a confirmation modal appear that asks you to confirm the country, type of phone number, and type of use. The modal will inform you that you are not able to change this information if you proceed. If at any point you need to make a change, you would have to create a new compliance bundle.
5. Next, provide the necessary information for your compliance bundle. For a list of Countries and regulatory compliance requirements, you can check out Twilio’s documentation.
Note that you can save your progress as a draft and track the status of your compliance bundle as it’s being reviewed. Twilio makes it easy to track the status of your new compliance bundle in the Bundles dashboard:
Depending on the Country you are purchasing the number for, the review period could vary. Twilio simplifies this by allowing you to set up notifications that will alert you when your compliance bundle has been reviewed.
Additional resources
To learn more about Twilio and how you can leverage their platform, here are some helpful links: