The Keywords Trigger in Manychat is a powerful automation tool that helps streamline message handling across various channels. By setting up specific words or phrases as triggers, you can automate responses or actions based on what users send.
When a user mentions a designated keyword in their message, the system instantly responds by sending a message, launching a custom automation, or initiating other actions. This feature works seamlessly across supported channels, including Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS, ensuring smooth and efficient communication regardless of the platform. This article will cover:
- How to set up keywords to trigger automations
- How do keyword rules function?
- Limitations and troubleshooting
How to set up keywords to trigger automations
You have two options for setting up keywords: you can create them in the Automation > Keywords section of your Manychat account, or you can add the keywords trigger directly into your automation inside the Flow Builder. Let’s explore each option in detail.
Keywords in the Automation section
For the first option, navigate to Automation > Keywords and click on the + New Keyword button in the upper right corner to get started.
A new block will be created where you can enter the keywords you want to use and configure all the related settings.
After you've entered the keywords, you should now select the channel where they will be used. In our example, we've chosen Messenger, but the exact same logic and steps apply to all supported channels.
Next, you'll need to choose the rule that will determine how they function. These rules define how Manychat identifies and responds to the keywords, ensuring your automation behaves exactly as intended.
In the next section, we’ll dive into each rule in detail, covering how they work, when to use them, and best practices for setting up effective keyword triggers across different channels.
When everything is set up, simply click Create to finalize the keyword creation.
Then, you can either choose to create a new automation for your keywords trigger or select an existing one.
If you choose to create a new automation, you’ll be redirected to the Flow Builder, where you can build a custom automation specifically for this trigger.
If you choose to use an existing automation, a pop-up window will appear where you can select the desired automation for your keywords trigger. You’ll also have the option to preview the automation in the same window before making your selection.
After creating or selecting the automation for your trigger, you’re all set up!
Keywords in the Flow Builder
For the second option, navigate to the Automation section and first select the automation you want to set triggers for, or create a new one.
Open the automation in the Flow Builder for editing, and click on the + New trigger button, as shown in the screenshot below.
Select the trigger from the list to add it to your automation. The keywords trigger is labeled as User sends a message in this list, as the name accurately reflects the action it represents.
For this example, we choose it for Messenger, as our flow is designed for that channel; however, the same trigger is available for all supported channels.
When you click on the added trigger, a panel will open on the left where you can configure everything.
Here, you have two options: you can either manually set up specific keywords to trigger the automation by defining exact words or phrases, or you can choose to recognize the intention of the message.
With the intention-based option, you'll provide a brief description of the user's intent, and Manychat AI will analyze and match the user's message to the description you’ve provided. You can learn more about this feature here.
After creating the keywords and saving all changes, be sure to toggle the trigger on to activate it successfully for your automation.
That’s all! Once you’ve set everything up, you’re all set to rock your automations and start engaging with your audience effortlessly.
How do keyword rules function?
Currently, there are six keyword rules available in Manychat, each offering unique functionality to help you fine-tune how your automation responds to specific keywords. These rules are essential for controlling the flow of messages and ensuring that your interactions with users are as relevant and effective as possible.
By understanding these rules thoroughly, you'll be able to create highly efficient and targeted automations across all channels.
- Message is: A strict rule.
This rule is very precise—any additional words, letters, or symbols will prevent the automated message from being triggered. However, Manychat will recognize variations like "Hello," "HELLO," and "hello" as the same, since keywords are not case-sensitive.
- Message contains: A more flexible option.
This rule allows the system to identify the keyword within a sentence. For example, if the keyword is set to "Hello" and someone messages, "Hello, please send me further info," the automated message will still be triggered.
Be cautious with short keywords like "hi," "no," or "you," as they can unintentionally trigger automation in many situations with this rule.
If a message contains two keywords, the system will trigger the automated response for the keyword that appears higher on the list, ignoring the second one.
- Message contains a whole word: Stay relevant to the context.
Consider a rule where "Message contains like" triggers a message like "Glad you like it!" However, if someone messages "dislike," the same "Glad you like it!" message would be sent. This rule allows Manychat to distinguish between words like "hi" and "within," ensuring the correct automated reply is sent.
- Message begins with: A smart way to automate common questions.
This rule requires the keyword to be at the beginning of the contact's message for the system to trigger an automated response. For example, you could create a rule where typing "can you" at the start of a sentence prompts Manychat to display a menu with options.
- Message is Thumbs Up: This rule is simple – the automated message will be triggered when a contact sends a "Like" reaction via Messenger.
This is the only rule that is specific to Messenger; the other five rules are available across other channels. Note: The rule does not apply to the Thumbs Up emoji.
- Message doesn't contain: Exclude messages with specific keywords.
The automated message will not be triggered if the message contains any of the specified keywords.
Once you've selected the most suitable rule for your keywords, you can also add multiple message conditions if needed.
Start by adding the necessary keyword, then set up the message conditions by clicking the +Message condition button. This allows you to specify additional keywords that should work together with the main one to trigger the automation.
Now that the keyword rules are clear, you’re ready to implement them and enhance your automation workflow.
Limitations and troubleshooting
General limitations
-
Free accounts are limited to 3 custom keyword triggers per account. Default system keywords, such as start/stop and subscribe/unsubscribe, are not counted within this limit.
If this limit is exceeded, you will not be able to message your contacts through configured automations, live chat, or broadcasts. To remain within the limits of the Free plan or to activate other keywords, you'll need to deactivate an existing custom keyword.
- The maximum number of keywords allowed per rule is 10.
- You can prioritize keywords by adjusting their position in the list within Automation > Keywords. Keywords listed at the top will be given priority in triggering automations.
- If a message contains multiple keywords from your list, only the first keyword in the list will trigger the respective automation. This means that the order of keywords in the list determines which one takes precedence.
For example, if you have the keywords "discount" and "sale" in your list, and a user sends a message containing both, the first keyword in the list—let’s say "discount"—will trigger the automation. If you want "sale" to be prioritized instead, simply rearrange the list so that "sale" appears first.
This flexibility allows you to control which keyword activates the corresponding automation based on its position in the list.
- If no keywords are recognized in the user's message, the Default Reply will be triggered.
SMS channel limitations
- Keywords such as "YES" and "START" that a contact sends in their SMS response will be processed by Twilio automation, not Manychat automation. In this case, these keywords will be recognized as opt-in signals, allowing the contact to receive your SMS messages (if they are not already opted in).
- Similarly, keywords like "STOP," "UNSTOP," "UNSUBSCRIBE," and "CANCEL" will opt the contact out of receiving SMS messages. As a result, you will no longer be able to send automated SMS messages to them, regardless of how you've configured SMS keywords in Manychat.
Troubleshooting
- If a keyword doesn’t trigger the automation
First, ensure that your keywords are enabled by turning the toggle on to activate them.
Next, verify that the automation associated with the keyword is published. A small yellow dot will appear if there are any unpublished changes in this automation.
- If a keyword triggers the wrong automation
Ensure that the correct rule is selected for your keyword. For instance, "Message is" and "Message contains" will trigger your keywords in different ways. Refer to the descriptions of all the rules provided earlier in this article to better understand the potential issues.
- If you don’t see a Keywords tab
Navigate to Settings > Display and toggle the following setting on to activate the tab:
If you encounter any issues with the Keywords trigger, please contact our Support Team.