In this Quickstart Guide, we'll run you through the basics of getting started with Campaign Builder (Beta). Note: Campaign Builder is currently in closed Beta. If you would like to try Campaign Builder but don't have access, please contact support@messagebird.com.

Step 1: Opt-In to Campaign Builder (Beta)

In order to start using Campaign Builder (Beta), you'll first need to opt-in on the MessageBird Dashboard.

Head over to Send Campaign where you'll find a banner in the top-left corner that reads:

"Ready for a change? Try the new Campaign Builder beta".

Click the opt-in link and  🎉 you're in!

Step 2: Set a Campaign Name (Optional)

The first step in Campaign Builder (Beta) is to name your campaign. This is a new feature that will help you differentiate your Campaigns. This step is optional, so you don't have to decide upon a name straight away.

If you choose to skip this step, we'll give your Campaign a default name based on the timestamp, similar to: 

Pro-Tip: The Campaign Name is only visible to you! Your recipients will not see this name.

Step 3: Set your Sender (Originator)

In this step, we'll show you how to set your Sender (also known as "Originator"), which is the designated name or number your recipients will receive your message from. You have a number of options:

1. Sender Name: This can be a name or number. If you use a company or brand name as the Sender name, the amount of characters needs to be between 3 and 11. If you use a MessageBird number as the Sender, the maximum amount of characters is 17.
   
   
2. Your numbers: Select any of your pre-purchased MessageBird numbers. The number you select will be used to send the campaign.
   
   
3. Use my dedicated numbers: This number is only for your use. Any messages sent to that number will always go to you, whether you send out a message first or not.
   
   
4. Shared number: Every MessageBird account includes access to a Shared Number, which is free to use and allows you to receive replies direct to your account. (Shared numbers are currently available in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom.) Note: You always need to send an SMS message to your recipient first in order for them to be able to reply to you.

Pro-Tip: Read up on the Country Rules & Restrictions as each country has different rules regarding the message sender. 

Step 4: Set your recipients

In this step, we'll show you how to add your campaign recipients. You have a number of options:

1. Upload a .csv file: Drag and drop your .csv file to the recipients modal. You'll be asked to set the Delimiter (which determines how contact entries are separated in the .csv file) and Columns (which dictate the different types of information you are storing per contact).
   
2. Groups: Select specific groups from your MessageBird Dashboard.
   
   
3. Contacts: Select specific contacts from your MessageBird Dashboard.
   
   
4. Manually input up to 300 recipient phone numbers.

Once you've selected all your message recipients, click Add and view the recipients in the Campaign preview page.

Step 5: Write your message

It's time to compose your Campaign message. This is the text your recipients will receive via SMS.

1. Each SMS message can contain a maximum of 160 characters including spaces. Your Campaign message can contain up to1377 characters total (generating approximately 8 SMS).
   
   
2. If your message contains any special characters (such as emojis), 1 SMS can only contain up to 70 characters, instead of 160 characters.
   

3. You can use Templates to prepopulate your campaign message. All your saved templates will be displayed in a drop-down menu by clicking on it.

4. When sending URLs in your message, it is important to note that your message may be reviewed in buffering before being delivered. Please note that some countries do not allow sending URLs in SMS messages - read up on Country Rules & Restrictions before sending.
   
   
5. Personalize your message with Custom Fields (variables), such as First Name, Last Name, and Company. You can set these up when designating your Columns while importing your contacts. These variables will be automatically imported into the drop-down menu +Custom Fields at the bottom of the Write your Message modal.
   
   Pro-Tip: Using custom fields may impact the total cost of your campaign due to the variation in the number of characters in each SMS.

Step 6: Scheduling (Optional)

In this step, you can set a date, time, and frequency for sending your Campaign. Once you've scheduled your campaign, you can reopen the Schedule modal and unschedule with the Unschedule button.

Step 7: Advanced (Optional) 

In this step, you can set custom configurations for your campaign:

1. Send a copy of the campaign to your email address for free.
   
   
2. Create a template of the campaign you just set up.
   
   
3. Set the SMS validity: This configures the timeframe during which the SMS will be valid in the telco network. Once the validity expires, the message becomes invalid and will not be sent. 
   

If you change your mind, you can reset (clear) these options by selecting Advanced Settings and hitting Reset Options.

Step 8: Preview before launching

Almost there! You can preview your campaign via either of the following sections:

1. In the Campaign preview: 
2. Select Send or Schedule, this will open the pre-send campaign preview.

Before sending, you'll notice a Cost Estimation with a corresponding number of SMS to be sent. Keep in mind, this is an estimation and the actual cost of your campaign may differ.

Step 9: Launch!

Once you've double checked your campaign, click Send or Schedule! And you're done 🎉.

Step 10: View, edit, export, or cancel your Campaign

Now, you can head over to the SMS Overview to view your campaigns.

Here you can view, edit, export, or cancel your campaigns.

And that's it! 

If you have any questions about Campaign Builder (Beta) - please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@messagebird.com. For more articles related to sending SMS via the MessageBird Dashboard, check out the Help Center. 

Happy campaigning! 🎉