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You can utilize the Twilio API to communicate with your customers using SMS messaging. Let’s look at how you can do that:

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Setting up Twilio

1

Create a Twilio Account

  1. Go to Twilio and create an account, starting with their free trial.
  2. You’ll be asked to verify your email and your phone number. Get them verified.
2

Get a Twilio Phone Number

  1. Once verified, you’ll get an option to ‘get a Twilio phone number’ from your Twilio console.
  2. Click on it to get your Twilio phone number.
When first using Twilio there should be an option to get a Twilio phone number in the main console. Otherwise, you may have to Buy a number to begin using it. For first-time users, utilize the free number provided.
For more detailed instructions, follow one of their many Tutorials within their docs.
3

Understand the Key Components

Irrespective of the language you use, the process requires:
  1. Account SID and Auth token loaded into the code using secure environment variables
  2. A Twilio client object that takes the SID and Token as variables
  3. A message object containing:
  • Your Twilio phone number
    • The recipient’s phone number
    • The SMS message body

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Creating a Twilio integration with Novu

1

Connect Twilio to Novu

  1. Visit the Integrations Store on Novu
  2. Click the “Add a provider” button
  3. Locate Twilio and click on the Disabled button and mark it as Active
  4. Click on the Connect button
2

Configure Twilio Credentials

  1. Go to your Console on Twilio and access the Account Info section
  2. Enter your:
    • Account SID
    • Auth Token
    • Twilio Phone Number
  3. Click on the Save button

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Sending WhatsApp message

To send WhatsApp messages with Twilio integration, prefix the phone number of the subscriber with whatsapp: as shown below: 
import { Novu } from "@novu/api";

const novu = new Novu({ 
  secretKey: "<NOVU_SECRET_KEY>",
  // Required if using EU region
  // serverURL: "https://eu.api.novu.co",
});

await novu.trigger({
  workflowId: "workflowId",
  to: {
    subscriberId: "subscriberId",
    phone: "whatsapp:+14155238886",
  },
  payload: {},
});

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Sending WhatsApp template message

To send WhatsApp template messages with Twilio integration, you can use the template field in the overrides object. 
import { Novu } from "@novu/api";

const novu = new Novu({ 
  secretKey: "<NOVU_SECRET_KEY>",
  // Required if using EU region
  // serverURL: "https://eu.api.novu.co",
});

await novu.trigger({
  workflowId: "workflowId",
  to: {
    subscriberId: "subscriberId",
    phone: "whatsapp:+14155238886",
  },
  payload: {},
  overrides: {
    providers: {
      twilio: {
        "_passthrough": {
          "body": {
            // example contentSid
            "contentSid": "HXb5b62575e6e4ff6129ad7c8efe1f983e",
            // example contentVariables
            "contentVariables": "{\"1\":\"12/1\",\"2\":\"3pm\"}"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
});
Read more about sending a Message with the Twilio API for WhatsApp.