Campaign Guides
This section provides step-by-step how-to guides for creating, managing, and optimizing outbound campaigns on Exotel. Whether you are running voice campaigns with IVR flows or sending bulk SMS with DLT-compliant templates, these guides walk you through every stage of the campaign lifecycle.
What Are Campaigns?
Campaigns on Exotel let you reach large groups of contacts through automated outbound voice calls or SMS messages. Instead of initiating individual calls or messages one at a time, campaigns allow you to:
- Upload thousands of contacts and reach them in a single operation
- Schedule delivery during optimal business hours
- Automate retries for unanswered or failed voice calls
- Track results through real-time webhooks and downloadable reports
- Personalize messages using dynamic variables from your contact lists
Campaign Types
Exotel supports two primary campaign channels:
Voice Campaigns
Voice campaigns place automated outbound calls to your contact list. Each call can connect the recipient to:
- An IVR flow -- an interactive voice menu where recipients press keys to navigate options, confirm details, or connect to an agent
- A greeting message -- a pre-recorded or text-to-speech message played to the recipient
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Max contacts per campaign | 5,000 |
| Default call capacity | 60 calls/minute |
| Retry attempts | Up to 3 |
| Scheduling | RFC 3339, with start and end times |
| Campaign types | static (fixed list) or dynamic (list SID) |
Voice campaigns are ideal for appointment reminders, payment collection calls, surveys, promotional offers, and emergency notifications.
API Reference: See the Call Campaigns API for endpoint details and request/response formats.
SMS Campaigns
SMS campaigns send bulk text messages to your contact lists with full DLT compliance for Indian regulations. Messages can be:
- Static -- the same message sent to all recipients (up to 5 contact lists)
- Dynamic -- personalized messages using
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| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Max contacts per list | 1,00,000 (static) / 5,00,000 (dynamic) |
| Default SMS capacity | 300 SMS/minute |
| DLT compliance | Entity ID + Template ID required |
| Sender ID | Alphabetical (transactional) or numeric (promotional) |
| Scheduling | RFC 3339, min 10-min lead time |
SMS campaigns are ideal for transactional alerts, OTP delivery, promotional offers, order updates, and bulk notifications.
API Reference: See the SMS Campaigns API for endpoint details and request/response formats.
When to Use Each Channel
| Use Case | Recommended Channel | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment reminders | Voice | Higher engagement; recipients can confirm via IVR |
| Payment collection | Voice | Personal touch; can connect to agent for resolution |
| Order status updates | SMS | Quick, non-intrusive; recipient reads at their convenience |
| Promotional offers | SMS | Cost-effective for large audiences; includes clickable links |
| Surveys and feedback | Voice | Interactive IVR captures structured responses in real time |
| Emergency alerts | Voice + SMS | Dual-channel ensures maximum reach |
| OTP / verification codes | SMS | Instant delivery; standard user expectation |
| Event invitations | SMS | Scalable; supports personalized details via dynamic templates |
Campaign Lifecycle
Both voice and SMS campaigns follow a similar lifecycle:
Created --> InProgress --> Completed
--> Paused --> Resumed --> Completed
--> Completed (forced; remaining marked as failed)
Completed --> Archived
- Created -- Campaign is configured and contacts are queued
- InProgress -- Calls or messages are actively being sent
- Paused -- Campaign is temporarily stopped; can be resumed
- Completed -- All contacts have been processed (or campaign was force-completed)
- Archived -- Campaign is moved to archive for long-term storage
Guides in This Section
Voice Campaign Guides
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Creating a Voice Campaign | Step-by-step walkthrough: upload contacts, configure IVR, set schedule and retries |
| Campaign Scheduling | Time zones, business hours windows, and recurring campaign patterns |
| Retry Configuration | Max attempts, retry intervals, linear vs. exponential backoff |
| Campaign Reports | Call status breakdown, CDR downloads, and analytics dashboard |
| Contact List Management | CSV uploads, deduplication, DND filtering, and list operations |
| Best Practices | Optimize connect rates, manage throughput, and avoid common pitfalls |
SMS Campaign Guides
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Creating an SMS Campaign | End-to-end guide: DLT templates, sender ID, contact lists, and scheduling |
| SMS Campaign Templates | DLT approval workflow, variable substitution, and template management |
| SMS Campaign Reports | Delivery status tracking, DLT rejection analysis, and report downloads |
Prerequisites
Before creating campaigns, ensure you have:
- An active Exotel account with API credentials (API key and token)
- At least one ExoPhone (virtual number) for voice campaigns
- DLT Entity ID and approved Template IDs for SMS campaigns (India)
- Contact lists prepared in the required CSV format
- Webhook endpoints configured for real-time status updates (recommended)
If you are new to Exotel campaigns, start with the Creating a Voice Campaign or Creating an SMS Campaign guide for a complete end-to-end walkthrough.