Step 1: Set up Amazon Pinpoint - Amazon Pinpoint

Step 1: Set up Amazon Pinpoint

The first step in implementing this solution is to set up Amazon Pinpoint. In this section, you do the following:

  • Create an Amazon Pinpoint project

  • Enable the SMS channel and lease a phone number

  • Configure two-way SMS messaging

Before you begin with this tutorial, you should review the prerequisites.

Step 1.1: Create an Amazon Pinpoint project

To get started, you need to create an Amazon Pinpoint project. In Amazon Pinpoint, a project consists of segments, campaigns, configurations, and data that are united by a common purpose. For example, you could use a project to contain all of the content that's related to a particular app, or to a specific brand or marketing initiative. When you add customer information to Amazon Pinpoint, that information is associated with a project.

The steps involved in creating a new project differ depending on whether you've created a project in Amazon Pinpoint previously.

These steps describe the process of creating a new Amazon Pinpoint project if you've never created a project in the current AWS Region.

To create a project
  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon Pinpoint console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/pinpoint/.

  2. Use the Region selector to choose the AWS Region that you want to use, as shown in the following image. If you're unsure, choose the Region that's located closest to you.

  3. Under Get started, for Name, enter a name for the campaign (such as SMSRegistration), and then choose Create project.

  4. On the Configure features page, choose Skip this step.

  5. In the navigation pane, choose All projects.

  6. On the All projects page, next to the project you just created, copy the value that's shown in the Project ID column.

    Tip

    You need to use this ID in a few different places in this tutorial. Keep the project ID in a convenient place so that you can copy it later.

These steps describe the process of creating a new Amazon Pinpoint project if you've already created projects in the current AWS Region.

To create a project
  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon Pinpoint console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/pinpoint/.

  2. Use the Region selector to choose the AWS Region that you want to use, as shown in the following image. If you're unsure, choose the Region that's located closest to you.

  3. On the All projects page, choose Create a project.

  4. On the Create a project window, for Project name, enter a name for the project (such as SMSRegistration). Choose Create.

  5. On the Configure features page, choose Skip this step.

  6. In the navigation pane, choose All projects.

  7. On the All projects page, next to the project you just created, copy the value that's shown in the Project ID column.

    Tip

    You need to use this ID in a few different places in this tutorial. Keep the project ID in a convenient place so that you can copy it later.

Step 1.2: Obtain a dedicated phone number

Note

Amazon Pinpoint has updated their user guide documentation. To get the latest information regarding how to create, configure, and manage your Amazon Pinpoint SMS and voice resources, see the new Amazon Pinpoint SMS user guide.

After you create a project, you can start to configure features within that project. In this section, you enable the SMS channel, and obtain a dedicated phone number to use when sending SMS messages.

Note

This section assumes that you're leasing a United States 10DLC phone number after brand and campaign registration, United States Toll-Free number, or Canada long code. If you follow the procedures in this section, but choose a country other than the United States or Canada, you won't be able to use that number to send SMS messages. To learn more about leasing SMS-capable long codes in countries other than the United States or Canada, see Supported countries and regions (SMS channel) in the Amazon Pinpoint SMS User Guide.

To enable the SMS channel using the Amazon Pinpoint console, follow these steps:

Enable SMS channel
  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon Pinpoint console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/pinpoint/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Settings, choose SMS and voice.

  3. Next to SMS settings, choose Edit.

  4. Under General settings, choose Enable the SMS channel for this project, and then choose Save changes.

To request a phone number using the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console, follow these steps:

Request a phone number (Console)
  1. Open the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/sms-voice/.

    Note

    Make sure you request a phone number in the same AWS Region that you created your Amazon Pinpoint project in.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Configurations, choose Phone numbers and then Request originator.

  3. On the Select country page for Message destination country choose either the United States or Canada. Choose Next.

  4. On the Messaging use case section, enter the following:

    • Under Number capabilities choose SMS

      Important

      Capabilities for SMS and Voice can't be changed once the phone number has been purchased.

    • For Two-way messaging choose Yes.

  5. Choose Next.

  6. Under Select originator type choose either Long code or 10DLC.

    If you choose 10DLC and already have a registered campaign you can choose the campaign from the Associate to registered campaign.

  7. Choose Next.

  8. On Review and request you can verify and edit your request before submitting it. Choose Request.

  9. A Registration Required window may appear depending on the type of phone number you requested. Your phone number is associated with this registration and you can't send messages until your registration has been approved. For more information about registrations requirements see Registrations.

    1. For Registration form name enter a friendly name.

    2. Choose Begin registration to finish registering the phone number or Register later.

      Important

      Your phone number can't send messages until your registration has been approved.

      You are still billed the recurring monthly lease fee for the phone number regardless of registration status. For more information about registrations requirements see Registrations.

Step 1.3: Enable two-way SMS

Now that you have a dedicated phone number, you can set up two-way SMS. Enabling two-way SMS makes it possible for your customers to respond to the SMS messages that you send them. In this solution, you use two-way SMS to give your customers a way to confirm that they want to subscribe to your SMS program.

To enable two-way SMS using the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console, follow these steps:

Enable two-way SMS
  1. Open the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/sms-voice/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Configurations, choose Phone numbers.

  3. On the Phone numbers page choose a phone number.

  4. On the Two-way SMS tab choose the Edit settings button.

  5. On the Edit settings page choose Enable two-way message.

  6. For Destination type choose Amazon SNS.

    • New Amazon SNS topic – Amazon Pinpoint SMS creates a topic in your account. The topic is automatically created with all of the required permissions. For more information on Amazon SNS topics see Configuring Amazon SNS in the Amazon SNS developer guide.

    • For incoming message destination enter a topic name, such as SMSRegistrationFormTopic.

  7. For Two-way channel role choose Use SNS topic policies.

  8. Choose Save changes.

Use the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console to add keywords to your phone number that customers send you to confirm their subscriptions (such as Yes or Confirm).

Add a keyword
  1. Open the Amazon Pinpoint SMS console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/sms-voice/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Configurations, choose Phone number.

  3. On the Phone number page choose the phone number to add a keyword to.

  4. On the Keywords tab choose the Add keyword button.

  5. In the Custom Keyword pane add the following:

    • Keyword – The new keyword to add (such as Yes or Confirm).

    • Response message – The message to send back to the recipient.

    • Keyword action – The action to perform when the keyword is received. Choose Automatic response.

  6. Choose Add keyword.

Next: Create IAM Policies and Roles