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Overview

Join links let people opt in to your messages (agree to receive them). There are two kinds, both created on the Join Links page — open CRM → Lead Capture → Signup Forms in the sidebar (/links):
  • Text link — people text a keyword (your message) to your number to join.
  • Web form — a public form, hosted for you, that people fill in to join.
Both can add new contacts to a segment and tags, record consent, and send a welcome message. Each gets a shareable web address and a QR code (a square barcode people scan with their phone camera).
Time to complete: ~10 minutes  ·  Difficulty: Beginner (text link) / Intermediate (web form)
Related: for a keyword tied to one number that can add a segment, send a welcome message, and start a sequence, see Join keywords. For multi-question hosted or embedded forms with contact matching and follow-ups, see Lead forms.

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Text link (text-to-join)

1

Create a text link

On the Links → Text Link tab, click Create Text Link.
2

Setup

Set the Link Name and Custom Slug (the last part of the link’s web address; a suggestion is filled in), and pick the Sender Phone Number. Then choose an SMS Template (a text-link template — the template body is the “keyword” people send). You can create a template inline.
3

Audience

Optionally attach a Segment and Tags, and set an Auto-Reply (sent immediately) and a Welcome Message (sent after).
4

Preview & save

Review the SMS preview and save.
The public page (/join/<slug>) opens the visitor’s Messages app pre-filled with your number and the keyword text, plus a QR that does the same. When they send it, Autocampaign AI creates the contact (source Text Link), applies your segment and tags, records the reply as consent, and sends your welcome message.

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Web form

1

Create a web form

On the Links → Web Form tab, click Create Web Form.
2

Basic info

Set the Link Name, Custom Slug, description, and active status.
3

Form builder

First Name and Phone are always required. Add optional fields (last name, email, address parts). Toggle Require consent checkbox and set its label (default “I agree to receive SMS messages”). Optionally turn on OTP verification (a one-time code texted to the visitor) to confirm the phone number.
4

After submit

Attach Tags and set a Thank You Message or a Redirect URL (a web page to send them to; if set, it replaces the thank-you message). Then add a Welcome Message and pick brand colors.
5

Preview & save

Review the live form preview and save.
When someone submits, Autocampaign AI checks consent (and the OTP code if turned on) and creates or updates the contact (source Web Form). It adds them to your segment, applies tags, and sends the welcome message. It also records a consent snapshot: the exact consent text, a scrambled (hashed) copy of their IP address, their browser details (user agent), and the time. They then see your thank-you screen or are redirected.

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QR codes

Every join link can generate a QR code (from the list row or the detail QR Code tab). Download it as a PNG and track Total Scans and Unique Scans. For text links the QR opens Messages pre-filled; for web forms it opens the form.

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Opt-out protection

Autocampaign AI won’t re-add an opted-out contact through a join link. If someone who previously opted out tries to submit (or request an OTP code), the request is refused. This protects you under TCPA and GDPR (US and EU messaging-consent laws). See Opt-out management.

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Track submissions and scans

Each join link’s detail page shows submissions over time, a submissions table (contact name, phone, email), views, and QR scan stats. The list page summarizes Total Links, Total Submissions, and Active Links. Join links are Active, Inactive, or Archived. Deactivating rejects new submissions until you reactivate. Archiving (delete) makes the public page show a “not found” error (404) but keeps existing submissions and contacts.

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FAQ

It’s the SMS template body people send. Autocampaign AI matches the incoming message against it (an exact match, or a message that contains it), so extra typed text still counts.
Optionally — turn on OTP verification in the form builder to require a 6-digit code before submission.
Yes — set a Redirect URL in the web form’s After submit step. It overrides the thank-you message.

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Troubleshooting

Check the link is Active, they ticked the consent checkbox (if required), and entered the OTP code (if turned on). Opted-out contacts are blocked on purpose.
That contact already submitted this link — duplicates per link are prevented and show the already-joined screen.
Welcome messages are sent when possible but aren’t guaranteed, and they skip opted-out contacts. Confirm the contact isn’t opted out and that your SMS channel is connected.

Manage consent

Opt-out and opt-in behavior.