Reserved words are words Community treats as instructions rather than messages. When a Member texts one, such as STOP, Community acts on it, for example by opting the Member out, instead of passing it to you as a normal reply. Avoid them in your keywords and in the replies you ask Members to send.
What is a reserved word
A reserved word is a word Community listens for in every message a Member sends you. There are three groups.
| Group | Words | What happens when a Member sends one |
|---|---|---|
| Start words | start, go, restart, join, unstop | Resubscribes a Member who opted out. |
| Stop words | stop, remove, cancel, opt out, opt-out, unsubscribe, end, quit | Stop words end the Member's subscription, and the message does not appear in your dashboard. |
| Additional words | help | Sends the member additional information for managing their subscription. |
Reserved words are not case sensitive. STOP, Stop and stop all count.
Why should I use reserved words?
You don't switch reserved words on. They are always active, so the value is in knowing them.
They give every Member a simple, reliable way to stop and restart messages without contacting you. Members who can leave easily are less likely to report your messages as spam.
Knowing the list protects your own setup. A keyword or a reply option that is also a reserved word can fail, or opt a Member out when they meant to answer you.
Common questions
Why can't I see a Member's reply in my dashboard?
The most likely cause is that the Member sent a stop word. When a Member texts STOP, the message does not appear in your dashboard and the Member is opted out.
| Cause | How to tell | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Member sent a stop word | The Member is no longer subscribed | The Member texts START to resubscribe. See Helping a Member who sent a reserved word by mistake. |
| Other causes | TK | TK |
A Member texted STOP by mistake. How do they rejoin?
The Member texts START to your Community number. It is not case sensitive.
Why didn't my keyword work?
If your keyword is a reserved word, it might not work correctly. Choose a different keyword. For other causes, see Keyword Responders in Community.
Are reserved words case sensitive?
No. STOP, Stop and stop are treated the same. Punctuation and emoji can affect matching.