How Direct Messaging Works
Receiving Direct Messages
An attendee that has Direct Messaging enabled on their profile should get notified when someone has sent them a message either:
- via in-app notification (if logged into the event app) or email (if the attendee has not been active in the app in the past 24 hours).
- or the in-app notification will read "[first name] [last name] sent you a message"
Sending Direct Messages
An attendee should be able to send direct messages to other users at an event. They can do this by:
- Tapping on 'Send Message' from an attendee profile, which would open up a direct message with that person.
- Going into the "Messages" section in the menu, searching for an attendee, and starting a new message.
Viewing Direct Messages
Opening the menu and tapping 'Messages' should bring up a list of all direct messages with the most recent at the top. If the message is new (has not been read) then a colored dot (event primary color) is displayed.
Blocking Users from Sending Direct Messages
Blocking an attendee means that you should no longer receive any Direct Messages from them. However, the blocked attendee does not have confirmation of this in the app and will still be able to send me messages, but the messages won't be delivered.
To block an attendee in Direct Messaging:
- Open the Direct Messages section from the menu
- Open the chat with the attendee's name
- Tap on the attendee's name icon while in chat
- Tap 'Block' to block the attendee
Being blocked by an attendee means that you will still see any messages you sent to the attendee in the past. The attendee that has blocked you will not receive any messages from you after being blocked.
Emails Associated with Direct Messaging
An email will be sent to an attendee that has been sent a direct message if they have not been active in the app in the past 24 hours.
How to set up Direct Messaging
In order to use Direct Messaging, your app will need to be on Identity Service. To check if you are on Identity Service. Follow these steps in the CMS:
- Click on the Event Picker in the top right-hand corner of the page
- Click on Manage Users & Events
- Next to the name of your app, there should be a shield icon to signify that your app is on Identity Service
If your app is already on Identity Service, Direct Messaging is turned on by default. The Messages section in the app can be hidden and unhidden in the Layout tab of the CMS. Note that hiding the Messages section does not disable the Direct Messaging feature. Attendees would still be able to send Direct Messages by visiting the attendee's user profile and selecting 'Send Message'.
For help with turning off the Direct Messaging feature, please contact our Support Team.
Note: the Private Messaging option in the CMS should be turned off and is not the same as our Direct Messaging feature. In the past, DoubleDutch used a Private Messaging feature that sent messages via email. With our new Direct Messaging feature, we no longer recommend using the e-mail based Private Messaging feature and recommend that this setting is off in the Setup -> Basics section of the CMS.
Direct Messaging Feature Benefits
- One-Stop Communication
- There's no need for attendees to swap phone numbers or personal information. Keep attendees engaged in the app and focused on your content, not texting over SMS or What’s App. Transform the app into the ultimate central communication outlet for all event stakeholders.
- There's no need for attendees to swap phone numbers or personal information. Keep attendees engaged in the app and focused on your content, not texting over SMS or What’s App. Transform the app into the ultimate central communication outlet for all event stakeholders.
- Increase Attendee Satisfaction
- Give attendees an easy way to identify and connect with like-minded professionals and potential business connections. When attendees get what they came for - networking and productive connections - they’ll leave the event happy and come back year over year.
- Give attendees an easy way to identify and connect with like-minded professionals and potential business connections. When attendees get what they came for - networking and productive connections - they’ll leave the event happy and come back year over year.
- Empower Attendee Networking
- Close the networking loop and empower attendees to meet offline with speakers they’ve seen on stage or other attendees they’ve discovered in Channels. Take the luck out of meetings, stop hoping for chance encounters, and let attendees take control of initiating meetings with the right people in their own hands.