Keyword Spotting uses AI to detect every call in which a specific word or phrase is spoken, by the caller, your agent, or either.
Keyword Spotting is an Invoca feature that lets you set a word or phrase as a “keyword,” then uses AI to detect every call in which that keyword is spoken. You can specify whether the keyword needs to be spoken by the caller, your call center agent, or either.
To use Keyword Spotting, create a rule-based Signal using Signal Builder and, as part of the Signal conditions, enter the phrase you want Invoca to capture. You can then view that Signal in your Invoca reports, aggregate it in a call scorecard, power a Smart Alert, or trigger an Invoca integration.
Before you begin: Keyword Spotting isn’t included by default in every Invoca account package. If your plan includes it, your Signal Builder includes an extra rule called “Spoken Phrases.” If your account doesn’t include Keyword Spotting but you’d like to add it, reach out to your Invoca Customer Success Manager or Account Manager.
Creating a Keyword Spotting Signal
- Follow the guide on using Signal Builder to create a new Signal, then select Spoken Phrase as one of your Signal conditions.
- Enter a word or phrase you want Invoca to recognize in the Phrase text box. Click + Add another to include more than one phrase in the same Signal.
- For each keyword, use the Spoken by dropdown to select whether you want to capture instances when the caller said the phrase, your agent said it, or either party.
- Use the Signal criteria radio buttons to choose whether your Signal should track calls where the keyword(s) are or aren’t spoken, and how many times a keyword needs to occur to qualify. If you added more than one phrase, you can also set a minimum or maximum number of phrases required.
- In the Time Range dropdown, choose at which point in the call Invoca should check for these spoken phrases. Click Save when finished.
You’ve now added a Keyword Spotting condition to your rule-based Signal. Combine it with other Signal rules — including additional Keyword rules — to build the right Signal for your business.
Common uses for Keyword Spotting Signals
You know your business better than anyone, and are familiar with the common questions, concerns, and conversations that occur regularly. A long call might indicate a good lead, but Keyword Spotting lets you dig deeper into the outcome using words and phrases that mean something to you:
- Do the words “confirmation number,” “quote number,” or “appointment has been scheduled” indicate the call resulted in the conversion you’re aiming for?
- Are technical support questions coming into your sales lines?
- Are billing questions coming into your appointment lines?
- Is a competitor’s name mentioned more often than you’d like?
- Are your agents following scripts, mentioning your newest promotion?
If you’re not sure what to search for yet, Signal AI uses AI to find the most important insights in your calls — either by tracking industry keywords, or through custom models trained on your organization’s own calls.
How Keyword Spotting can lead to more revenue
Like other Signals, Keyword Spotting Signals can be sent through your integrations to help manage ad spend. Google Ads and Bing Ads integrations can even automate bidding strategies based on whether a Signal was met — if “confirmation number” is music to your ears, drive more traffic to the campaigns generating those calls.
Keyword Spotting can also surface possible friction points on your website. Seeing support calls come into your sales line may indicate potential leads lack clear direction online — use that data to guide a smoother experience.
Keyword Spotting is also a cornerstone of optimizing your call centers. If you use Invoca for Contact Center, Invoca’s voice software lets you score agent calls, providing coaching opportunities to make sure your agents are equipped to provide the best service.
Where to go next
Last modified on September 23, 2026
