SMS

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SMS

Overview

This page provides an overview of SMS requirements for using ActiveCampaign's SMS feature to ensure a good customer experience.

SMS Add-on

To utilize the SMS feature, you must purchase the SMS add-on, which is available to users with a Plus, Professional, or Enterprise plan.

SMS Consent

ActiveCampaign requires explicit consent to send SMS communications to contacts. It is important to keep a record of consent for future reference.

• Consent must be explicit and applies only to the specific campaign the contact signed up for.
• One consent cannot be used for all types of SMS communications.
• If you do not send an SMS within a reasonable timeframe after obtaining consent, you may need to obtain consent again before sending future messages.
• An exception exists if a contact initiates a conversation, leading to a two-way, consensual exchange.

How to Opt In Through SMS

Opt-in consent can traditionally be obtained through a form that collects the contact's mobile phone number. The form should include a question asking if the contact would like to opt-in to receive SMS text messages for specific campaign types (e.g., notifications, marketing promotions, product updates).

• Use the default phone form field to collect the contact's mobile number.
• Consent will be valid only for the specific SMS campaigns for which the contact confirms consent.
• General consent to receive messages is not considered a valid opt-in.

For more details, see Creating an Opt-in Form.

SMS Opt-in Best Practices

Below are best practices for obtaining opt-in consent for SMS marketing. Ensure to include the following information in your user opt-in flow:

• **Program Name and Description**: Clearly state the name of your program and provide a brief description of the types of messages that will be sent (e.g., "Weekly updates on our latest product offerings").
• **Organization Identification**: Identify the organization or individual represented in the initial message to help recipients understand who is contacting them.
• **Fee Disclosure**: Include a statement such as "Message and data rates may apply" to inform users of potential charges from their carrier.
• **Message Frequency Disclosure**: Specify the frequency of messages (e.g., "4 messages per month" or "Message frequency varies").
• **Customer Care Information**: Provide instructions for users to get help (e.g., "Text HELP for help" or a customer service phone number).
• **Opt-out Instructions**: Include clear instructions for opting out (e.g., "Text STOP to cancel").
• **Privacy Policy Link**: Provide a link to your Privacy Policy, detailing how the end-user's opt-in information will be used.
• **Terms and Conditions Link**: Include a link to your Terms and Conditions, outlining the terms of service for your messaging program.
• **Checkbox for Web Portal**: If collected via a web portal, include a checkbox that end-users must select to receive SMS messaging (this checkbox cannot be preselected).

Required SMS STOP Message Codes

All SMS senders must include a STOP clause to inform contacts how to unsubscribe from SMS communications. ActiveCampaign automatically adds the STOP clause when it is not detected. For more information, visit SMS STOP Clause Requirements.

Company Branding Requirements

All SMS senders must identify themselves in their messages by including their company name or brand identifier. This can be done in two ways:

• Complete the Sender Name field under the “Addresses” tab in your Settings, which will automatically append your company name or brand identifier to all messages.
• Manually add your company name to the SMS template using automation (e.g., "Hi, COMPANY NAME here").

Link Shortening Requirements

Free or public link shorteners are prohibited in SMS communications. Messages containing public link shorteners from free services will not be delivered. For more information, visit The Rules for Free or Public Link Shorteners in SMS.

See Also

For more information, refer to the original article: An overview of SMS requirements. ```