At Breeze, we're committed to helping you connect with your members effectively and responsibly. That's why we've put together this guide on responsible texting practices to ensure your messages reach their intended recipients and avoid being flagged as spam by carriers.
Why is this important?
Carriers (like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) have sophisticated systems in place to protect their users from unwanted and unsolicited messages. If your church's texts are flagged as spam, they may be blocked, preventing you from reaching your members. Following these guidelines will help you maintain a positive sender reputation and ensure your messages are delivered successfully.
Key Principles of Responsible Texting
- Obtain Consent: Always get explicit permission before sending texts, whether through signup forms, website checkboxes, or verbal agreements. Breeze's new double opt-in system simplifies this process.
- Identify Yourself: Breeze automatically includes your church's identifier in every text message sent in the US, so you don't need to add it manually.
- Provide Value: Send relevant and useful messages, such as:
- Event reminders
- Important announcements
- Volunteer opportunities
- Inspirational messages
- Mindful Frequency: Avoid overwhelming members with excessive texts. Consider your message types and audience preferences.
- Respect Quiet Hours: Avoid sending texts late at night or early in the morning.
- Clear and Concise Language: Keep messages brief, using simple language and avoiding excessive abbreviations or slang.
- Clear Call to Action: If you want recipients to take action, make it clear and easy.
- Easy Opt-Out: We automatically inform recipients how to opt-out when they begin the opt-in process. If they reply "HELP" to any message, they'll also receive opt-out instructions.
- Use Links Wisely:
- Don't end with a link: Place links within the message body.
Avoiding Spam Filters
Content is Key:
- Avoid "spammy" language such as:
- ALL CAPS
- Excessive exclamation points!!!
- "Free" or "win" without clear context
- Misspellings or slang that obscures meaning
- Pressuring language ("Act now!", "Limited time offer!")
- Sensitive and Prohibited Content:
To avoid having your messages filtered or blocked, be mindful of the following:
- Prohibited Content often flagged by carriers:
Important: Sending prohibited content could result in your texting ability being blocked.- Financial offers (loans, debt relief)
- Gambling or contests
- Adult material
- Political messages
- Illegal activities
- Hate speech, harassment, or discrimination
- Sensitive Content:
- Keywords like "donate" or "give" can be sensitive. Consider alternative phrasing or providing context.
- Prohibited Content often flagged by carriers:
List Hygiene
- Regularly clean your lists: Remove invalid or inactive numbers to improve deliverability and avoid wasting resources.
- Segment your audience: Send targeted messages to specific groups based on their interests or demographics. This increases relevance and engagement.
- Honor opt-out requests promptly! Breeze automatically handles opt-out requests when someone sends "STOP" to your shortcode. If someone asks to be opted out of SMS communications, instruct them to text STOP to your shortcode or in reply to a previous message from your church.