These best practices help ensure that your text (SMS) messages are more valuable to consumers and less likely to trigger spam flags.
Reminder: WildApricot's Text messaging service can only send text/SMS messages to contacts listed in your WildApricot database.
Choose the right time
Nobody likes to wake up in the middle of the night because of an unexpected incoming message. Respect your recipients' schedule. We recommend scheduling campaigns between 9 am and 8 pm and also avoiding public holidays.
Introduce yourself
We recommend including your organization name in the message, especially if you are texting to a phone number for the first time.
Provide a way to opt-out
A short phrase such as "Send STOP to opt-out" at the end of your message significantly reduces the chance of your message being blocked. WildApricot's text messaging service automatically processes STOP responses and prevents the phone number from receiving further messages from your organization.
Note: Texting STOP will not update a contact's consent field setting, but will prevent them from receiving further text messages from your organization. To sign up to receive messages after texting STOP, a contact can text either START or UNSTOP.
Avoid common pitfalls
Message content should avoid:
- Generic URL shortened links
- The words "Sale", “Free”, “Now”, “Offer”, “Winner” or any other promotional-sounding language
- ALL CAPS
- Request for action without specifying context
For more information, see the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's article on how to recognize spam messages.
Here is an example of a message likely to be flagged as spam:
SALE 50%, Click tinyurl.com/2gmqw NOW!!!
Here is an example of a message not likely to be flagged as spam:
The January newsletter has been posted on the member portal. Read it at swimsahara.com/report-jan Sent by Swimming Club of Sahara Text STOP to opt out
