Question
What are the different mechanisms for SMS opt-in?
Answer
When you submit a number for verification, provide an SMS opt-in workflow and a publicly accessible link demonstrating your opt-in method. If you can't host the link on your website, use a platform such as OneDrive or Google Drive to host a screenshot of the opt-in process. Submissions with inaccessible links will be rejected.
This article provides examples to streamline the verification process for A2P 10DLC and toll-free verification in the US and Canada. Further regulatory or industry best practices may apply depending on your specific use case or industry.
Zendesk strongly recommends consulting your legal counsel to ensure your use case complies with all relevant laws and frameworks, including TCPA requirements and CTIA guidelines.
Depending on how you set up the opt-in process, provide different types of information. Find below some possible options:
Opt-in mechanisms
Verbal
Your end users call your listed phone number, listen to options in an IVR phone tree, and after hearing the message below, press a key in the IVR tree.
- Talk IVR greeting:
As part of our service, we can send you automated monthly text alerts about your Acme account payment activity. You'll receive two messages per month. Message and data rates may apply based on your mobile phone plan. For help, reply HELP to any text, or to opt-out, reply STOP. View our Mobile Terms of Service at https://acme.com/terms and our Privacy Statement at https://acme.com/privacy. Press 1 if you want this service.
- Customer presses 1
- Talk IVR confirmation:
Great! We'll send you a text message to confirm your enrolment shortly.
Find below an example of an opt-in workflow.
The process for opting in happens over the phone. When a customer calls 1-888-000-0000, they're greeted with a menu of options (IVR). If they press 2, they can choose to receive a text from our customer service team. Then, the customer listens to a message about opting in and confirms their enrolment by pressing 1. Once confirmed, we send a text message to the customer.
Example of an opt-in image URL: https://acme.com/complete-transcript
Web form
Add a form to your website that prompts end users to enter their mobile phone number and opt into the texting campaign. Below is an example image of what this looks like:
Find below an example of an opt-in workflow.
Our company, Acme, collects phone numbers from customers at checkout. Customers can choose to subscribe to Acme messages by completing a form on our website at www.acme.com/signupforsms. On this page, customers input their phone number and consent to receive text messages by checking a box that says, “By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from Acme. Message and data rates may apply, and the frequency of messages can vary." We also provide an easy way for customers to opt out of these messages at any time by texting "STOP" to unsubscribe.
Example of an opt-in image URL: https://www.acme.com/signupforsms
Paper form
Have in-store visitors complete a physical form to collect their phone number and consent to subscribe to your texting campaign.
For this workflow, clarify how end users find this form. Also, the image URL should be a screenshot of the physical form.
Find below an example of an opt-in workflow.
Customers opt in when joining the Acme Reward Club, either in-person using a physical form or on our website at https://acme.com/rewards/join, by explicitly checking a box to agree to receive SMS messages.
- Example of an opt-in image URL: https://acme.com/printed-reward-club-join-form
Text
A Keyword campaign example:
For the workflow, clarify how end users find this keyword or number. Also, the image URL should be a screenshot that accurately represents what customers see. Refer to the image provided above as an example.
Mobile or QR code
The QR code links to an online form where users can enter their mobile phone number and opt into the texting campaign. The QR code can either open the messaging app with a prewritten opt-in message or direct users to a web form.
Explain how users encounter this QR code in the workflow. Also, the image URL should be a screenshot that accurately reflects what customers see.
Forbidden use cases
Certain types of messages are prohibited. Note that these forbidden use cases include not only the content of the message but also the type of business. To find out more, consult this article from Twilio's Help Center: Forbidden message categories for SMS/MMS in the US/Canada.
1 comment
Erica Roche
Hello! Is there a workflow to have an end-user opt in to text automatically? ie. when the end user first texts, they get a reply like “{name of biz} would like to send you text messages (SMS/MMS). To consent, reply YES.”, then after texting Yes, the end-user will not be required to opt in again for future conversations?
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