Ensure Compliance in SMS Campaigns

To stay compliant, adhere to regulations like Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the United States and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, and other regional laws. Here are a few best practices to deliver a positive customer experience.

• Consent

  Explicit consent is required for SMS marketing. Renew consent annually or after 6–12 months of inactivity. Consider implementing reconfirmation campaigns with enticing offers like exclusive discounts to encourage users to reconfirm their subscription.

• SMS Opt-in and Opt-out

  Use a double opt-in process where you send a confirmation SMS to users, asking them to reply "YES" to confirm their subscription. Always include 'Text STOP to unsubscribe' in every message, and process opt-outs immediately. Salesforce marketing tools maintain logs of opt-ins, opt-outs, and message content in the event of audits or legal disputes.

• User Preferences and Privacy

  Allow customers to select their preferred communication channels (email, SMS, WhatsApp, push notifications) during the opt-in process. Respect user choices and stop sending messages to opted-out channels. Don’t hide opt-in language or precheck boxes. Always include a link to your privacy policy during sign-up to inform customers about future data usage, storage, and protection. When available, use message frequency preferences to avoid opt-outs, as overmessaging can lead to fatigue or brand distrust.

• Message Content

  Avoid sending adult content, or content related to controlled substances, gambling, hate speech, or violence, or fraudulent messages. When you use URLs in your messages, register them with carriers in your country to avoid message blocking.

• Data Security and Sender IDs

  Implement data security measures that follow General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulations. Select the sender ID based on your country-specific regulations and messaging needs. Sender ID options include short codes, long codes, alphanumeric IDs, and toll-free numbers.