A2P 10DLC Campaign Approval Best Practices

Modified on Wed, 3 Jan at 9:48 AM

Starting January 26, 2023, a revised vetting process for A2P 10DLC Campaigns will be implemented. More information about this update can be found in the linked article. This modification is pertinent to clients who utilize long code numbers for sending messages to the United States within the A2P 10DLC system. Note that this alteration does not affect Toll-Free messaging.

From January 26, 2023, all newly initiated A2P Campaigns will undergo a thorough manual review. To facilitate the approval of your Campaigns during this review process, it is recommended to adhere to established best practices when launching new Campaigns.

Approved campaign example

Campaign Information

Description

This campaign sends appointment confirmations, message notifications, and offers for chiropractic adjustments to existing patients or new patients who have opted in to receive SMS notifications. The communications are sent via in-person POS, website forms, or webchat.

The Campaign use case description section is used to describe the purpose of this campaign.

Sending messages with embedded links?

Yes

Sending messages with embedded phone numbers?

Yes

Sample Message #1

Hi David, this is Kate from ABC Company. Thank you for signing up for our SMS updates. I've scheduled an appointment for you on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 4:00 PM. Looking forward to meeting you then! Please contact me if there are any changes. To unsubscribe from these messages, reply with STOP.

Sample Message #2

Hello David, Kate here from ABC Company. Appreciate you subscribing to our messages. We're excited to offer a limited number of vouchers today for a complimentary chiropractic adjustment to our valued clients. Would you be interested in receiving one? To stop receiving messages, simply reply STOP.

How do end-users consent to receive messages?

End users opt in through a form on the website: https://www.abccompany.com/contact-us, via the website chat widget, and also through our POS system at our office, with consent language similar to that on our website.

Opt-in Confirmation Message:

Congratulations, you are now subscribed to receive updates from ABC Company. To unsubscribe, reply STOP.

Opt-in Trigger Words:

Keywords like Subscribe and Start are acceptable. These should be single words, alphanumeric or with accented characters, without spaces. Examples include Subscribe, Start, Y, Yes, Confirm, and Register.

Opt-out Confirmation Message:

You have successfully unsubscribed and will no longer receive messages from this number. To subscribe again, reply START.

Opt-out Trigger Words:

Words such as CANCEL, END, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE, STOP, and STOPALL can be used for opting out.

Assistance Message:

To unsubscribe, reply STOP. Msg&Data Rates May Apply.

Assistance Keywords:

Use HELP or INFO for assistance.

Note on Campaign Message Templates:

Avoid using templates with customizable fields or values, such as "Hey {{name}}! Samuel from [client's company name]. We recall you signing up for an appointment. When can we reschedule? Reply STOP to opt out." Instead, use specific details, like "Hey John! Samuel from MediaRealty LLC. We recall you signing up for an appointment. When can we reschedule? Reply STOP to opt out." This approach is more likely to be accepted in A2P campaign submissions.

Forbidden use cases will result in Campaign rejection.

Make sure your A2P Campaign does not involve prohibited content such as cannabis, hate speech, etc., and that your use case is compliant with the Messaging Policy. Check out Forbidden message categories for SMS and MMS in the US and Canada

Opt-In Guidelines

We checked the rejected campaign and found that the opt-in description lacks details, e.g., End users opt-in by contacting us via telephone, email, chat, messenger, etc.

More information than that must be provided to know what the end user will see since it has not been possible to test how the Optin works.

As per our carrier requirements, opt-in should follow the following guidelines.

Website opt-in:

Please verify that opt-in meets CITA guidelines. All methods of opt-in need to be listed. If opt-in is collected through a paper form or behind a login, please provide a hosted link to image of opt-in. If opt-in occurs on a website, please provide a link to website. The website needs to have privacy policy and terms of service. Ensure opt-in is not shared with 3rd parties.

On the website form, Clearly state that submitting their phone number allows them to receive messages from your company. Include a checkbox for clients to indicate their agreement.

For the checkbox consent, You can type something like this as an example:

I agree to receive marketing messaging from COMPANY_NAME at the phone number provided above. I understand I will receive 2 messages a month, data rates may apply, reply STOP to opt out

Example:

Website Posting (Support):

Prominently display the phone number on your website so customers can find it and use it to opt-in for messaging. This can be done through support pages, contact sections, or call-to-action buttons. Make it clear that customers can use the provided phone number to opt in and receive messages.

Keyword or QR Code Opt-In:

Use specific keywords or QR codes that customers can use to opt-in for messaging. Communicate the keyword or display the QR code in ads, social media posts, or physical materials. Instruct customers to text the keyword or scan the QR code to opt in.

Ensure data accuracy and consistency.

Make sure you submit Campaign registrations with accurate and consistent data:

Best Practice	Examples
Consistency in brand, website, and sample messages	If your brand name is Acme, your website is www.acme.com, but your sample messages say, “Here’s your one-time passcode for logging into www.contoso.com,” your campaign will be rejected.
Consistency in sample messages and use cases	If you register a marketing campaign but sample messages say, “Here’s your one-time passcode: 123456”, your campaign will be rejected.
Consistency in email domain and company name	Your campaign will be rejected if you register a brand as LeadConnector Inc but provide an email address with the gmail domain names. Note that this check only applies to large, well-known corporations that should have dedicated email domains*
Make sure you submit real, working websites.	Indicating that your customers opt-in to your messages via the website, but providing a website address that does not work, will lead to campaign rejection.
Make sure the brand you register is the actual brand that you’re sending messages for	If ISV customers register a brand with your company’s information (e.g., a company that provides the tech for dental offices) but end up sending messages for your customers (e.g., individual dentist practices), your campaign will be rejected.
Make sure you create as few duplicative brands and campaigns as possible	Excessive brands with the same EIN and excessive campaigns with the same campaign attributes may be seen as high-risk and may result in campaign rejection
If you wish to send templated messages, please indicate the templated fields in sample messages with brackets to help reviewers better identify which parts are templated.	For example, please write, “Dental check due for [Mary Doe], Visit [www.contoso.com] to schedule an appointment or call [123-456-7890]”

Ensure your use case involves consumer consent before sending messages

Make sure you collect consumer consent appropriately. Please refer to the CTIA guidelines for detailed instructions and best practices on handling consumer consent.

Best Practice	Examples
Make sure consumer opt-in is collected appropriately	If you indicate you collect opt-in via text messages, but your sample messages say, “Hi, is this the owner of 123 Oak Street? I’d like to discuss how I can help you sell your property”, it is clear that you have not collected appropriate consent before sending messages and your campaign will be rejected.
Make sure opt-in language is available on your website if you indicated in the “message flow” field that a consumer opts into your campaign on your company website.	If your brand Acme uses its website, www.acme.com, to collect phone numbers but your website does not contain opt-in language such as “By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from ACME. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies.”, your campaign will be rejected.
We recommend having opt-out language in at least one of your sample messages.	For example, please add language such as “Please reply STOP to opt-out” in one of your sample messages.