Texting your clients can be a great way to concisely communicate a message. However, did you know that phone carriers have algorithms to intercept spam, which could affect the deliverability of your text? Using these helpful tips, you can send a bulk text message to your contacts through your OneLocal account without it being intercepted by carriers
Do Not Send Too Many Messages at Once
Sending too many messages at once is one of the top reasons bulk text messages get flagged as spam. Sending more than 15-60 messages per minute may raise a red flag with carriers. We advise sending no more than 500 messages in a day. For larger campaigns, consider spreading messages across multiple days.
Here’s how to prevent filtering by scheduling messages one page (25 contacts) at a time:
Select all contacts on the current page
Click Send Message
Insert your message template
Schedule the messages to go out later that day or on another day
Click Send, then unselect all contacts to avoid accidental duplicate messages
Repeat for the remaining pages of contacts
Narrow Your Audience
Target your message to customers you’ve interacted with recently. Messages to recent contacts are more likely to be relevant and receive better response rates while reducing the risk of being flagged as spam
Ensure your message is relevant to the recipients. An irrelevant offer or announcement can annoy customers, damaging their experience with your brand
Use Dynamic Tags
Dynamic tags make your messages feel personalized and conversational rather than overly promotional. For example, including the recipient’s name with a tag like [Contact First Name] adds a personal touch that improves engagement
Include a STOP Text Option
If a customer does not want to receive further texts, you must respect their wishes. Include a STOP option at the end of your message, such as: “To stop receiving messages, reply ‘STOP’.”
While there isn’t a dynamic tag for STOP in LocalMessages, our system will automatically opt customers out when they reply with STOP. Ensure you’re not messaging customers on your ‘Do Not Message’ list, as this could lead to your number being reported as spam
Keep It Short and Sweet
Long messages are less likely to be read in full and may be flagged as spam. Keep your message concise and under 480 characters (3 SMS). If a customer shows interest, you can share more details during the conversation
Links
If your message includes a link, always use the full URL rather than a shortened link like Bitly. Carriers often filter messages containing shortened links as spam
If you have further questions, reach out to our OneLocal support team through the orange chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your screen. We're here to help!