Updated October 28, 2026

SMS Broadcast Best Practices

In today's digital landscape, SMS marketing remains one of the most effective channels for reaching customers directly, with open rates as high as 98% compared to email's average of 20%. However, w…

Navigating SMS Compliance and Deliverability

In today's digital landscape, SMS marketing remains one of the most effective channels for reaching customers directly, with open rates as high as 98% compared to email's average of 20%. However, with this power comes significant responsibility. Carriers and regulatory bodies have implemented strict guidelines to protect consumers from unwanted messages.

Opt-In Requirements

  • Obtain "express written consent" before sending promotional messages (see our guide)
  • Document the opt-in with timestamp, consent method, and specific campaign details
  • Apply "one opt-in per campaign" - don't transfer consent between different campaigns

Opt-Out Requirements

  • Include clear STOP instructions using "standardized 'STOP' wording"
  • Honor "normal language" opt-out requests like "stop, end, unsubscribe, cancel, quit"
  • Send "one final opt-out confirmation message" then no further messages
  • Process opt-outs immediately, regardless of capitalization or punctuation

Message Content Standards

  • Include your business name or clear brand identification at the beginning of the message
  • Keep messages clear and not deceptive
  • Do not use URL shorteners such as bit.ly. Alive5 has built in shorteners. If you need a link to be shortened, email us with the link at support@alive5.com.
  • Ensure marketing content "complies with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Truth-In-Advertising rules"
  • MMS (image attachments) should be less than 500 KB in size
  • Keep messages under 160 characters when possible and reduce text credit usage
  • Always include opt-out instructions (Reply ‘STOP’ to opt out)
  • Include "Msg & data rates may apply" disclosure
  • Include how help can be obtained.
  • Avoid content that is "unlawful, harmful, abusive, malicious, misleading, harassing" or violates SHAFT guidelines (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco)

Example Promotional Message:

"YourBrand: Get 20% off your next order! Use code SAVE20. Reply STOP to opt out. Msg&data rates may apply. Help: [phone/email]"

Timing and Frequency

Managing Invalid Numbers

Having approximately 5% invalid numbers (disconnected or landlines) is common and generally not problematic if handled properly:

  1. Carrier Filtering: Carriers and SMS aggregators automatically filter out obvious landlines and invalid numbers.
  2. Delivery Reports: Monitor delivery reports to identify and remove undeliverable numbers from future campaigns.
  3. List Hygiene: Regularly clean your list by removing numbers that consistently fail to receive messages.

Best Practice: Before sending a large campaign, consider using a phone number validation service to identify and remove invalid numbers, improving your delivery rates and reducing unnecessary costs.

Volume and Frequency Considerations

Sending limits per day apply to your 10DLC application. For any Alive5 SMS account, you should be able to send at most 1,000 text segments

  1. Gradual Scaling: If you're just starting, begin with smaller volumes (50-100 messages per day) and gradually increase as you establish a positive sending reputation.
  2. Consistent Timing: Avoid sending all messages at once. Spread them throughout business hours to appear more natural to carrier filtering systems.
  3. Frequency Limits: Many successful SMS marketers send monthly or even bi-weekly without problems, provided they have proper consent.

Understanding SPAM blocking

The risk of carrier blocking depends on several factors:

Lower Risk Factors (you have these):

  • Sending to previous customers
  • Proper opt-in procedures
  • Clear opt-out instructions
  • Moderate volume (200-400/day)
  • Infrequent sending (quarterly)

Higher Risk Factors (watch out for these):

  • High complaint rates (people replying with "STOP" or reporting as spam)
  • Poor list quality (too many invalid numbers)
  • Misleading content or false promises
  • Sending during non-business hours
  • Excessive message frequency

⛔ What happens when your phone number is blocked for SPAM?

Once a SPAM block is triggered, your phone number may not be able to deliver texts to contacts for a temporary time frame (a few hours up to 24 hours). Please reach out to support@alive5.com if you encounter errors.

Implementation Checklist

Before launching your campaign, ensure you have:

  • Verified all numbers have provided consent
  • Cleaned your list to remove obvious invalid numbers
  • Crafted compliant message content with clear identification and opt-out instructions
  • Set up proper tracking of delivery rates and opt-outs
  • Planned a gradual send schedule rather than all at once
  • Established a process for handling replies and questions
  • Created a suppression list for numbers that have previously opted out

Conclusion

With proper consent practices, clear opt-out mechanisms, quality list management, and valuable message content, your proposed campaign is realistic and should not trigger excessive spam filtering or carrier blocks.

Remember that SMS marketing is a privilege, not a right. By respecting consumer preferences and following industry best practices, you can maintain a positive reputation with both carriers and customers, ensuring the long-term viability of your SMS marketing channel.

Send texts only to people who are expecting your texts and find them relevant. Ask yourself: "If I received this text, would I reply STOP or mark it as spam?" If yes, remove those contacts from your list. Even with proper opt-in permissions, getting blocked as SPAM is determined not only by carriers but mainly by how your contacts react to your messages.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about SMS marketing best practices as of March 2025. Regulations and carrier policies can change. Always consult with your legal team for the most current guidance specific to your situation.