Prepare to Register an SMS Brand and Campaign
Discover the essential pieces of information needed to successfully register and verify an SMS brand and campaign.
Written by Val Campos
Updated at January 8th, 2025
Table of Contents
Note: This article is part of a series explores the registration process for SMS campaigns.
Other articles in this series include:
Prepare for Registration
To be able to use SMS messaging through our services, an SMS brand and campaigns will need to be created, vetted, and verified. To prepare for registering these, certain pieces of information will be needed.
SMS Brand Information Needed
To register an SMS brand to be able to utilize our SMS services, our team will need the following information about your company:
- Company's legal name.
- DBA or Brand Name (if different from the company's legal name).
- The company's tax number/EIN and issuing country.
WARNING: Make sure your provided Tax ID matches your company's Legal Name.
- Alternate business ID type (e.g., DUNS, GIIN, or LEI) and alternate business ID number, if applicable.
- Company's street address, city, state, postal code, and country.
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Website web address if one will be used by users to opt-in for SMS messages.
WARNING: A website is required. Make sure that the website offers a way for users to opt-in to receive SMS messages. This website must also have a Privacy Policy webpage for your customers to reference.
If your website does not have this feature and its address is provided, your SMS campaign may fail verification.
- Vertical type (e.g., Media, Insurance, Entertainment, Education, etc.)
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Company's support email address and phone number.
Note: It is recommended to have the domain of your support email address match what is present in your website address.
SMS Campaign Information Needed
To register an SMS campaign to your brand, our team will need the following information:
- A description of the campaign and its purpose.
- What information if being sent to customers? If it informational or promotional content?
- How are these messages being sent? Will you be using 1-on-1 texting or an advanced texting service, such as StratusTEXTING?
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Describe the different methods users can use to opt-in for your text messaging services. These methods can include the following:
For example… “A customer provides their personal info, including telephone number for texting when they call our office at PHONE_NUMBER.”
- Filling out an online or physical form.
- Signing up on-site at a POS.
- Texting a keyword to your business.
- Clicking a button on a mobile webpage.
- Opting in verbally through an IVR menu.
- Prepare examples of messages for each use case of your texting.
Example 1: If a clinic is sending appointment reminders, they would provide an example of one of their appointment reminders, such as “Hello from [Clinic Name]. This is a reminder that you have an appointment scheduled for [TIME] on [DATE] with Dr. Example.”
Example 2: If a company will be sending status updates to their customers, they would provide an example of one, such as "[Company Name]: As of [TIME] on [DATE], the issue affecting [Service Name] has been identified and is currently being investigated. Thank you"."
Example 3: If a business is using texting for promotional content, they would need to provide an example of one of their promotional messages, such as “Hello from [Company Name]. Have you heard the big news? Our new [Product Name] will be available here soon on [DATE]. Schedule a demo now!”
- Prepare an example Opt-In message that includes the following information:
For example… "You are now subscribed for recurring messages from [Company Name]. Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for support. Reply STOP to cancel."
- Brand Name
- Message frequency disclosure
- “Message and data rates may apply” disclosure
- HELP information
- STOP information
- Prepare an example Opt-Out message that includes the following information:
For example… "You have successfully unsubscribed from messages from [Company Name]. You will now no longer receive further messages.
- Brand name
- Confirmation that the customer will receive no further messages
- Whether or not the SMS campaign will utilize Number Pooling.
- If any of the following content will be utilized:
- Direct lending or loan arrangements.
- Embedded links.
- Embedded phone numbers.
- Age-gated content.
- Phone numbers that should be used for SMS messaging in the SMS campaign.
- Do you have a Terms & Conditions or Terms of Use webpage? Have a link ready to provide for the campaign.
Prepare Your Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy SMS Verbiage
When you are registering an SMS campaign with SpectrumVoIP, the SMS campaign registry form will ask for a description of your SMS campaign, sample messages, and a link to your website. While your website is being vetted, the Privacy Policy shown on your website will be checked to ensure it includes important information that informs your customers how they can opt-in and opt-out of SMS messages. The Privacy Policy page of the website will also need to include information that informs consumers how your business protects the information provided to you when an end-user opts in for SMS messages.
WARNING: Your SMS Campaign WILL be rejected for missing proper SMS Opt-in/Opt-Out language that is required by the FCC in the PRIVACY POLICY section of your website. The SMS campaign will continue to be rejected until the Privacy Policy includes the required information and notices regarding the use of SMS messages by your business and end-users.
To ensure your SMS campaign registration is completed and verified efficiently, it is recommended to do the following:
Website Privacy Policy
Make sure that your website's Privacy Policy includes a detailed description of the opt-in process for end-users and a section detailing how your company protects its users' data.
- The Privacy Policy should include a description about SMS messaging that includes the following information:
- Texting cadence.
- What types of messages will they be receiving?
- How frequently will the consumer receive messages?
- How the consumer is consenting.
- Clear, easy to follow opt-in and opt-out instructions.
- Message and data rate notices.
- Link to a Privacy Policy.
- Texting cadence.
- The Privacy Policy must include a disclaimer that no mobile opt-in will be shared with third parties for marketing purposes:
“[Name of your organization/company] maintains strict privacy policies, ensuring that personal information of our users and members is not sold, rented, released, or traded to other parties.” - It is recommended to keep a detailed list of customers who have opted in for text messages from your company.
Accurate Business and Campaign Description
Provide a clear, accurate description of your business and the SMS campaign in the SMS campaign registration form.
Include the following information:
- Type of business.
- Disclose the frequency of your messaging.
- It must be clearly stated if donations are being collected.
- The statement “Donations will be secured through ____ and Accreditation listing is _____” should be provided.
- What kind of messages you plan on sending for this campaign.
- The context of your messages.
- Who your subscribers are.
Call-to-Action (CTA) Disclosure
Explain the Opt-In process for end-users in a Call-to-Action (CTA) disclosure and provide examples of how your end-users can consent to SMS messages with easy-to-follow opt-in instructions.
“By providing your phone number, you agree to receive SMS (text) messages from [Name of your organization/company]. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply with HELP to receive more information. Reply with STOP to unsubscribe at any time. [Provide a link to your Privacy Policy web page]”
- Your CTA disclosure should include the following information:
- Brand name
- Types of messages being sent. (e.g., appointment reminders, promotional messages, etc.)
- Message and data rate notices. (i.e., “Message and data rates may apply”)
- Frequency of messages being sent. (e.g., Messaging frequency varies, 2 messages per week, etc.)
- HELP information (text HELP for help)
- STOP/opt-out information (text STOP to stop)
- Link to your Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
- Provide the specific link, written form, or screenshot of the CRM used to collect opt-ins.
- Forced opt-ins are prohibited.
- Fields for entering a phone number cannot be required on the website where opt-in is collected. This field must be optional.
- If Verbal Opt-in is collected, please add the script that describes the opt-in process.
- The Call to Action may only apply to text messaging.
- If emails or voice calls are used, a separate opt-in should be collected for the end-user receiving each of these types of communication.
Sample Message
Provide sample messages that match the description of the campaign with clear, descriptive opt-out language.
- There should be a sample message that would be used for each use case.
- All sample messages must be at least 20 characters long with opt-out language included.
- Include your business name in at least the first message you send. This can help subscribers identify who is messaging them to help mitigate spam complaints.
- Reference the examples below to view commonly used STOP and HELP messages.
STOP
“Reply with “STOP” to unsubscribe from text messages from [Name of organization/company].”
Response to STOP
“We have received your request to stop. You will stop receiving messages from [Name of organization/company]. You may reply with “START” or “UNSTOP” at any time to start receiving messages from us again.”
HELP
"For help, visit our support website at support.example.com or email support@example.com. To opt-out, reply STOP.”
Note: If you are ready to register an SMS campaign, read our Register an SMS Campaign in Stratus guide.