Texting Best Practices

Messages should be 160 standard characters long especially if they are the first message to a contact. Subsequent messages up to 280 characters are fine. Any longer and the number of segments can cause filtering and spam blocks.
A good message has three parts: states who is the sender, states the purpose of the message, and has a single call to action (usually a question requiring a response).

Bad messages are generic, don't have a call to action or multiple calls to action, are statements, and/or are ambiguous as to sender and the purpose of the message

Emojis should be completely avoided in the first message to a contact, but can be used once per message on subsequent messages. Avoid overuse especially with 10DLC numbers
Avoid '$' and '!' symbols. You can use the '!' once per message but avoid '$' altogether. Instead use workarounds such as "Earn up to USD 20/hour..."
Avoid using link shorteners such as Bit.ly or TinyURL. Bit.ly links in particular will be immediately blocked. All URL's used should be branded by the sender. PivotCX wraps and shortens all links by default so your links to ensure they are properly delivered and tracked.
Avoid trigger words such as the following: Cash, Money, Drugs, THC, Urgent, Free, Apply Now, Immediately, Kush, Bonus, Substance Test, Critical. These words might have their uses in the recruiting/staffing context, but can be misconstrued for nefarious purposes.

Guidelines on message frequency depend on the use case for messaging.
In order to avoid list burnout, we recommend reaching out no more than once a week for active candidates and once a month for passive candidates.

Transgressing one or more of the above guidelines on message content, frequency, or composition can cause a block on the message you try to send.
A block can be imposed by one or more Mobile Operators (e.g. AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile) and will affect the deliverability of messages. Sometimes, messages may be delivered by one Mobile Operator but blocked by another. PivotCX regularly monitors accounts for message deliverability issues. If you do suspect an issue, then get in contact with PivotCX support as we have means to investigate blocks and appeal them.
Using unvetted lists of contacts, sending vague messages, or over-use of links or special characters are all possible ways that your messages can be reported for spam and blocked by Mobile Operators.

Ensure that contact opt-in has been correctly collected before sending messages. Every place which requires a phone number must have opt in language as well as a checkbox. This applies to contact pages, donation pages, etc. Opt in language must include consent and opt out instructions and links to Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
For jobs posted in PivotCX, we have by default a disclaimer at the end of every job description. You can customize the default opt-in message in the Jobs tab of the Team Settings.
If sending the first message to a contact, always make sure there is a "Reply STOP to opt out" included. PivotCX includes this by default so you don't have to worry about it.
Avoid using purchased lists: they have a high opt-out rate and do not follow proper opt-in procedures for texting.

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