Best practices for 10DLC

A collection of guidelines that can help you get your use case approved faater.

Best Practices for registering 10DLC brands and campaigns

This article outlines Telzio's best practices for registering 10DLC brands and campaigns. Following these guidelines will help ensure your campaign registrations are accepted without delay.

Key Information Required

When submitting your campaign registration, make sure to provide the following details:

  • Legal Company Name
  • Brand Support Email Address
  • Brand Support Phone Number
  • Brand Website
  • Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Campaign Description
  • Content Attributes
  • Confirmation that content does not include prohibited content (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, Controlled Substances)
  • Sample Messages
  • Including Opt-Out Messages

Ensure all information is accurate and complete to avoid delays in campaign approval.

Do's and Don'ts

Do Don't
Follow these guidelines to avoid declined campaigns. Use a non-working website.
Provide complete and accurate information. Provide mismatched content attributes.
Include opt-in and opt-out language where applicable. Submit inconsistent sample messages or descriptions.
Register inappropriate use cases (e.g., using Charity or Sole Proprietor use cases for political messaging)

Brand registration best practices

Standard use case requirements

  • Brand as Message Sender: The brand should be the entity sending the messages. The Campaign Registry will check that the business name matches the EIN provided..
  • Website Presence: Your brand should have an online presence. A social media page is acceptable. Clearly display opt-in and opt-out information.
  • Contact Information: Provide a support email and phone number associated with your brand's domain. The phone number should be listed on your website or social media page.

Sole proprietor use case requirements

This option only applies to applicants who do not have a Tax ID.

Campaign registration best practices

Content attributes

Accuracy is Crucial: Ensure all content attributes are correct when setting up your campaign. These fields cannot be changed later, and incorrect entries will require a new campaign submission. Example: If you include links in your messages, you must select "Yes" for embedded links in the content attributes.

Prohibited content

The following types of content are not allowed on 10DLC:

  • Sexually explicit material
  • Hate speech
  • Promotion of alcohol, firearms, tobacco, or controlled substances Content related to these topics must not appear in your messages or on your website.

Campaign description

Your campaign description should clearly answer:

  1. Who you are
  2. Who you are messaging
  3. Why you are sending these messages

Good Example:

Messages to customers of a car dealership service center, including appointment reminders, repair updates, satisfaction follow-ups, online bill payments, and two-way conversations.

Bad Example:

Text messages are used for our team members to communicate with our customers and partners. Why is it bad? It doesn't specify who you are or the purpose of the messages.

Call to Action / Message Flow

You must provide a clear description of how users opt in to receive your messages. Opt-in must be explicit and cannot be implied.

Examples of Acceptable Opt-In Methods:

  • Website Sign-Up: Customers enter their phone number on your website and check a box agreeing to receive messages.
  • Mobile Web Page: Users click a button on a mobile webpage to opt in.
  • Keyword Texting: Users text a keyword (e.g., START) to your number to opt in.

If users opt in by texting a keyword, your response should include your brand name, confirmation of opt-in enrollment to a recurring message campaign, how to get help, and clear instructions on how to opt out.

Sample Messages

Provide unique examples of the messages you plan to send. They should align with your campaign description and include opt-out language.

Good Examples:

  1. Hello John, this is a reminder about your appointment with Acme, Inc. on April 2nd at 10:00 AM. Reply YES to confirm or NO to reschedule. Thank you!
  2. Hi %FirstName%! This is Ramiro with Acme, Inc. We'd love to invite you to our upcoming event from Nov 9-13! Tickets are available now at acme.com Reply STOP to opt out.
  3. Reminder from Dr. Smiles, DDS: Hi Jim, we look forward to seeing you at 3:00 PM tomorrow for your cleaning. Reply OPTIONS for notification options, or STOP to disable SMS notifications.

Bad Examples:

  1. Thanks for leaving a rating on Google Business. We would like to learn more about your experience. I will contact you soon.
  2. I received your question. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Why are they bad? They lack brand identification and don't specify the purpose.

Opt-Out Message

Include clear opt-out instructions in your messages.

Acceptable Opt-Out Language:

Reply STOP to unsubscribe.

Unacceptable Opt-Out Language:

Stop2End

Why is it unacceptable? Opt-out keywords must be separated by spaces and preceded by "Reply".

Need Help?

If you have any questions or need assistance with your 10DLC registration, please contact our Support Team.