Spam text messages are flooding all of our inboxes, which is why they're presenting a significant concern for businesses utilizing SMS marketing. In the first half of 2023 alone, SMS scammers stole an estimated $13 billion. At this point, one out of three Americans has been a victim of text scams, and 65% of victims aren't even aware of it.
Concerning as the rise of junk messages may be on its own, it also impacts the effectiveness of legitimate marketing campaigns. You might not realize it, but your carefully crafted company update could get flagged as an unsolicited text message, leading to message filtering and potential customers missing out on your offers and service alerts.
It's crucial to recognize the effects of recipients reporting text message spam to minimize disruption and safeguard your marketing objectives. When your business publicly shows its efforts against SMS spam, it not only helps maintain the integrity of marketing but also reassures your audience that your text message is credible.
Here's how to avoid the dreaded spam filter and sustain the effectiveness of your SMS marketing strategy.
The Consequences of Spam Texts on Your Business
Recipients report spam messages for a number of reasons, and it can cause major problems for your business. You might get overly eager to drive more sales through text messaging, but when you're caught sending a scam text message, it can result in fines and legal consequences from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This can be huge, as seen when the FCC fined wireless carriers millions for sharing personal information without consent.
Spammers often target sensitive information like phone numbers. So, when people see certain patterns that remind them of a spam text message or a phishing scam, you're at risk of being flagged. That, in turn, can break down customer trust and kill the ROI of every future SMS campaign.
That's because your business might get blacklisted — even without you noticing at first. Blacklisting means your business phone numbers get blocked, leading to a loss of SMS marketing privileges. This disrupts your communication channels and affects your ability to reach customers directly.
The impact on your brand reputation can be severe. A brand builds value over time, and you don't want to damage yours with SMS scams. People frequently relate scam calls and text spam with unreliability. Negative perceptions can spread quickly and might be hard to fix, hurting your opportunity to expand your business or attract new clients.
Once your customer links your business name to that first suspicious text message, you might begin to see a decrease in customer engagement. People will be less likely to open, read or respond to your next SMS message. This can result in fewer sales and less interest in your services or products.
In the long run, these issues can take a toll on your business operations. Disruptions, legal troubles and loss of trust can hurt your growth and development for years to come.
Following new FCC rules around spam protection and the CAN-SPAM Act can help avoid these pitfalls and ensure consumer satisfaction. Always be mindful of compliance to protect your business and maintain a good relationship with your customers — be it in your store or in the messaging app.
Importance of Compliance in SMS Marketing
Compliance with regulations is crucial in SMS marketing. It helps you avoid legal problems and maintain your reputation. One centerpiece of legislation regulating promotional text messages, besides the CAN-SPAM Act, is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Following TCPA rules, as outlined by the FCC, ensures that you obtain proper consumer consent before sending messages.
Since the FCC regularly updates those regulations to respond to current events, it's important to follow the latest legislative changes to maintain compliance. In 2023, they proposed to extend the National Do-Not-Call (DNC) Registry protections to text messages and required mobile wireless providers to block text messages that are highly likely to be illegal. That change already went into effect in 2024.
If you're operating internationally, you'll encounter similar regulations worldwide, be it the General Data Protection Regulation or Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. Adhering to those regulations keeps your messages from being marked as spam.
Failing to comply can not only get your number blocked, it can also result in heavy penalties. So you're hurting your bottom line in two ways. Under the TCPA, businesses that breach these rules may face fines ranging from $500 to $1,500 per infringement.
It's beneficial to remind yourself that those regulations are trying to encourage what's considered good business anyway, rather than limiting your marketing strategies. So, although it can seem complicated at first, effective compliance will help you do what customers are already expecting and foster trust. When clients trust that their data is secure and their privacy respected, they're more likely to engage positively with your SMS marketing campaigns.
Strategies To Avoid Being Flagged as Spam
If you're still uncertain about being flagged as a spammer despite your good intentions, you can usually fall back on one rule: Craft clear and relevant messages. That simple mantra leads to many steps.
- Campaign Registration: Your text messaging regardless of channel (10DLC, Toll-Free, or Short Code) must be registered in the USA and approved. Swift SMS Gateway as a CSP (Campaign Service Provider), can fast-track your registration and vet your campaign through all carriers to provide trust, transparency and security in your messaging.
- Avoid excessive emojis and special characters: While you can use them to show your brand voice and personality, you shouldn't overdo it. Try to consider your target audience and tailor your messaging style to the everyday language they would already use in their day-to-day messages.
- Personalize messages: Personalizing messages to the recipient can make them feel valued, as well. Using their name or mentioning past interactions builds a relationship and shows them you care.
- Avoid misleading or deceptive content: All your messages should be honest and clear about their purpose. Think of your business as the helpful neighbor informing a friend, and you'll automatically step away from most scammy strategies.
- Monitor message frequency and timing: Do not send too many messages in a short time, and respect time zones by sending messages at appropriate times.
- Maintain a clean contact list: To maintain marketing ROI and avoid any spam reports from contacts that have simply gone cold, you also want to implement routines to keep your contact list clean. There's no point in sending text messages to recipients who forgot about subscribing or stopped engaging, so it's best for both sides to just take them off your list.
- Set up strategies for feedback and performance monitoring: You can also set up strategies to gather customer feedback or monitor performance metrics if you're tying your SMS campaigns to other marketing efforts, like email or social media campaigns. Sending sale alerts or partner promotions helps you gain a loyal customer base and fine-tune your strategy as you move along.
Handling Spam Reports And Mitigation
When your number is reported as spam, you should act quickly. Immediate steps include reviewing your past text message campaigns and confirming if any of them violates your policies or current regulations.
Next, investigate the cause of the report. Identify if the unwanted text blast was sent intentionally or by mistake. Look into your message logs and sender details.
Make sure to respectfully communicate with the affected customer. Let them know you're addressing the issue and didn't send spam text messages on purpose. Offer support and gather any additional information they can provide.
Implement preventative measures to stop future issues. This can include updating your compliance policies and ensuring your team follows them. Educating your audience on how to distinguish legitimate messages from spam is crucial, so you should offer clear guidelines on what to look for.
Customers approaching you about spam instead of reporting your messages are always a good sign, as it prevents you from dealing with legal troubles. That's why it's in your best interest to make it easy for users to report spam messages and express concerns. This helps you catch problems early.
You should also collaborate with partners that publicly share their spam policy and regularly update their infrastructure to support you in your compliance efforts.
Routinely educate your team on recent regulatory changes that might lead to your calls or texts getting flagged as spam. The combination of SMS gateways with strong monitoring features and an informed team is the best way to prevent any legal issues and guarantee future SMS marketing ROI.
Prevent Your Next Campaign From Being Reported As A Spam Text. Stay Compliant With Ease.
Preventing your SMS marketing from being reported as spam is essential. Consumers may report spam SMS if your messages feel intrusive or irrelevant. So for you, as a business owner, it's important not to neglect regulatory requirements or become too eager about the potential benefits of an overly aggressive campaign. To stay compliant, follow these practices.
Always Get Consent: Ensure you have explicit permission before sending texts. This builds trust and keeps your audience engaged.
Personalize Messages: Tailor your messages to your recipients. Using their name and addressing specific needs makes your texts more relevant.
Provide Opt-Out Options: Make it easy for users to unsubscribe. Include clear instructions in every message.
Schedule Texts Wisely: Avoid sending messages at odd hours. Stick to regular business hours to respect your audience's time.
To ensure effectiveness and compliance in your campaigns, consider using a trusted partner like Swift SMS Gateway. Book a free demo now to see how it can help you stay proactive in your SMS marketing efforts. By following these tips, you can prevent your messages from being reported as spam and maintain a positive relationship with your audience.
