Understanding Consent and Opt-Ins/Opt-Outs for SMS Services
Gain a better understanding of when and how to ask for consent for SMS communication, and the best practices to follow for crafting opt-in questions.
Written by Grayson Akerly
Updated at January 9th, 2025
Table of Contents
What Is Proper Consent?
Consent cannot be obtained through buying, selling, or exchanging it. For instance, purchasing a phone list from another party to obtain the consent of message recipients is not a valid approach.
Except for a few exceptions noted later in this section, all of the listed consent requirements must be met. If you use SpectrumVoIP's messaging platform for your application or service as a software or platform provider, you must ensure that your customers comply with these same requirements when dealing with their own users and customers.
The Three Levels of Consent
The CTIA Messaging Guidelines say that all A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging requires customer consent. The type and extent of consent needed for each is based on the messaging type and frequency.
There are three types of SMS consent a contact can provide your business: Conversational, Informational, and Promotional consent. The consent a customer gives you for SMS messaging can be combination of these. A customer can also withdraw consent at any time by requesting that the business stop sending text messages.
WARNING: All A2P messaging campaigns must support established opt-out keywords. If a customer wants to revoke their consent, your campaign must let them.
Conversational
Conversational messaging is a back-and-forth conversation via text. If the consumer initiates the conversation and the business responds with relevant information, then the communication is considered conversational as the consumer is giving implied consent.
• First message is always sent by the consumer.
• Implied consent is granted to discuss the topic the contact is inquiring about.
• Two-way conversation.
• Message responds to a specific request.
Although implied consent has been given since a contact has initiated a conversation regarding a particular topic, the customer would need to grant express consent before the company can send any off-topic text messages.
For example… If a customer has messaged a business to check on the status of their order without opting in for informational messages, the company can only send text messages about their order and the questions that customer may ask.
If the customer has not used an opt-in method to subscribe to texts about informational status updates, the company would not be allowed to send an automated, informational text giving the status of a service. If the customer specifically asks for the status of a service, then the company may reply with information that answers the customer's inquiry.
The company would not be allowed to send unrelated text messages, such as a promotional text about a new product. The company would need to obtain express consent from the customer for promotional texts.
Informational
Informational messaging is when a consumer gives their phone number to a business and provides their express consent to be contacted in the future for a non-promotional purpose. Appointment reminders, welcome texts, and other non-promotional alerts fall into this category.
• First message is sent by the consumer or business.
• Express consent is given to receive specific, informational texts using a valid opt-in method.
• One-way or two-way conversation.
• Message contains information.
For example… If a customer has subscribed for appointment reminders and health screening texts from a healthcare clinic using a valid opt-in method, the person has given express consent to only receive informational texts regarding their appointments and health screenings.
The clinic would not be allowed to send promotional texts (i.e., advertisements for new treatment, coupon codes for healthcare products, etc.) to that client unless the client has given express consent to receive promotional text messages about new products.
Promotional
Promotional messaging contains a sales or marketing promotion. Adding a call to action (e.g., a coupon code to an informational text) may place the message in the promotional category. Businesses require the consumer’s written consent to send promotional messages.
• First message is sent by the business.
• Express consent is given to receive promotional/marketing messages using a valid opt-in method.
• One-way conversation.
• Message promotes a brand, product, or service.
• Prompts customer to buy something, go somewhere, or otherwise take action.
For example… If a customer of a business has subscribed for marketing text messages using an opt-in method, the business can send marketing messages to that contact unless the contact withdraws consent by opting out.
Requirements for Opt-Ins and Opt-Outs
To ensure your SMS messaging services are compliant with CTIA messaging guidelines, it is imperative to ensure your business is using opt-in and opt-out messages to allow customers to give and withdraw consent for receiving SMS messages.
Use Proper Opt-In and Opt-Out Messages
While you are registering an SMS campaign, your campaign may end up rejected due to missing information. One of the most common reasons an SMS campaign may be rejected is missing proper SMS Opt-In/Opt-Out language that is required by the FCC.
The following information must be present on your website's opt-in form or within your first SMS message to a customer that subscribes:
| Requirement | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ensure that your SMS or website's opt-in language includes your company's name. | “By clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to receive text messages from ABC Company at this mobile number.” |
| SMS Disclaimers | Include a disclaimer that message and data rates may apply on your opt-in form or in your first text to a customer. | “Message and data rates may apply.” |
| Message Frequency | Note how many messages the subscriber will receive or state that the message frequency will vary. | “Message frequency varies." or “You will receive up to four messages regarding your order from our store.” |
| Use Case | Describe the purpose of your SMS messages. Are your SMS subscribers receiving reminders, promotions, alerts, company updates, etc.? | "By subscribing, you agree to receive delivery update messages from ABC Company.” |
| Opt-Out Instructions | Explain how subscribers can opt-out or unsubscribe from SMS messages. Ensure that the opt-out process is easy and accessible for users. | “Text STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE to unsubscribe from text updates at any time. Once we receive your message, you will no longer receive text messages from us." |
| Terms and Privacy Policy Information |
Include a link to your company’s terms of service and privacy policy to ensure complete transparency with your SMS message subscribers. Ensure that your privacy policy mentions that personal information will not be sold. |
“By subscribing for text updates, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.” “ABC Company maintains strict privacy policies, ensuring that personal information of our users and members is not sold, rented, released, or traded to other parties." |
| Customer Help Information | Include your customer support team's information to your opt-in language to make it easy for your subscriber to find help and support. | “Text HELP to speak with ABC Company's support team.” |
Require Opt-Ins
An opt-in is a message that asks a customer can agree to if they want to be messaged by your business. The opt-in message must be clear about what the customer can expect from your SMS messages. What type of message do you intend to send them, and for what purpose?
Use the menu below to learn more about how you can ensure your Opt-In messages are properly written and handled:
No Forced Opt-Ins
Fields for entering a phone number cannot be required on the website where opt-in is collected. This field must be optional.
No Double Dipping
You cannot repurpose an opt-in message for one kind of communication to use for other kinds of communications.
If emails or voice calls are other forms of communication offered, a separate opt-in should be collected for each of these types of communication that an end-user may want to receive.
For Example… A user who gives you consent to receive a one-time password (OTP) via text message is not consenting to marketing texts. The customer would need to agree to a separate opt-in message to receive marketing texts as well.
Double Opt-Ins Are OK
Many companies use double opt-ins to verify that the user fully consents to the SMS messages being sent. This is commonly done by sending a customer a welcome (or initial message) after they first opt-in reminding them that they signed up, and asking them to respond and positively confirm their consent with a keyword (e.g., “Y”, “Yes”, “OK”, “Begin”, etc.)
✔ Double opt-ins are not an industry requirement, but it is best practice to include these confirmation messages.
Opt-In Methods
There are many ways you can allow your end-users to opt-in for communications from your company. Some commonly used methods to allow end-users to opt-in include the following:
- Entering a phone number in a form on a website.
For Example… Customers opt-in by visiting www.examplewebsite.com and adding their phone number. They then check a box agreeing to receive text messages from the example brand.
NOTE: If you are using a website to collect opt-ins, please provide a direct link to the submission form. If this is missing, the campaign will be rejected.
- Clicking a button on a mobile webpage.
NOTE: If this is how the opt-in is being collected, please provide a website link in the CTA/Message Flow field.
- Sending a message from the consumer’s mobile device that contains an advertising keyword.
For Example… Consumers opt-in by texting START to (111) 222-3333
NOTE: You will need to describe how the end-user is informed to text the keyword/initiate the text messaging conversation.
Acceptable explanations of how the consumer is informed include:
• A link to a webpage where the keyword opt-in is advertised
• An attached screenshot of the keyword opt-in advertisement - Signing up at a point of sale (POS) or another message sender on-site location.
NOTE: If the opt-in is collected verbally, you must provide a copy of the opt-in script read to the consumer.
- Opting in over the phone using interactive voice response (IVR) technology.
Keep Record of Opt-Ins
Under TCPA rules, there are also certain types of opt-ins – including for automated SMS marketing messages – which must be documented in writing. If you plan on sending promotional messages to customers, make sure you’re properly logging all opt-ins.
What are you expected to keep track of in your records? Here’s a quick guide to what you should take note of when documenting opt-in requests:
- Timestamp of consent acquisition
- Consent acquisition medium (e.g., cell-submit form, physical sign-up form, SMS keyword, etc.)
- Capture of experience (e.g., language and action) used to secure consent
- Specific campaign for which the opt-in was provided
- IP address used to grant consent (if applicable)
- Consumer phone number for which consent to receive messaging was granted
- Identity of the individual who consented (name of the individual or other identifier, e.g., online username, session ID, etc.)
- Documenting all opt-ins for at least six years is required by some mobile network operators. It provides proof that you have received consent to send to that destination number
✔ Please refer to the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices for a comprehensive run-down of how to best manage opt-in messaging.
Honor Opt-outs
In the event that a customer consents to receive your messages via an opt-in method, they retain the right to revoke their agreement. It is your responsibility to make the opt-out process straightforward for customers.
The most common opt-out method is to let consumers respond to the SMS with the text “STOP”. There are other ways to handle opt-outs as well. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) states that customers must be able to opt-out through “any reasonable means.” Opt-out method can be a phone call, a text message, a web form, etc.
DANGER: The opt-out method used must be accessible and easy to follow for users. It is crucial to provide clarity (ideally in every message) regarding how a customer can opt-out. Their opt-out request must be acknowledged promptly upon receiving it.
Failure to follow these regulations can lead to negative consequences.