One of the biggest rule changes the CTIA made in the second version of the Common Short Code (CSC) Monitoring Compliance Handbook is that an opt-out method must now be promoted in all messaging for all recurring standard rate programs. Starting July 1, 2012, all SMS marketing campaigns will need to promote an opt-out method similar to what you see below.
This change isn’t going to make the CTIA any more popular than they already are among SMS providers for a few reasons.
- SMS providers that allow their clients to schedule SMS campaigns for the future, will need to review all of these scheduled messages and make sure that with the addition of an opt-out method being promoted, the entire message doesn’t exceed 160 characters.
- SMS providers that offer free or reduced pricing for the ability to add 30-40 character advertisements at the bottom of each text message, will now have even fewer characters left to offer their clients, after accounting for the opt-out promotion.
- Text messages are already pretty short at 160 characters, and by reducing that character count even more by promoting an opt-out method, will no doubt cause some turmoil between clients and SMS providers.
- While this isn’t too hard technically for an SMS provider to implement, it’s just one more thing to add to the ever-growing development to-do list.
If you’re a Tatango customer, you don’t need to worry about this most recent change by the CTIA, as Tatango has been promoting an opt-out method by default in all recurring SMS marketing campaigns since early 2011. No, we don’t have access to a crystal ball to see into the future, but we did realize in early 2011 that like email marketing, which requires an opt-out method be promoted in every email, SMS messages would soon follow suit. We decided that promoting an opt-out method in every recurring SMS campaign was in the best interest of the consumer, and even though it wasn’t a CTIA requirement at that time, we decided to bite the bullet and make the change. It was the right thing to do now looking back at our decision.
Do you have questions about complying with the new CTIA rules and regulations? If so, don’t hesitate to contact the SMS marketing experts at Tatango.
