Mobile phone carriers will filter messages that they think are unwanted spam. To make sure your messages get delivered, the best thing you can do is avoid complaints.
Here's a few basic tips to avoid complaints and make sure your messages reach and engage your audience:
1) Process opt-outs immediately.
If someone has requested not to receive messages from you, you must stop messaging them immediately. From the inbox, you can opt someone out with one click.
2) Make it clear how to opt-out.
If it's your first time messaging someone, you must make it clear how they can stop receiving messages from you. While you can use some of the more generic options like "stop2quit", you're also welcome to use something a bit more human and conversational, like "I'm a real person and ready to chat, but you can always say quit to end texts if you want.
3) Clearly identify yourself.
Especially if it's your first time messaging someone, you should introduce yourself and your organization and campaign. Something as simple as "Hi, this is Molly with Acme Progress" will do the trick.
4) Avoid links in initial messages.
Spammers and scammers will often send unsuspecting victims a link to a message, so avoid doing this. Instead, send a simple message without a link to engage your audience in a conversation. For example, if you're asking someone to visit an event or fundraising page, ask them first if they might be interested in attending the event or donating to the cause -- if they are are receptive, you can follow up with a link to a donation or event page.
A Note on Opt-Ins in the USA
In 2021, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Facebook vs Duguid that clarified that text messaging systems like Daisychain are not autodialers, and thus are not subject to the strict opt-in requirements of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Various players in the “messaging ecosystem” (including Daisychain) encourage organizations to build a list of people who have granted explicit opt-in consent to send them messages. Building a list of supporters who have opted in to receive your text messages will increase the success and deliverability of your texting campaigns.
That said, we know many organizations and campaigns have decided to send texts to people who haven't explicitly opted in. This is understandable, given that texting is a powerful way to reach key audiences about important issues like democracy and human rights. While we are not lawyers and this does not constitute legal advice, we believe that texting people who have not opted in is fully compliant with the TCPA.