Including “Reply STOP to opt-out” at the end of every SMS you send isn’t just a best practice — it’s essential for maintaining compliance, customer trust, and long-term deliverability. This short line empowers your customers with control and helps your brand stay transparent and trustworthy.
Regulations such as TCPA (US), CTIA guidelines, and various international carrier rules require you to include an opt-out mechanism in every marketing SMS. Failing to do so can result in:
Carrier message blocking
Legal penalties or fines
Suspension of your messaging account
Adding “Reply STOP to opt-out” ensures your campaign meets compliance standards across networks and regions.
Carriers monitor customer feedback closely. If too many recipients report or block your messages, your sender reputation suffers — and your future campaigns could be throttled or rejected. Including “Reply STOP to opt-out” reduces spam complaints and signals to carriers that your brand plays by the rules.
🚫 Messages may be flagged as spam or rejected by carriers.
⚠️ You could violate regulations, leading to warnings, fines, or account suspension.
📉 Reduced deliverability, impacting the reach and ROI of your campaigns.
Always include it at the end of your message
Format: “Odd One Out: [Your message]. Reply STOP to opt-out”
Use simple, universal language
“Reply STOP to opt-out” is widely recognized and automatically handled by most carriers.
Avoid variations like “Reply NO to unsubscribe” unless required by regional rules.
Maintain consistency
Include it in every marketing message — even for loyal or recurring customers.
Ensure opt-out functionality works
Test regularly to confirm that when a recipient replies “STOP,” they are immediately unsubscribed from future campaigns.
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