Why are 10DLC campaigns getting rejected?

Our Expert Mashers have seen more and more 10DLC campaigns being rejected. Here are the top reasons. Please let us know if you run into problems submitting your 10DLC campaign. 

Top 7 rejection reasons

• Call-to-action
• Opt-out message
• Privacy policy
• Non-compliant Know Your Customer
• SHAFT-C content
• No online presence or website
• Lead generation / affiliate marketing

Call-to-action 

A call-to-action, or CTA, is a prompt that encourages visitors to take a specific action. Your campaign’s CTA should clearly communicate the benefits or outcomes of taking that action. Often, 10DLC campaigns don’t have a clear description of the sign-up process and get rejected.

• The action must be 1-to-1, not shared with third parties.
• The action can’t be implied.
• If the end-user initiates a text message conversation, message sender replies to the end-user only with responsive information.

Here are ways you can get end-users take action:

• Ask them to enter a phone number on your website.
  • End-user visits xyz.com and enters their phone number. They check a box stating they are okay to receive text messages from your brand.
  • Your campaign will be rejected if your website doesn’t state clearly that they are opting-in.
• Ask end-user to send a keyword from their mobile phone.
  • “Opt-in by texting YES to (123) 456-7890”
  • The response to the end-user must include your brand name, a confirmation of an opt-in enrollment to a recurring 10DLC campaign, a way to receive help and a clear way to opt-out.
• End-user signs up at a point-of-sale (POS) or with another message sender on-site.
• End-user opts-in by phone, using interactive voice response (IVR) technology.
  • “You are now opted-in to our notifications. For help, reply HELP. To opt-out, reply STOP.”

Other considerations:

• All message exchanges on behalf of an organization are required to have prior opt-in or consent.
• An URL must be included if a call-to-action mentions the opt-in is collected on a website.
• If a phone number field is required, a text messaging opt-in must be included.

Opt-out message 

An opt-out message is a text message that an end-user sends to tell an organization that they no longer want to receive promotional messages. Organizations have a legal obligation to stop.

• You must include at least one of these words for the end-user to opt-out: END, STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE.
• If you are using an opt-out phrase, it must be separated by spaces. ENDNOW is not acceptable. END NOW is acceptable.
• At least one of your same messages must include your opt-out.
• “[Your organization’s name]: You have an appointment for Monday at 2:30 pm. Reply YES to confirm or NO to reschedule. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

Privacy policy

A privacy policy is a statement that discloses ways an organization gathers, uses, discloses and manages a customer or client’s data. It is often a statement that declares a party’s policy on how it collects, stores and uses personal information.

• According to the CTIA Guidelines, message senders are required to have a readily accessible privacy policy. The privacy policy should be referenced in the call-to-action when you submit a campaign for vetting.
• If you don’t have a privacy policy or if it is non-compliant, your campaign will be rejected.
• A non-compliant privacy policy is generally due to organizations sharing end-user information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Non-compliant Know Your Customer

Know Your Customer (KYC) is the mandatory process of identifying and verifying end-user identity before doing business with them. The goal is to minimize illegal activities.

• In a 10DLC campaign, the brand is the message sender.
• The Employer Identification Number (EIN) and company information should reflect the message sender, not you as the reseller.
• The brand reflects who is sending the message to the end-user. It does not represent the software behind the delivery.
• Your 10DLC campaign will be rejected if you don’t have a KYC.

SHAFT-C content

SHAFT regulations protect end-users by prohibiting brands from sending content containing sex, hate, alcohol, firearms or tobacco (CBD included) to inappropriate audiences. These regulations are industry-wide and affect every SMS platform.

• 10DLC campaigns will be rejected if they contain content relating to sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco and CBD.
• These types of content are not allowed on your website either.
• Alcohol and Tobacco may be supported with robust age-gating and proper opt-in.
• Note: If a website contains CBD oils, for example, the campaign will be denied even if it is not related to CBD.

No online presence or website

In today’s digitally-driven world, establishing and maintaining an online presence has become a fundamental requirement for companies of all sizes. The importance of this virtual footprint cannot be overstated, as it not only enhances visibility but also plays a pivotal role in ensuring business legitimacy and access for various campaigns.

• Your organization needs to have an online presence or website. This can include social media accounts, as long as our aggregator can access it and very the business is who you say you are.
• If you do not put your URL on the application, our aggregator will search for the business to find one. If a website is found and there is prohibited content on it, the campaign will be rejected.

Lead generation / affiliate marketing

Lead generation (lead gen) and affiliate marketing is when the opt-in is for the purpose of collecting, aggregating, converting and/or selling end-user information (leads) to third parties for a fee.

• Lead gen and affiliate marketing are not allowed over 10DLC.

These are the most common incidences we’ve seen when 10DLC campaigns are rejected. If you use best practices, your campaign will be accepted. If you are unsure of a requirement, let us know by heading over to this link. Our Expert Mashers are always here to help you.