Consent basics for text-to-join

With text-to-join, people start the conversation themselves. Your job is to tell them clearly what they're signing up for before they text. This is general information, not legal advice.

With text-to-join, the person in your audience starts the conversation: they text your keyword or scan your QR code and tap send. That's a strong starting point for consent. What's left is up to you: say clearly what they'll get and what they're joining, before they text.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and carrier rules for texting and email vary, so talk to a lawyer about your own situation.

What Textiful handles

  • People opt in by acting. Nobody gets a text from your flow unless they texted your keyword or scanned your QR code first.
  • Texts stay inside the flow they started: your questions, your replies, and any follow-up reminders or later messages you set up in that flow.
  • STOP and HELP are answered automatically. See STOP, HELP, and opt-outs.

Steps

Before your event:

  1. Write the ask so it says what they get. "Text DEMO to 33777 for today's slides" is clear. "Text DEMO to 33777" on its own isn't.
  2. Say so if they're joining your email list. If your flow adds people to Mailchimp, Kit, or ActiveCampaign, put it in the ask: "…for today's slides and my weekly email." Textiful adds new people to your Mailchimp audience as subscribed and to your ActiveCampaign list as active, so this line is where they agree to it.
  3. Name yourself in the first text. Short codes are shared, so make it obvious who's texting back.
  4. Ask only what you need. One or two questions is usually enough.
  5. Follow up from your email tool, where every message has an unsubscribe link.

Carrier guidelines for short codes generally expect a call to action to say who's texting, what people will get, that message and data rates may apply, and that they can reply STOP to opt out and HELP for help. Your HELP reply already covers the last parts.

Where to read more

Frequently asked questions

Is text-to-join legal?
Text-to-join starts with the person texting you, which is the basis of most consent rules for texting. Rules vary by situation, so check your own use with a lawyer.
Does Textiful use double opt-in?
No. Texting your keyword or scanning your QR code starts the flow straight away. That's why the words on your slide or sign matter: they're where people learn what they're agreeing to.

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