SMS is a valuable channel for both audience reach and ROI, but the complexities of sending SMS as a business in the UK can often put brands off sending at all, mostly because of the number of options available.
We can help you understand the differences so you can find what’s right for you and get sending as soon as possible.
To send SMS in the UK, there are a number of compliance considerations:
Make sure you have explicit consent for anyone you send marketing or transactional SMS to.
You can gather separate consent for each type of messaging, but if a contact unsubscribes from SMS sent by you, this applies to all kinds of SMS message you send.
Provide an easy and clear way for contacts to opt-out of receiving your SMS messages.
Set up a valid sender ID, and ensure that your contacts know who they are receiving messages from.
Comply with approved hours for sending marketing SMS.
Gather opt-ins with explicit consent
To allow customers to opt-in to SMS marketing, you can:
ask for phone numbers at the point of customer sign up.
use our pages and forms functionality to create on-brand data capture.
provide incentives for customers to sign up through text-to-join campaigns, by advertising a number online or in-person that they can text to opt in.
Whatever you choose, it’s important to ensure you have compliant consent to send to your customers.
⚠️ While we provide tools to help you manage your data, you must speak to your own legal counsel or consult with the ICO in order to ensure compliance.
Most importantly, check that the numbers you collect for SMS marketing are collected with explicit opt-in.
This means making sure you’ve made it clear that you will be using SMS to send marketing communications to your customer, and that you haven’t relied on assumed consent from a lack of opt-out or a pre-ticked box.
This is a requirement of the UK-GDPR which is the legislation that dictates how consumers’ personal data can be used by organisations.
You should be able to show, if asked:
that any contact who you are sending SMS marketing messages to has opted in with full knowledge of the kinds of messages they have agreed to receive by SMS.
the location or method by which you gathered the consent, for example, a signup form on your website.
To ensure this, you should ensure that the opt-in language you use when gathering sign ups is clear and easy to understand, for example:
I agree to receive SMS marketing messages from [Business name]. I understand that I can opt-out at any time using the unsubscribe link in the messages I receive [and/or inbound number option if available].
Further details about how we handle your data can be found in our [Privacy policy/Ts&Cs, include link].
You don't need to use this exact wording, but the opt-in language you do use should be just as clear and informative.
Options for opt-outs
When sending marketing messages through SMS in the UK, you must also give your recipients the ability to opt out.
This means you must either:
add an unsubscribe link to your marketing SMS messages*
or
allow replies by purchasing an inbound number and providing opt-out instructions in your SMS message body.
Transactional messages, like order updates, don’t require a way for recipients to opt out.
*SMS click-to-unsubscribe is permitted when sending to recipients in the UK and some other locations, but is not permitted for sending to some countries.
SMS sent to | SMS click-to-unsubscribe supported? |
UK Australia Singapore Finland Japan Republic of Ireland | ✔️ Yes
Create an alphanumeric From name (alpha)† and add an unsubscribe link to your marketing SMS.
Learn more |
USA Canada France New Zealand Malaysia Philippines Czech Republic Taiwan Denmark | ❌ No
Click-to-unsubscribe is not supported in these countries, so to enable contacts to unsubscribe you must purchase an inbound number.
You can send your SMS messages from an inbound number, and it allows you to receive replies as well as unsubscribe requests. |
†Alpha From names don’t support replies. If you need to be able to receive inbound SMS messages, you must purchase an inbound number.
Learn more about what numbers you can send from in Understand from names and numbers.
Sender IDs UK businesses can send from
You have a few options to choose from when sending SMS as a business in the UK. Each one has unique rules or restrictions, as well as benefits.
You can send marketing and transactional SMS from any of the below sender ID types in the UK.
In the UK, advertising nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, including through SMS marketing, is generally prohibited, except for factual information on marketers' own websites or in certain non-paid-for online spaces.
Sender ID type | Description |
Alphanumeric From name (Alpha) | Often displays as the name of the company. Can include letters and numbers. |
Shared short code Requires keyword | Five-digit number shared by multiple businesses.
Customers must use a keyword when texting in to the five-digit number for the message to be routed to you. |
Dedicated short code | Five-digit number used exclusively by your brand. |
Virtual mobile number (VMN) Sometimes called a long number. | Appears as a regular 11-digit mobile number and is used exclusively by your brand. |
For full details of each sender ID type, see Understand from names and numbers.
Approved hours for SMS marketing
Businesses can’t send SMS marketing messages in the UK before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.
Between these times are considered quiet hours, when your contacts may be asleep and unlikely to take kindly to being woken by marketing texts.
Key regulatory bodies
ICO
The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.
Direct Marketing Guidance
Advice on direct marketing, including through SMS from the ICO: www.ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1555/direct-marketing-guidance.pdf
PSA
The PSA sets and maintains the regulatory framework for the phone-paid services market through their Code of Practice.