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Want to know more? Want some quick answers?

Well this is the page for you! Below are just some frequently asked questions that you can have a good look through and explore if you would like to know some more about the service we provide.

However, if you can’t find the answers you are looking for, or would just like some clarification on something, then please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0117 205 0202

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a payment?

In Message Box in the top toolbar you will see a button called purchase. Simple click that and choose what you want to buy and your payment preference.

What happens if I want to manage lots of accounts?

You can set yourself up as an admin master account, and then add sub accounts to your master account. This means that your master account will be able to oversee all your sub accounts, manage their credits, send messages etc. – whilst they cannot view any other account apart from their own.

To do this simply click on admin functions in Message Box and click create under the Sub Accounts section in the toolbar.

Why aren’t my credits showing?

Your credits should appear in your account straight away, however if they haven’t there might have been a problem with your payment, so please contact us and we can resolve the issue.

If you have purchased credits for the first time and are awaiting your free double credits or any other offer we have, then please forward your invoice to support@textmarketer.co.uk with the appropriate subject line.

How do I become a reseller?

Become a reseller of our service and earn commission on all purchases made by your customers. Simply set yourself up with an account, go to financial and select Become a partner, you will then be given a specific partner code. For more details read here.

Can a customer reply to my message?

Yes. Every account comes with a free reply number so that your customers can reply to opt-out. However you can also set yourself up with a virtual mobile number which allows your customers to reply and text you directly. Or we have short code SMS, that allows your customers to text in responses to our 88802 using your keyword, more info.

Can I send messages outside of the UK?

Yes you can. However non UK messages will cost 2 credits and the delivery rates cannot be guaranteed as much as our UK messages.

Why have my messages failed?

Messages could have failed for various reasons, not enough credits, incorrectly entered numbers, non standard characters in your message or opted-out numbers. Please double check all the information you have entered is done so correctly, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any issues or questions support@textmarketer.co.uk

What is the Sender ID and can I change it to my company name?

The sender ID lets your customer know who the message is from, so we advise it to be your business name. You can select a sender ID that is up to you 11 characters including spaces.

Can I send outside of Europe?

Yes. However any message that are sent out of the UK will be charged as double the credits and we cannot guarantee the same delivery rates as we can with our UK messages.

Does text marketer let you add duplicate numbers?

No, duplicated numbers will not be added and will be removed.

Can I stop an SMS campaign after I have set it up?

Yes. You can stop a campaign any time before the scheduled date and time.Log into Message Box and go to Message control. Within the outbox, click on ‘scheduled items’. Select the campaign you wish to cancel and click ‘delete’ in the message panel above.

Does the keyword need to be in uppercase or lowercase?

It doesn’t matter what case the keyword is in, as long as the word is spelt correctly and has the right letters then our system will pick it up. However they are often displayed, texted and promoted in capitals so that the word stands out clearly.

How much does an international message cost?

Non UK messages will cost 2 credits and the delivery rates cannot be guaranteed as much as our UK messages.

How much does a keyword cost?

Every account comes with a free keyword, which will be a random lettered word for example EFRT, or you can buy a value keyword, which consists of a number at the start followed by a word for example 4HOTEL which costs £5 a month. Then we have a standard keyword which can be any word you want as long as it’s available and not already taken by another customer which costs £25 a month.

How much does a txtus number cost?

A virtual mobile number or txtus number costs just £10 a month

How do I claim the double up offer?

Simply send in your invoice to support@textmarketer.co.uk with the subject line of double credits. To claim your double up credits, it must be your first purchase and be between 1,000 and 10,000 credits and you must have not claimed the offer before with another account.

How much does it cost to send 1 message?

The cost of one message depends on how many you purchase, the more you buy the cheaper they are. Prices can go as low as 1.8p but see our full price list here.

What is SMS marketing?

SMS marketing is where you send customers messages via text message on their mobile phone. This could be anything from appointment reminders, news and notifications, to sales, offers and product or service news.

Will SMS marketing work for my business?

Yes. SMS marketing can, does and will work for any business. SMS is the most popular form of communication and as the mobile phone grows in importance to our every day lives, so does our reliance on it and our wish to be contacted via our mobile phones. So whatever your business is, your customers will prefer to be contacted by you via their mobile phone.

What if I don’t have any numbers to send to?

There are various ways you can collect your customers’ data, via a website checkout, in-store or via and SMS form on your website (tips on how to collect data) Or you can buy specific mobile phone data, it is not a service we offer but you can learn more here.

I need help with my SMS marketing, what should I do?

Our website is full of very helpful and interesting guides, blog articles, eBooks, infographics and videos that should all be able to help you get the best out of SMS marketing. If not, please just give us a call on 0117 205 0202 and we will be more than happy to help.

What is a short code?

A short code is short number that allows people to text you. They are used in conjunction with a keyword and are mainly used for advertising, competitions or offers with messages like, ‘Text WIN to 88802 for a chance to win a car’ Our short code number is 88802 and in this example the keyword is WIN. You can choose whatever keyword you would like as long as it is not already taken by another one of our customers.

How can I send an auto response via email for my keyword?

An optional email auto response can be sent if you have asked people to include their email address in the message.

Once someone has text your keyword to 88802, Message Box will automatically recognise the email address and send the email you have created.

Within Message Box, go to ‘Message control’ then ‘Received Messages’, select your keyword and click ‘Configure’. Click on the ‘Reply by Email’ tab.

You will see the below options:

Active: Set this to ‘Yes’ to activate an email auto response.
Email Text: This is where you put the body of the email auto response.
Subject: The subject of the email auto response.
Sender Name: The name the email comes from.
Email Address: The reply-to email address.

For more information on auto responses click here.

How can I set up an automatic text response for my Keyword?

Within Message Box, go to ‘Message control’ then ‘Received Messages’, select your keyword and click ‘Configure’. Click on the ‘Auto reply by SMS’ tab.

You will see the below options:

Active: Set this to ‘Yes’ to activate an SMS auto response.
Reply Text: This is where you put the body of the SMS auto response.
Sender ID: The sender name the SMS comes from

For more information on auto responses click here

How can I set up an automatic text response for my txtUs number?

Within Message Box, go to ‘Message control’ then ‘Received Messages’, select your txtUS number and click ‘Configure’. Click on the ‘Auto reply by SMS’ tab.

You will see the below options:

Use as Sender Default: ‘Yes’ will set your txtUS number as your default Sender ID for future campaigns
Active: Set this to ‘Yes’ to activate an SMS auto response.
Reply Text: This is where you put the body of the SMS auto response.

For more information on auto responses click here

How can I set up my own txtUs number?

To purchase your own txtUS number, log into your Message Box account and click ‘Purchase’, select the number you want to purchase and click ‘Subscribe’

How can I find a contact in my contact Groups?

Within ‘Manage contacts’ in your Message Box account, you will see the ‘Find’ field along the top panel.

Here you can type in the number, name or any information you have regarding the contact you are searching for. If this information is within any of the fields within your contacts then these will be displayed automatically.

From here you can now edit, move or delete any of your found contacts.

For more information on managing contacts click here

How can I set up a Keyword for your short code service?

To purchase your own keyword, log into your Message Box account and click ‘Purchase’, type your desired keyword into the search box under ‘Keyword’. If your selected keyword is available a green tick will appear, then click ‘Subscribe’.

As soon as payment is received, your keyword will appear in your ‘inbox’ within the ‘Message Control’ area of your account and you’re ready to go!

How can I save a message?

To save a message first click ‘Send SMS’ in your Message Box account, then in the ‘Message’ area type your message and click the ‘Saved Messages’ drop down box and click save.

For more information on sending and saving messages click here

How can I forward my messages from my txtUs number to my email address?

Your responses can be automatically forwarded to your own email and your replies are automatically converted back to text for your customers. To do this go to ‘Message Control’ and click the ‘Received Messages’ tab. Select your txtUs number in the drop down box and click ‘Configure’.

Click on the ‘Email settings’ tab and fill in the email address you want the reponces to go to in the ‘Email’ box.

For more information on txtUs number click here

How do I manage my unsubscribe numbers?

To manage your unsubscribe numbers, click ‘Manage Contacts’ and in ‘Inboxes’ you can see your 4 letter opt-out code. All your unsubscribe numbers are here and you can remove, edit or add them by clicking each row and clicking the ‘Edit’ button at the top of the page.

For more information on unsubscribe numbers click here

How do I send SMS?

To send an SMS click ‘Send SMS’ on the home screen of your Message Box account. Then fill in the corresponding boxes and click ‘Send Now’

Number – Enter numbers manually here or select a group to send to
Sender ID – This is the name the text message will come from
Message – Type your message you want to send
Send – send now, schedule the send, or spread the send

For more information on sending SMS through Message Box click here

How do I manage and add contacts within Message Box?

To manage your contacts, click ‘Manage Contacts’ and then select the group and contact you want to edit and click the ‘Edit’ button at the top of the page.

For more information on managing contacts click here

How can I schedule a message?

Within the ‘Send SMS’ window, follow the normal procedure of completing your message and selecting recipients. Instead of hitting ‘send’ straight away, click on ‘scheduled send’. Choose the required date and time and then click ‘OK’.

The scheduled message will now appear in ‘Scheduled Messages’ within Message Control under. They will be visible up until the scheduled time for sending.

How do I edit a message I have scheduled?

First you will need to select the message you want to change, this will be found within ‘Scheduled Messages’ located in your ‘Message Control’. Once selected, click on ‘Edit’ within the ‘Message’ pane above.

You will now be able to add or delete contacts, edit the message or change the sender ID.

IMPORTANT: After the changes have been made you will need to confirm again your chosen send date and time by clicking on ‘Scheduled Send’.

How can I access delivery reports in Message Box?

Click on the ‘Message Control’ button on the Message Box homepage to access your sent items. Then click the ‘Sent Messages’ tab and click ‘View Report’ next to the message you want to see a delivery report for on the link below to find out more about viewing and exporting delivery reports.

For more information on reports click here

How can I cancel a scheduled message?

Within your Message Box account, click on ‘Message Control’ and look in the ‘Schedules Messages’ tab, click the message and click ‘Delete’.

How can I set up an Auto Responder?

An auto response can only work on short codes and the opt-out code. To set up an Auto Responder, click the ‘Menu’ button at the top of your Message Box account and click ‘Auto Responders’.

Select your keyword in the ‘Select Keyword/Trigger’ drop down box, enter the ‘Sender ID’ and click ‘Save’.

To add auto responses click the ‘Add Response’ button fill in the text, select how long after you receive a response you want the message to go out and then select the ‘Active’ tick box, finally click ‘Save’

For more information on auto responses click here

How can I remove numbers that have failed to send?

If you want to delete mobile numbers that have previously failed to send, you can do this by locating them within your address groups (if you imported the number into Message Box) by using the ‘Find field’ in your Manage contacts area, once found you can then delete the number by clicking the ‘Delete’ button.

If there are a large number of failed messages, you can simply download the delivery report to an Excel spreadsheet.

From here, you can then filter out the failed numbers and delete these. You can then re-import this new set of numbers back into your contacts area.

How do I send email to SMS?

There are 3 main ways to use email to SMS;

Option 1 – To send single emails/messages using domain authentication
Option 2 – To send single emails/messages using username/password authentication
Option 3 – To send messages to multiple recipients with a single email (and advanced features)

For a full breakdown of how to send email to SMS click here

What is GDPR?

GDPR is the EU General Data Protection Regulation which will replace the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. To read more click here.

Are Text Marketer GDPR compliant?

We are compliant with all the requirements of GDPR. In terms of security Text Marketer only operate via Direct UK Network connections. No overseas or ‘grey’ routes are used. So all your info and messages are completely safe with Text Marketer.

Are mobile marketing messages GDPR compliant?

Yes you can still send mobile marketing messages to your customers. They either have to be your existing customers or have explicitly opted in to receive your marketing messages. You have to have a legitimate reason for sending your message but sending mobile marketing messages is completely fine.

How do I make sure my business is GDPR compliant?

To ensure you comply with the GDPR ensure that all personal data you keep on customers is in a safe and secure location. The best thing to do is have a read of the document created by the ico. with 12 steps on preparing for the GDPR which you can read here.

Or if you want to find out more about GDPR and using mobile marketing click here.

What is an alphanumeric SenderID?

  • A sender ID is the name recipients see when they receive your SMS, identifying who has sent the message. 
  • This applies to all SMS messages & surveys sent using  our portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation.

Sender IDs are used for sending one-way messages only and do not support replies. If you require two-way conversational messaging, you will need to purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code.

Why do I need to get the SenderID(s) I want to use approved?

  • Certain countries now require that you register a sender ID for approval, prior to you sending messages.  This allows numbers to be identified and traced and will help to prevent text messages that seek to defraud recipients by using senderIDs based on:
  • A well known brand name that is not their own
  • Another company’s phone number
  • A generic name (e.g. DELIVERY or UPDATE)
  • The regulations cover all text messages sent using a sender ID, whether they are used to communicate externally with customers or internally with employees. 
  • In certain countries, SMS providers (like us) are now obliged to report any material misuse of a sender ID to the correct regulatory body and freeze suspected accounts.

Which countries currently require me to register a sender ID?

  • Australia.

This applies to any company sending messages to Australia from outside the country, or from within Australia itself. For more information, visit the Australian regulator’s website and see the relevant Australian regulations.

What format does a sender ID need to be in, to be approved?

  • An alpha-numeric SenderID can be between 4 and 11 characters, including spaces.
  • It must not:
    • Contain only numbers and/or present itself as a phone number*.
    • Use a generic name (e.g. DELIVERY or UPDATE).
  • It must:
    • Identify the sender – i.e. your brand name/company.
  • Please download our factsheet, to see examples of sender IDs which are compliant and non-compliant with the Australian regulations.

*A Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code you purchase from us can still be used.

I am already using a sender ID. Do I need to get it approved?

  • Yes. Even if you believe that your current sender ID  meets regulatory standards, you must still register it for approval. 
  • If you realise that your current sender ID  does not meet the required standards, you will need to change it and register your new ID for approval.

Can I continue to use the default sender ID WEB SMS, that was given to me when I opened my account?

  • No. You will need to register a new SenderID(s) for approval.
  • The default WEB SMS sender ID can only be used as part of a free trial when an account is first opened.

What are the benefits of registering a sender ID?

  • You need to register to send text messages to Australia, using a sender ID.
  • The regulations are there to protect you and your reputation, by reducing the likelihood of anyone impersonating and using your company credentials to defraud your customers or staff.

As the regulations now ask that you clearly identify your brand/company in the senderID, this will help to maximise transparency and recipient engagement.

When can I register my SenderID?
Registering your senderID with us is quick and easy. If you’re an existing customer, we’ll send you a follow-up email to remind you when it’s time to register; you can  expect this at the beginning of June 2023.

How do I register a sender ID?

  • Sender IDs need to be registered with, and approved by the company you use to send text messages. So you’ll register with the team here.
  • Regardless of whether you send SMS by the  portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation, you will need to register your SenderID(s).
  • As part of the registration process, you will be asked to provide evidence to corroborate that your company has a valid use case for using sender ID. 
  • This evidence will need to include a written statement from the requisite authority within your company (by email or other electronic means), confirming that you have a valid use case.
  • You will also need to provide one of the following:
    • Company Number certificate
    • Business utility bill.

Re-sellers – is the process the same for registering a sender ID?

  • If your company sends SMS on behalf of someone else (e.g. you are a re-seller or a marketing agency etc), you will need to obtain a written statement from the requisite authority within your customer, authorising you to send messages on their behalf. You will then need to share this with us.
  • You will also need to provide one of the following from your customer:
    • Company Number certificate
    • Business utility bill.

Can I register more than one SenderID for approval?

  • Yes. Multiple sender IDs can be registered for approval.
  • You will need to register each sender ID separately and attach the appropriate evidence.

How will I know when my sender ID has been approved or rejected?

  • We will notify you by email when the process is complete.
  • You can start sending messages using the sender ID, as soon as it is approved.

I am an existing customer. Will I still be able to use my current sender D(s) while I am waiting for it to be approved?

  • Yes. However we  strongly recommend that you register your senderID(s) for approval, as soon as we notify you by email that you can do so.
  • All sender IDs must be approved by 30th June 2023, so please allow sufficient time for approval and for a second application, in the event of a refusal.
  • If you have not received sender ID approval by 30th June 2023, you will not be able to send messages to or within Australia.

What happens if a sender ID I tried to register is rejected?

  • Please refer to the guidelines on this support page, and re-register with a different sender ID, using the same online process.
  • If you did not submit sufficient evidence when you registered, we will contact you to clarify the additional information required.

Once approved, will I be able to edit my sender ID?

  • No. You will need to register a new sender ID using the same online process, if you make even a slight change to your approved sender ID.

What will happen if I try to send messages using a sender ID that has not been approved?

  • Your messages will not be compliant with the regulations of the country you are sending that requires approved sender IDs.

Can I still create my own sender IDs, when sending within/to countries that do not require them to be approved?
Yes. You can still create a customised sender ID and use it straight away, when using the portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation.

Do I need to register a sender ID before I can start sending messages?

  • Yes, if you want use one to send to, or within Australia.

However, you can still  send messages instantly, if you purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code from us. Both of these are normally used for two-way conversational messaging, to provide  your staff or customers with an opportunity to respond.

Are Virtual Mobile Numbers (VMNs) and shortcodes affected by the regulations covering sender IDs ?
No. You can purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code from us and begin to use it straight away to send and receive messages.

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