Texting is one of the most effective ways for churches to communicate with their members.
98% of text messages are read, and 90% are read within 3 minutes. To make sure your messages actually reach the people you send them to, it helps to follow a few key practices.
Cell phone carriers filter messages that appear spammy or violate their guidelines, and several common mistakes can trigger those filters. This article covers the most important factors that affect SMS deliverability and what you can do to send with confidence.
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1. Keep Messages Under 160 Characters
A standard SMS is 160 characters or less. You can send longer messages through Text In Church, but carriers split longer messages and sometimes deliver the segments out of order, which creates a poor experience for the recipient.
Shorter messages also feel more personal and are less likely to be flagged as spam. If you need to share a lot of information, keep the text short and direct people to check their email or visit a link.
You can also use the Pages feature under the Connect tab to share detailed content.
2. Use Standard Characters Only (7-Bit Alphabet)
SMS messages use the 7-bit alphabet, which includes standard letters, numbers, and basic punctuation. Certain special characters, accents, and symbols fall outside this set and can split your message into extra segments or cause delivery issues.
Avoid characters like // [ ] { } and special accented letters when possible.
3. Avoid Public URL Shorteners
Services like Bit.ly and TinyURL have poor reputations with carriers because spammers frequently use them. Including these links in your messages increases the chance of being filtered.
Instead, use the built-in URL Shortener in Text In Church, found under the Tools tab. This creates a branded link that carriers recognize as trustworthy.
4. Do Not Copy and Paste From Other Programs
Copying text from Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other applications can bring hidden formatting characters into your message. These can push your message over the 160-character limit, split it into multiple segments, and increase the risk of spam filtering.
Always type your messages directly in the Text In Church message editor.
5. Avoid Sending Identical Messages to Large Groups
If you send the same message content to more than 200 people, carriers may flag it as potential spam. Carrier systems monitor sending rate and message content, similar to email spam filters. Messages receive a cumulative score based on volume, similarity to other messages, and spam signals.
Varying your message timing and content helps reduce this risk. Sending the same message at the same time each week is not recommended.
6. Limit or Avoid Photos and Attachments
Attaching photos converts texts to MMS, which has higher delivery risk and counts as two messages against your allotment. Large volumes of MMS messages can result in delays or carrier blocks.
In practice, people respond just as well to plain text. Save graphics for a follow-up email. If you notice delivery delays when sending attachments, test the same message without the image to isolate the cause.
7. Personalize Your Messages and Encourage Replies
Adding a first name variable to your messages makes each one unique, reducing the risk of identical-content filtering. Personalized messages also feel more genuine to recipients.
Encouraging replies signals to carriers that you are having real conversations rather than sending bulk spam. Include a question or a clear call to action to drive engagement and improve your sender reputation over time.
Troubleshooting Delivery Issues
If delivery problems continue after following these best practices, gather specific examples of undelivered messages and contact support@textinchurch.com within 24 to 48 hours. Providing detailed examples helps the team diagnose and address the issue quickly.
