In the ever-evolving landscape of SMS marketing, alphanumeric sender IDs offer businesses a unique opportunity to elevate their brand presences, enhance trust, and improve engagement. At Welcorp we have been managing SMS traffic and origination for over twenty years and we are committed to helping businesses leverage this powerful tool effectively. This blog will explore the best practices for using alphanumeric sender IDs, compliance requirements, and how Welcorp provides a secure and compliant messaging service.
What is an alphanumeric sender ID?
Alphanumeric sender ID allows businesses to send SMS messages with a custom sender name, typically reflecting the company or brand name. In broader terms, instead of seeing a random phone number, recipients will see the brand name in the sender field. The sender ID is limited to between 3 and 11 characters. The characters can include letters (A-Z) and numbers (0-9), but special characters and spaces are not permitted.
Alphanumeric sender IDs are perfect for one way communication, like marketing promotions or notifications, but cannot receive replies. For businesses needing two-way interaction with customers a virtual number or standard mobile number should be used instead. You could also include a number in the initial message for customers to send replies to, allowing you to use your brand name for the initial message while giving customers or clients the ability to reply if further communication is required.
Why use your brand name as your sender ID?
The primary advantage of using an alphanumeric sender ID is improved brand recognition. When a customer receives an SMS from a recognisable name, they’re more likely to acknowledge and engage with the message. This familiarity can help to create a stronger brand presence and can lead to higher engagement rates in your marketing campaigns.
Having your business or brand name as the sender ID induces a higher level of professionalism to your customers and clients. Instead of a generic phone number, your messages can show your brand name making the message appear more polished.
A key point of SMS marketing law is to ensure you clearly identify yourself to the recipients of your message. The use of alphanumeric sender ID can also ensure that your marketing messages are compliant with this requirement.
Alphanumeric Sender IDs Compliance
Unfortunately, there are currently no authorisation requirements for using alphanumeric sender IDs. So, it doesn’t inherently protect against phishing or spoofing attempts by malicious parties. Thankfully some companies, such as Welcorp, are implementing their own sender ID restrictions to protect the Right of Use (ROU) of SMS sender IDs. To use an alphanumeric sender ID through Welcorps platform a user must provide evidence of their Right to Use for that sender ID. In this way Welcorp and other companies like them are working to decrease the incidents of malicious parties using a brand or companies name for phishing.
In August 2024 a new amendment to the Australian Telecommunications Act was passed which focuses on alphanumeric sender IDs. The bill aims to prevent SMS and MMS impersonation scams using alphanumeric sender IDs. Legitimate companies will have to register their sender IDs with the ACMA and then telecommunications companies would need to confirm whether a message using alphanumeric sender ID is being sent by authorised users. As of writing this blog it is very early days, and nothing has been confirmed about the implementation of these new requirements. But rest assured that Welcorp will be fully compliant and uphold their 20-year record of never being listed by the ACMA as non-compliant.
Opt-out compliance
Whether you’re using an alphanumeric sender ID or a standard numeric phone number, it’s crucial to implement a clear opt-out mechanism in all your marketing messages to ensure you’re compliant with SMS marketing laws. In Australia customers must always be given an easy way to opt out of receiving further messages, this is typically accomplished by replying to the message with a keyword such as “Stop”.
However, alphanumeric sender IDs can’t receive replies, so another opt-out mechanism must be utilised. This can be accomplished either by including a URL that customers can click to opt out or include a number that the customers can send “Stop” to so they can opt out. Utilising a digital messaging platform like Welcorp can really simplify these requirements through the use of virtual numbers and utilising their system to handle any opt out messages.
Best Practices for Alphanumeric Sender ID
Character Limits
Alphanumeric sender IDs are limited to between 3 and 11 characters and can only include letters(A-Z) and numbers (0-9). No special characters or spaces can be used, however letters can be used both capitalised or lowercase. This can allow you to include multiple words without hurting the readability, a good example would be “AusPost”.
Consistency
Sticking to a single sender ID across all your campaigns is a good way to build brand recognition. It can be tempting to customise your sender ID for each individual campaign, but this won’t contribute to building brand awareness and could lead to lower customer engagement.
Compliance
You must always ensure your messages are compliant with all SMS marketing regulations. In the case of identifying yourself to the recipient, alphanumeric sender ID helps. But adding in opt out options requires more effort and forethought. Working with a telecommunications provider like Welcorp, who have a reputation for being consistently compliant with all regulations for over 20 years, can help your business to ensure you’re compliant. Welcorp knows all the regulations and can help guide your business too.
Alphanumeric sender IDs are an invaluable tool for businesses looking to improve their brand recognition and marketing engagement. However, it’s essential to follow best practices and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements. Welcorp makes it easy for businesses to set up, manage, and monitor their sender IDs while ensuring full compliance with regulations.
If you’re ready to take your SMS marketing to the next level, contact Welcorp to learn more about alphanumeric sender ID and how they can help you implement it for your marketing campaigns.
