Getting the Best Response Rates For SMS: Opt-In Best Practices
Updated
by
Amy Thomas
Sending your candidates an SMS with their invitation and reminder emails is a great way to alert them to the new assessment or interview task, or remind them that they have a task pending. This can help increase your candidate completion rate and reduce the risk that high-quality candidates drop out during the hiring process.
But there is a danger that your candidates will ignore the message if they don't recognise who it is from. Obtaining consent from your candidates to send them SMS can minimize this.
Why do I need to opt-in?
Mobile phone users tend to have a very low tolerance for unsolicited SMS messages. Response rates for unsolicited SMS campaigns will almost always be low, and therefore the return on your investment will be poor.
Additionally, mobile phone carriers continuously audit bulk SMS senders. They throttle or block messages from numbers that they determine to be sending unsolicited messages.
What do I need to add for opt-in?
The following are best practices and we recommend implementing all of the items if possible.
- Get explicit consent. Explicit consent is the intentional action taken by a candidate (the 'end-user') to request a specific message from your service (the invitation or reminder SMS).
- Provide clear instructions. Tell candidates how to opt-in, what they are opting into, and how to opt-out of the SMS invitation and reminders. Be sure to include your contact information at the opt-in location in case they have any questions or concerns.
The following items are opt-in recommendations to be presented to an end-user at the time of opt-in to ensure the SMS is compliant.
- Program (brand) name
- Message frequency disclosure. (example: “Message frequency varies” or “One message per login”)
- Opt-out information – Criteria SMS supports candidates responding with “STOP” to opt-out of SMS
- Type of SMS (Transactional/Promotional) – Criteria will only send Transactional SMS
- Include “Message and data rates may apply” disclosure.
- Link to a publicly accessible Terms & Conditions page
- Link to a publicly accessible Privacy Policy page
Here is an example: You agree to receive automated Transactional messages from Criteria Corp on behalf of ACME Corp. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Terms and Privacy Policy can be found at www.acmecorp.com/privacy-policy/. Reply STOP to opt-out.
- Respect users’ privacy. Never sell or share candidates’ phone numbers with third parties without their permission. 3rd party data sharing is generally considered a prohibited practice by mobile carriers and violates privacy regulations in many countries.
- Make it easy to opt-out. Candidates should be able to opt-out of SMS invitations and reminders at any time by replying with a simple text message, such as “STOP.”
How do I ask for consent?
Some examples of requesting explicit consent to use candidates' phone numbers for SMS during the application process or an automated email after the application include:
- Opt-In Checkbox: Include a checkbox on the application form where candidates can actively opt-in to receive SMS communications.
- Consent Statement: Add a clear consent statement next to the phone number field indicating that by providing their number, candidates agree to receive text messages related to their application.
- Consent Form: Provide a separate consent form as part of the application process that outlines the types of SMS messages candidates will receive and requires their signature or digital agreement.
- Informational Pop-Up: Use a pop-up window or a dedicated section in the application process that explains the SMS communication process and requires candidates to click "Agree" to proceed.
Remember to ensure that the consent mechanism is compliant with relevant regulations and provides candidates with a clear understanding of what they are consenting to.
Other considerations
Send at appropriate times
Only send messages during normal daytime business hours. If you send messages at dinner time or in the middle of the night, there's a good chance that your candidates will unsubscribe in order to avoid being disturbed. Furthermore, it doesn't make sense to send SMS messages when your candidates can't respond to them immediately.
Using SMS in your hiring process
To learn more about using SMS as part of your hiring process, click here.
