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      WeGive Text Messaging SMS Overview

      WeGive’s text messaging feature lets you communicate with supporters via automated SMS—great for reminders, resource delivery, follow-ups, and campaign nudges. Texts can be sent from a Journey, to a segment, or triggered by supporter actions.

      1) Message Type: SMS (only)

      • Standard text messages billed per 160-character segment (see encoding below).

      • Best for short updates and links to content (podcasts, devotionals, impact pages, etc.).

      • No images or media attachments are supported (MMS is not supported).

      2) Character limits & encoding

      SMS encoding Segment size What triggers it
      GSM-7 160 chars/segment Standard keyboard (A–Z, 0–9, basic punctuation)
      UCS-2 70 chars/segment Any non-GSM character (e.g., emojis, some symbols/accents)

      Tips

      • Use a short link to save characters and track clicks.

      • Avoid emojis/special characters if you want the full 160-character segment.

      3) Links & attachments

      • Links are supported and count toward your character limit.

      • Attachments/media are not supported.

      • Carriers sometimes mis-handle long URLs; prefer short links and test.

      4) Phone number options

      Type Typical throughput Approx. monthly line cost Good for
      Local ~2 msg/sec ~$2 Regional/personal feel
      Toll-free ~3 msg/sec (optionally higher w/ special provisioning) ~$5 Most orgs / nationwide
      Short code High (requires separate program) $$$ Very high volume (not typical)

      Recommendation: Start with toll-free for broad comms (cost-effective, solid deliverability). Use multiple local numbers if you need a “personal/local” feel.

      5) Opt-in / Opt-out

      • Carriers enforce opt-outs. If a recipient replies STOP (or carrier keyword), the number is blocked at the network level for that sending line. There is no manual override.

      • WeGive does not auto-append “Reply STOP to opt out.” Add this to your copy if desired.

      • You can configure auto-responses and keyword handlers (e.g., “Reply LINK”).

      6) Send limits & billing

      • Throughput is per phone number (e.g., ~3 msg/sec for toll-free, ~2 msg/sec for local).

      • Billed per segment (160 GSM-7 or 70 UCS-2 characters).

      • WeGive passes through Twilio carrier costs—no markup.

      7) Journeys & automation

      • SMS is available as a channel in Journeys alongside email and other steps.

      • Common patterns:

        • Welcome/confirmation immediately after form submit

        • Drip series delivering resources over days/weeks

        • Post-gift follow-ups and program updates (transactional)

      Example (GSM-7, short link):
      “Thanks for signing up for the Life Skills Starter Pack! Episode 1: bit.ly/xyz123”

      8) Reporting

      In the dashboard you’ll see core SMS metrics such as:

      • Sent

      • Delivered (where available)

      • Replies

      • Opt-outs

      Note: Opens and bounces aren’t available for SMS.

      9) Compliance & best practices

      • Obtain explicit opt-in for marketing texts.

      • Transactional texts (e.g., donation updates, program notices) may rely on passive consent—confirm with your policies.

      • Identify your org in each message: “This is {Org Name}…”

      • Keep frequency reasonable (often 1–2 texts/week per journey).

      • Prefer short links; avoid emojis if you need the full 160 characters.

      10) Verification & list quality

      • Add basic phone validation on your forms (10-digit format, country as needed).

      • If desired, implement API-based phone verification on the form.

      • Optional “light” confirmation: first message asks the user to reply with a keyword (e.g., GO) before starting a series.

      11) Setup checklist

      1. Buy numbers
        Settings → Messaging → Phone Numbers → Buy Number
        Suggested lines: Fundraising, Marketing, Prayer, Alumni Engagement.

      2. Build journeys
        Add SMS steps, schedule delays, use short links.

      3. Validate forms
        Ensure phone fields are properly validated before enrollment.

      4. Monitor metrics
        Watch Sent/Delivered/Replies/Opt-outs and adjust content/frequency.

      12) FAQ

      Can supporters reply?
      Yes. Replies show in WeGive; you can respond or set auto-replies.

      Do links count toward the limit?
      Yes—every character counts.

      Do you support images/GIFs?
      No. MMS is not supported.

      International texting?
      Supported where carriers allow; international rates apply.