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Short Code is a 5-6 digit phone number used for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages at scale. Short Code texting is opt-in only, meaning you can only text people who have explicitly agreed to receive messages from you. 

Prior to targeting your audience, ensure all your opt-in methods are connected to Scale to Win Text.

Options to Build Your Subscriber List:

  • Keyword opt-in, including custom keywords

  • Import a CSV of existing subscribers

  • Website API

  • ActBlue webhook

  • ActionKit sync

Keyword Opt-Ins
Fixed Keywords
When applying for a Short Code, you must provide at least one keyword for opting in, one for opting out, and one for support. For instance, users could text JOIN to subscribe, STOP to unsubscribe, and HELP for assistance. You can choose any word for the opt-in keyword, but emojis are not permitted.

Scale to Win will set up the keywords you include in your Short Code application. These will appear in the tool as Fixed Keywords. 

When a contact texts a Fixed Keyword to your Short Code, they’ll receive the corresponding autoresponse script. These scripts cannot be changed without resubmitting them to the carriers. Reach out to our Client Support team for assistance with script changes.


Custom Keywords
You can add custom keywords with different autoresponse scripts. Existing subscribers who text a custom keyword will receive its specific response. New subscribers, upon texting a custom keyword, will be added to your list and receive both the approved opt-in message and the custom script.

To add custom keywords:

  1. Navigate to your Short Code page.

  2. Scroll to the Opt-In Keywords section.

  3. Click + New Opt-In Keyword. 

  1. In the popup window, add the keyword (one word) and the script your contacts will receive automatically in response. 

  2. Click Save.

Keep In Mind:
You can create as many keywords as you need as long as the use case is aligned with your registration

  • Keywords must be between 3 and 15 characters

  • Avoid using keywords that are registered trademarks or infringe on third-party rights

  • No keywords should be racist, profane, or pornographic

  • Keywords must be one word, using only letters and numbers (no spaces or special characters)

  • Keywords are not case sensitive


Note: Emojis can be used as custom keywords, but not as opt-in keywords. Be aware that emoji appearance can vary across devices, and newer emojis might not be supported on all platforms.

Import Existing Subscribers From A CSV

  1. Navigate to your Short Code page.

  2. Scroll to the Subscribers section and click + Add Subscribers.

  1. Choose an upload method: Text Entry or File Upload. 

    1. Text Entry: Enter the phone number, first name, and last name of the subscriber into the popup.

    2. File Upload: File upload requires a CSV file with phone numbers at minimum. Drag in a file or select from your desktop.

  2. By default, the upload feature sends an opt-in confirmation message from your Short Code, as required by carriers. Keep this toggle on if a confirmation message has never been sent to contacts on this list. If confirmation has been sent elsewhere, toggle this off to prevent a duplicate message.

Import Subscribers From Your Website

Connect your website's phone number collection field to Scale to Win Text using an API key. This API endpoint creates or updates subscribers linked to your Short Code number.

Create An API Key

  1. Click on your initial in the top right corner.

  2. Navigate to your Organization Settings.

  3. Click API Keys.




  1. Click +Create API Key.


Sync To Your System

  1. Ensure your system can interact with API endpoints and has the correct authorization tokens. 

  2. Send a POST request with the subscriber's first name, last name, phone number, and an optional welcome message. Third-party tools such as Hightouch can streamline syncing subscriber data with this endpoint, making it easier to automate and manage. 

  3. For detailed API documentation, navigate to your Organization Settings, select the API Keys tab, and click View API Documentation.


Import Your ActBlue Donors

You can sync your ActBlue donors with your Short Code subscribers list using the ActBlue webhook. For detailed instructions, please refer to our ActBlue Sync: Short Code Opt-Ins article.

Import Your ActionKit Subscribers
To sync Short Code opt-ins collected in ActionKit with your Scale to Win Text account, utilize the ActionKit webhook. For detailed instructions, refer to our ActionKit Sync: Short Code Opt-Ins article.

Threads
To view message threads with subscribers, click the View Thread messaging icon in the subscriber's row in your Short Code page. Conversation threads with Short Code users are created in these cases:

  1. When you message a contact as part of an outbound campaign.

  2. When a current subscriber texts the shortcode, with or without a keyword.

  3. When a non-subscriber texts an opt-in keyword.

Note: Non-subscribers who text opt-out or help keywords will get automated messages, but no conversation thread will be created.

Details: Click on the arrow icon in a subscriber’s row to see details about how they were subscribed, view your thread with them, or opt them out manually.

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