Quick Summary

The post demystifies mass text service (aka bulk SMS): it’s legal, carrier-regulated, and—when powered by an A2P-ready platform like Salesmsg—one of the fastest ways to broadcast offers, alerts, and appointment reminders at scale. It walks readers through compliance (TCPA, opt-ins/opt-outs), tool selection (short code vs. long code vs. toll-free), and the must-have features—segmentation, scheduling, two-way messaging, analytics—that turn plain SMS marketing into revenue-driving text engagement.

Key Takeaways

1. Compliance first, text second.
   For all businesses in the U.S., you must register for SMS compliance either using a Toll-Free number or Local phone numbers to send texts to customers. Beyond that, only send mass SMS to contacts who have explicitly opted in, allowing your SMS subscribers to opt-out at anytime, stick to reasonable sending times in the local timezone, and avoid SHAFT content (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco/cannabis) to keep regulators and mobile carriers happy.
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2. Platform power = campaign success.
   Look for an SMS web app/iOS & Android apps that give you segmentation, reusable templates, click-to-schedule sends, real-time stats, AI Agents and other AI Assistance, and automatic opt-out handling—plus integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce, ActiveCampaign, Zapier) to keep your mass texting list up to date without spreadsheets.

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Mass texting service.

Sounds like a recipe for spam, right? An ecosystem populated by shady basement lurkers who speak in whispers about link wheels, cloaking, and rich snippet markup spam.

First off, let’s get this clear — mass texting service is legitimate. Disclaimers on that forthcoming.

Second, however, a good mass texting service is hard to find.

Third, there are a series of important cautions to know before selecting a mass texting service and sending a mass text.

So, let’s answer all the questions — both asked and unasked — and explain exactly how to legitimately and safely engage in mass texting.

If you’re looking to build a communication strategy that actually gets results, mass texting is the messaging tool you can’t afford to ignore. Business SMS and SMS messaging are essential communication channels for small businesses, allowing them to engage customers efficiently, reliably, and at scale. Choosing the right business SMS platform helps small businesses streamline communication, enhance customer engagement, and ensure their messages reach the right audience.

Why is mass texting so effective?

Let’s face it—almost everyone reads their text messages. That’s why mass texting, also known as bulk SMS or SMS broadcasts, has become a go-to communication strategy for businesses looking to reach their audience instantly. Whether you’re sending out appointment reminders, flash sales, or important updates, mass texting lets you deliver SMS messages to large groups of people in seconds.

With mobile phones glued to our hands, businesses can use mass texting and bulk SMS to cut through the noise and make sure their messages are seen. From promoting new products to sharing event details, mass texting is a powerful way to keep your audience informed and engaged. If you’re looking to build a communication strategy that actually gets results, mass texting is the messaging tool you can’t afford to ignore.

What's the best mass texting service? 

Salesmsg is an industry-leading best mass texting, bulk texting, or SMS broadcast tool. 

Why? 

• Superior protection and carrier compliance
• Exceptional deliverability
• Audience segmentation
• Easy scheduling
• Much more

As a reliable messaging service and text messaging service, Salesmsg offers comprehensive features for business communication, ensuring high deliverability, scalability, and ease of use.

You can customize bulk SMS to your heart’s content.

Plus, after launching your mass texting campaign, you get real time feedback and data-driven insights to help you optimize future mass texting campaigns. 

If you want to start mass texting today, sign up for a free trial with Salesmsg, and you’re on your way to a happy and prosperous life. 

Now, feel free to stick around for a deeper dive. 

What Is Mass Texting? 

Mass texting, also called bulk texting, is the act of sending a single text message or SMS to a large group of people. 

In theory, it’s brilliant. Genius, even.

You take a hot minute. Spin up a text. And, triple flip, you’ve touched thousands of customers. 

Makes me wanna dance. 

But there’s a dark side to mass texting that you need to know about. 

Mass Texting Service: Be Careful, Please

If you’re looking for SMS Spam Techniques 2021 Edition, this article is probably going to disappoint you. Here’s something else for you to enjoy.

Mass texting is legal.

BUT, it’s also heavily restricted. As in laws. Lots of government laws. 

What laws? I was hoping you’d ask. 

• 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(iii)
• 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3)(B)
• 47 U.S.C. 227(a)(3); 47 CFR 64.1200(f)(14)
• 47 U.S.C. § 227(a)(1) and (b)(1).
• 23 FCC Rcd. 559, 566 (2008)

Frankly, reading these laws are about as boring as driving Interstate 70 through Kansas in a 1989 Toyota Camry. 

Don’t get me wrong. I love Kansas. 

But reading this stuff feels like scraping your eyeballs with a grapefruit spoon. 

The term “established business relationship”, for purposes only of subsection (b)(1)(C)(i), shall have the meaning given the term in section 64.1200 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2003, except that— (A) such term shall include a relationship between a person or entity and a business subscriber subject to the same terms applicable under such section to a relationship between a person or entity and a residential subscriber; and (B) an established business relationship shall be subject to any time limitation established pursuant to paragraph (2)(G)).[1]

Those are the kinds of mass texting laws that you are required to obey if you want to engage in lawful, ethical, legitimate mass texting the right way. 

To summarize in language that normal humans can understand, here are the basics:

1. You can only send mass texts to people who have consented to receive them.
2. Your text messages must be sent within reasonable daytime hours (8a-9p)
3. Those who are on the National Do Not Call Registry should not receive a mass text.
4. You must identify your business or organization.
5. You cannot send messages about sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, or cannabis. (These are the S.H.A.F.T. guidelines.)

Texting compliance also requires careful management of opt-ins and opt-outs. Always record opt-ins to ensure you have proper consent, and automatically handle opt-outs to maintain compliance and respect customer preferences.

A few case specific examples:

• You run a gambling ring? Don’t mass text your customers about a special.
• You use profanity? Don’t mass text.
• You want to promote a sexually explicit or suggestive OnlyFans? Don’t mass text.
• You want to sell a cannabis edible? Don’t mass text.
• You want to use multiple exclamation points in your content? Don’t mass text.

One reason why the restrictions seem complicated is, well, because they are, and because they are coming from multiple sources:

• The government or government-associated organizations, specifically these departments: Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA).
• The mobile carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, US Cellular, etc.
• The specific mass texting tools, such as Salesmsg.

In general, all the laws are intended to protect consumers, so we’re fans.

How To Do Mass Texting The Right Way

How do you do mass texting right?

There’s a very simple answer — use a trusted SMS platform for mass texting, such as Salesmsg

Mass texting platforms are referred to as A2Ps — which stands for app to person. They are designed not just to make your job of texting customers easier, but to ensure that you stay in compliance with all the relevant laws and regulations that surround mass text messaging.

In this decade, the biggest recent change in the SMS industry has been SMS compliance. The mobile carriers now require all U.S. businesses to register for either A2P A2P 10DLC or toll-free compliance to send mass texts to U.S. numbers from a texting platform.

A2P 10DLC stands for app to person ten-digit long code.

Using an A2P 10DLC allows your business to text customers using a local phone number with a recognizable local area code.

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There are many benefits of using a 10DLC (ten-digit long code), one of them being the extra layer of security it gives to both you and customers in sending and receiving mass texts.

If you are interested in mass texting, you’ll need to register your business and sign up for a 10DLC.

With Salesmsg, the process is quick and easy. The Salesmsg platform integrates with the carriers to ensure that your business registration goes through successfully.

The Salesmsg team built 10DLC registration directly into our app to walk you step-by-step through this process. Our app even uses AI Assistance to make it easier to fill out the necessary forms. All totaled, it takes 5-10 minutes to register. Then the mobile carriers have to approve your business.

Features to Look for in a Mass Texting Service

Not all texting platforms are created equal. When you’re shopping for the right platform, look for features that make your life easier and your campaigns more effective. You’ll want the ability to send mass text messages to unlimited contacts, plus tools for creating automated workflows and two way messaging so you can have real conversations—not just one-way blasts.

A top-notch mass texting service should offer customizable templates, detailed analytics, and a user-friendly, reliable interface that lets you schedule and send messages in just a few clicks.

Managing your contact lists and opt out requests should be simple, too. Bonus points if the service includes SMS automations, toll free numbers, AI Assistance, and integrations with your favorite marketing tools. The right texting service will help you send messages at scale, stay compliant, track analytics, and keep your audience engaged—all from one easy-to-use dashboard.

Choosing the Best Mass Texting Service

With so many texting platforms out there, how do you pick the best one for your business? 

Start by identifying your goals—do you need advanced features, unlimited contacts, or just a simple way to send messages? Look for a mass texting service that offers a free trial, so you can test the platform and see if it fits your workflow.

Don’t just take the provider’s word for it—read reviews, ask for referrals, and compare features. Popular options like EZ Texting, SlickText, and Textedly each have their strengths, so weigh your options carefully. The right texting service or SMS marketing service will help you boost sales, improve customer engagement, and streamline your communication strategy. 

Do your homework, try before you buy, and choose a mass texting service that will help your business grow—without any hidden fees or headaches.

Mass Texting With Short Codes vs. Long Codes

There are two common ways to send a mass text — using a short code or using a long code.

A short code is a six-digit number like 79000. 

A long code, discussed above, is ten digits with a either a 10-digit local area code or toll-free prefix — for example, 561-999-8877, or 1-800-123-45676.

The alternative is using a short code to send mass texts. 

If you use a short code, you can achieve higher throughput and send a mass text to thousands of recipients. Salesmsg provides you with an option to lease a dedicated short code for higher-volume mass texting purposes.

Mass texting at a high volume is usually for use cases such as one-way texts, or widespread notifications or alerts. They may also be used for marketing messages.

How to Safely and Effectively Use Mass Texting

At Salesmsg, we've built a SMS broadcasting platform to make it easy to send mass texts.

1. In the Salesmsg platform, you click on Create Broadcast.
2. You then name your broadcast.
3. You can customize the filters that you want to apply to your broadcast.
4. Select the number you want to send the broadcast from
5. Schedule the broadcast or send it right away. 

The entire process of creating and sending a mass text takes about 45 seconds.

By selecting only a portion of your mailing list, you can more effectively connect with, upsell, maintain, or update the recipients who truly matter.

More importantly, Salesmsg’s mass texting service protects you and consumers by remaining strictly within deliverability thresholds. You can schedule your mass texts with confidence, knowing they will be delivered as planned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to mass text my customers? 

Yes, as long as you have registered for SMS compliance, your customers have provided their consent and your texts are compliant with local laws and carrier regulations, you can send mass texts using a short code, 10-digit long code, or a toll-free number. 

Can I send mass texts from a toll-free number?

Yes, as long as your toll-free number is text enabled and verified with the mobile carriers. Salesmsg is the mass texting platform to use for this functionality. 

Will the carriers block me if I try to send mass texts?

As long as you registered for SMS compliance with the mobile carriers, you should be able to send mass texts. If you are using Salesmsg as your mass texting service, we’ve implemented features to help you register for 10DLC compliance and increase your deliverability.

How do you send thousands of texts at once?

You can send thousands of texts at once using a mass texting service like Salesmsg. These mass texts are limited in their functionality, and can only be used for one-way texting. 

Is mass texting illegal? 

No. Mass texting is perfectly legitimate and entirely legal. However, there are important laws that regulate how and what you send in your mass texts.

How can I send a mass text for free? 

There’s really no such thing as free mass texting. Either you have a phone plan, which costs money, or you use a mass texting service, which also costs money. 

The exception is to start a free 14-day trial on Salesmsg. Give it a try today!