I am new to SFMC Mobile Connect and wanted some clarity on short codes. We have a client that uses a short code for a SMS campaign - essentially directing their targets to a generic web site about their company. They wish to launch a new campaign to send SMS messages to an audience - directing them to web sites that are product specific.
Due to budgetary constraints, they do not wish to purchase additional short codes. All campaigns will be run from the same BU.
My question - If we use the same short code and if the user's respond with a STOP from one message - that will effectively stop all SMS messaging for that mobile number across all SMS messages(campaigns) being run from that business unit? I believe that will be the case.
In this case what would be an effective opt out strategy - to allow communication at a brand level (We use Preference Center for Email, something similar)?
I read in the link https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000383747&type=1 that short codes can be shared across BU, but key words cannot be shared. What does that mean exactly? If the Client has a multi-BU structure - one for each product then a STOP from one message in a BU will not impact other messaging from other BU's using the same short code?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Regards Sid
"STOP" Keyword
If a user texts "STOP" to your short code, they are opting out of all keywords associated with your shortcode, this includes keywords in other BUs that share the shortcode. There are other "STOP" keywords that MobileConnect will recognize.
Short Codes
Short codes can be shared across BUs. You can ask support to enable this at the EID level so that it's shared to all current BUs and future BUs, or you can share to specific BUs.
Keywords
keywords are specific to the BU where was created in and can't be shared across BUs. For example, if you create the keyword "JOIN" in BU 1, the user will be opting into that keyword in BU 1. That user's MobileConnect opt in status will reside in BU 1. You can create other keywords to the same short code in BU 1 and again the opt in status will reside in BU 1. If you create another keyword (not used in another BU) in BU 2, then users that opt in to that keyword will have their Mobile Connect opt in status reside in BU 2.
Workarounds
You maybe able to create a custom flow where you advise the user to text a non global stop keyword like "OPTOUT" to be removed from campaign 1. You can use AMPscript in the keyword message flow to record their campaign 1 opt out status. And then configure campaign 1 to suppress those users.