Adding and using required variables


Identifying your organization has always been a best practice for an initial message, but over the last few years, including it and opt-out language increases your deliverability. Carriers need to see that recipients know who is contacting them and how to stop it (if they want,) and we have made complying simple for GetThru admins. Both the Organization Display Name and the Opt Out Language can be personalized for your audience. As a university, for example, we know that you may communicate differently to incoming first-year students than their parents, for example.


Campaign Creation

On Step 1 of the Campaign Creation, there is a text input field for "Organization Display Name" and a drop-down menu for "Opt Out Language". The text selected for each will be available as required variables when creating your initial message in later steps.  


While it's important to engage your audience authentically, keeping these portions of your initial message short is also essential! They will affect the total character and segment counts of your initial message.

Screenshot of black text on a white background with a text input box in the top section and a drop down menu at the bottom.

Carriers require that "Opt Out Language" have certain words and phrases. We have made it even easier by creating a drop-down menu of 32 compliant phrases for you to choose from! 


For accounts that have Auto Opt Out toggled on, if a message recipient sends back a phrase on the Opt Out Language list as their first reply, they will be auto opted out.


NOTE - Opt Out Language is required for every initial message sent by ThruText. Attempting to circumvent using the Opt Out Language in initial messages may result in account suspension.


Initial Message Script

On Step 3 of Campaign Creation, you will create the initial message for your campaign. Your required variables have already been created for you!


Screenshot of a text input box with text and outline in dark grey on a white background. There are two buttons above the blank text input field.


To use your variables, write out your message by clicking on the buttons in the appropriate places in the script. "Org Name" and "Opt Out" are required variables and must be inserted before proceeding to the next step of campaign creation.


The buttons "Org Name" and "Opt Out" can be used at any point in your script. Try using simple Opt Out Language from the drop-down to build a sentence your contacts would expect from you. For example:


  • My contacts expect a familiar, polite opt-out like this:
    "Our organization uses real people to send texts, but you can always quit texts if you want."
    • I selected "Quit to end" on Step 1 of Campaign Creation because it's similar to what my contacts have seen from GetThru Support.
    • Type your script. I've made some subtle changes to the familiar, polite script. I'm using:
      "Hi %FirstName%, you signed up to phonebank tomorrow! Can you please bring a friend with you to make calls for %OrgName%? Our organization uses real people to send texts, but you can always say %OptOut% texts if you want." 
    • This is what I see in the message preview:


Screenshot of an illustrated cellphone with a drafted message in black text inside of a light blue chat bubble.


  • This initial message meets all the criteria for compliance requirements set by the carriers! Using the Organization Display Name and the Opt Out Language phrases will maintain high deliverability rates.


For additional message creation tips, please check out our SMS Best Practices and MMS Best Practices guides.