The Campaign Registry - also known as TCR - Explained and Defined

If you’re in marketing and deal with text messaging for business you’ve likely heard of The Campaign Registry (TCR) - the key to making sure your texts reach their destination.

The TCR was designed to keep a log of which 10DLC messaging campaigns are being run at any given time and to ensure that the companies running them adhere to the standards of business practice that they find acceptable.

Stick with us to read along as we break down the TCR’s role in A2P 10DLC messaging.

Who Created The Campaign Registry?

The Campaign Registry was created by some of the largest mobile network operators in the US, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. The Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) knew that A2P SMS messaging had a bright future but that this could only be the case if they could protect SMS messaging from spam. Mobile Network Providers had watched email lose its edge as users started to deal with too much spam, so they created a way to keep your inbox(es) clean.

MNOs knew they could profit from the growth in the SMS market and didn’t want to wait around for regulation, and so the 10DLC SMS registration process was born. As a result, the TCR makes sure A2P 10DLC messaging thrives while spam gets filtered out.

What is TCR Registration?

If you’re a legitimate business sending legitimate SMS campaigns, consider The Campaign Registry your registration hub. If you’re using 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) for Application-to-Person (A2P) text messaging, you’ll need to register your brand.

How do you know if you’re using 10DLC? Basically, it’s a traditional 10 digit phone number that’s a welcomed method by mobile operators. Clerk Chat customers, for instance, either bring their own number or activate a new one, and once they have their number ready to go, the registration process is relatively simple.

Clerk Chat offers the ability to fill out Brand Registration and monitor progress directly from the app. Although verification could take a week (or more) it sometimes is complete in less time and the page is updated with status and campaign ID.

Brand Registration is also a way to protect consumers and preserve the reputation of businesses in the SMS marketing space.

Campaigns must be approved before they can be sent out, which means that the content has to be looked at closely to ensure that it meets the best practice guidelines.

10DLC Campaigns Best Practices

Let’s assume you’ve registered with the TCR, and you’re ready to go with A2P 10DLC messaging. Great. You’re on the right track - let’s just make sure you’re on the best track with effective, engaging, compliant campaigns.

Content: The Campaign Registry is respected because it creates a safe, trusted space for business communication. Avoid message content that comes across as spam, like phishing, privacy, anything inappropriate, and unclear links.

Consent: Get the customer’s “okay” to receive messages from your business. If you’re not sure where to start, consider a sign-up, in-app opt-in, or a form. Clerk Chat, for instance, offers a free form builder with a place to include text to let the user know they’re opting in. Additionally, most enterprise texting solutions make it very easy to keep track of opt-ins and opt-outs.

Credibility: If you have multiple businesses, consider using separate numbers for each rather than a single number, send messages only through authorized channels, and familiarize yourself with rules set by regulatory organizations.

And one more to add to the list:

Make a great first impression with The Campaign Registry.

At Clerk Chat we’ve had a lot of experience helping brands get registered. Here are a few tips on how to showcase your brand’s professionalism:

• TCR appreciates clarity, so you are required to share your EIN, which must match the legal company name of the brand you’re registering.
• Be clear on what is being sent, meaning your use case.
• TCR does sometimes reach out to the brands to troubleshoot or verify business relationships, even if the provider is handling the registration.

If you’re still researching and figuring out the best way to get started, Clerk Chat offers a free demo where you can learn about the platform, how to send campaigns, and ask questions about the brand registration process.

Is TCR Registration Mandatory?

Yes, before you can send out SMS messages in the US, you will need to have secured your TCR registration. This applies to all industries and sectors which opt to employ this method of marketing.

Mobile Network Operators will use the TCR to verify your information before they proceed with distributing your campaign. You will need to have registered a legitimate use case before being permitted to contact consumers in this way.

Simply put, carriers want to know who is sending messages and what messages are being sent.

Penalties for Failing to Register with TCR

All business messaging is considered Application-to-Person (A2P). People receive messages from friends and family all day long, and now people have been receiving significantly higher numbers of messages from brands.

Major carriers determined there had to be a solution to reduce spam and differentiate from legitimate business messaging, and so, The Campaign Registry created a way to help carriers block messages that shouldn’t make it to an end-user’s inbox.

Now, it’s in your best interest to follow through with The Campaign Registry requirements, even if it takes longer than you’d hope - otherwise you might find yourself with a problem that sets off a domino effect.

You likely won’t be able to text numbers without being registered, and if you do, you probably will be required to pay a fine, potentially per message. Additionally, if you do try to send messages, they may not go anywhere - and if that’s the case, how are you supposed to track delivery and open rate data?

And if you’re wondering, “What is 10DLC Compliance?” it’s more than checking boxes and filling out forms. They want to know who you are and your intentions. For instance, if you share SMS templates as examples, are those the messages you actually send? Does everything align? This verification system protects both consumers and businesses in the TCR texting ecosystem. Filling out the 10DLC Campaign Registry may be a step in the process you didn’t anticipate, but it’s one you’ll be thankful for later.

What is Clerk Chat and How Do We Assist With SMS Campaign Registration?

As a SaaS company, Clerk Chat makes it possible for your business to text message customers, clients, leads, other companies, and so on. If your phone line doesn’t currently have the ability to send SMS, we can make it happen. We can also help you get a brand new number, integrate with Microsoft Teams, and generally unify your communication so you’re not juggling quite as many tabs and apps.

However, the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are requiring Campaign Service Providers (CSPs) to be transparent about who is sending messages and why. Clerk Chat assists companies in registering their brands and campaigns with The Campaign Registry - once the phone number is set up, it’s next on the to-do list.

Your company fills out a registration form within the app, which includes sharing various company details, and Clerk Chat takes it from there. The process time varies depending on factors, but making sure all details are accurate and confirming the correct use case will speed up the process.

Don’t let Brand Registration with The Campaign Registry hold you back from using SMS as your business communication channel of choice. When you’re ready, we’re here to guide you.

Schedule a demo to learn more about our registration assistance for A2P 10DLC messaging.