A2P 10DLC Campaign Approval Best Practices in Sparkforge

Effective January 26, 2023, every new A2P 10DLC campaign goes through a manual vetting process. Submissions that miss required fields, contain inconsistencies, or fail to prove consent will be rejected. This guide lists what reviewers look for and how to fix the most common rejection reasons.

Do not include personally identifiable information (PII) in campaign registration fields. Public information like brand names and phone numbers is fine.

Required campaign fields

User Consent (Call to Action)

Reviewers need to verify consent. Include:

• Program or product description
• Phone number(s) sending the messages
• Identity of the organization or individual sending
• Clear opt-in language and any associated fees
• A compliant Privacy Policy
• Other terms (opt-out instructions, customer care contact)

If the CTA is behind a login, on paper, or verbal, host a screenshot publicly (Google Drive, OneDrive, or your Sparkforge media library) and include the URL.

Campaign Description

Provide a clear summary of objectives and what users experience after opting in. Reviewers reject vague descriptions like "messages are sent to customers."

Terms and Conditions

T&C must be publicly accessible. Add a Terms and Conditions page to your website. Carrier-aligned boilerplate is acceptable as a starting point.

Opt-in Confirmation Message

The message users get immediately after opting in. Required for all opt-in methods. Must include:

• Program/product description
• Customer care contact
• Opt-out instructions
• Message frequency disclosure
• "Message and data rates may apply"

Sample Messages

Provide real example messages. They must:

• Identify the sender (brand name)
• Use brackets for templated fields, e.g. [First Name]
• Include opt-out language in at least one sample

Forbidden use cases

Cannabis, hate speech, and other prohibited content cause automatic rejection. Review the carrier Messaging Policy and the list of forbidden categories before submitting.

Consistency requirements

Brand, website, and samples must match

Approved example: Brand Acme, website www.acme.com, sample says "login at www.acme.com."

Rejected example: Brand ABC Marketing, website www.acme.com, sample references www.contoso.com.

Sample messages must match the use case

A marketing campaign with samples that read "Here is your one-time passcode" will be rejected — that's a 2FA use case, not marketing.

Email domain should match the brand

For large or well-known organizations, use a branded email like JohnF@SparkforgeInc.com. Free email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo) on dedicated brand applications get rejected.

Websites must work

If your application points to a website that's down or pre-launch, the campaign is rejected. For pre-launch sites, host a screenshot of the opt-in flow at a public URL and reference it.

Register the actual sender

If your software platform serves dental offices but the messages come from individual practices, the practice has to register the brand — not the platform.

Avoid duplicate brands

Multiple brands under the same EIN with overlapping campaigns get flagged as high risk.

Opt-in methods

Verbal opt-in

Acceptable but hardest to verify. Provide enough detail or an IVR transcript so a reviewer can confirm consent and disclosures were given.

Web form opt-in

The most common method. Critical rules:

• Consent checkboxes are always optional. They cannot be required to submit the form.
• Checkboxes cannot be pre-selected. The user must check them manually.
• Marketing and non-marketing consent must be separate checkboxes.
• Each checkbox must include the program description, brand identity, fee disclosure, frequency, HELP/STOP info, and links to Privacy Policy and Terms.

Sample marketing consent text: "I consent to receive marketing text messages, about special offers, discounts, and service updates, from [BRAND] at the phone number provided. Message frequency may vary. Message & data rates may apply. Text HELP for assistance, reply STOP to opt out."

If the form sits behind a login or isn't published, host a screenshot publicly and provide the URL.

Paper form opt-in

Host a scan or photo of the form publicly. Provide the URL in your registration.

Text message opt-in

Host a screenshot of the campaign collateral that prompted the text opt-in. Reference the URL plus the supporting website.

QR code opt-in

QR codes can route to a templated SMS opt-in or to a web form. If they go to a web form, the web form rules above all apply.

Double opt-in

Double opt-in (DOI) requires two confirmations: the initial sign-up, then a confirmation reply (typically YES). DOI improves deliverability, reduces spam complaints, and signals to carriers you're running a clean program.

Field-by-field campaign registration recommendations

Campaign Type

Pick the use case that actually describes your messages. Selecting Higher Education for a 2FA flow gets rejected.

Campaign Description

Describe who's sending, who's receiving, and why. Approved example: "Acme sends OTP messages to customers for MFA challenges when logging into the portal."

How end users consent

Provide:

• Program description
• Sending phone number(s)
• Sender identity
• Opt-in language and fees
• Privacy Policy
• Opt-out instructions and customer care contact

If multiple opt-in methods exist, list them all. The Privacy Policy must state that mobile information is not shared with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.

Sample Messages

Match real outbound traffic. Bracket templated fields. Include the brand name in at least one sample. Include opt-out language in at least one sample. Submit at least two samples.

Opt-in Keywords

List every keyword that opts users in (e.g., START, OPTIN, UNSTOP, IN).

Opt-in Confirmation Message

Stay under 160 characters. Include brand name, customer care, opt-out instructions, frequency disclosure, and "Message and data rates may apply."

Opt-out Keywords

List every keyword that stops messages (e.g., STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, END, QUIT, CANCEL, STOP ALL).

Opt-out Confirmation Message

Acknowledge the opt-out, name the brand, and confirm no further messages will be sent.

Help Keywords and Help Message

List every help keyword (HELP, ISSUE, etc.) and provide a help response that includes the brand name plus a phone number or email.

Common rejection reasons and fixes

1. Message Flow

Cause: Opt-in details don't meet requirements, consent isn't adequately documented, or opt-in info is shared with third parties.

Fix: List every opt-in method. Provide hosted links for paper or login-gated opt-ins. Make sure the opt-in site has a Privacy Policy and Terms. State explicitly that opt-in data is not shared with third parties.

2. Invalid Website URL

Cause: URL is broken, the site is down, the opt-in flow can't be found on the site, or the site is pre-launch and not flagged.

Fix: Verify the URL works. For pre-launch sites, host a screenshot of the opt-in flow publicly and include that URL. Provide direct links to the opt-in page in the Message Flow field.

3. Incorrect Sole Prop Brand Registration

Cause: Registered as Sole Proprietor but the entity has an EIN, or registration info is inconsistent.

Fix: Confirm the business actually qualifies as a Sole Proprietor (no EIN). If it has an EIN, register as Standard. Use the exact business name and address that match the EIN registration.

4. Unknown Reason

Cause: An external vetting party flagged the campaign for an unspecified issue.

Fix: Contact Sparkforge support — the team can pull the underlying error from the carrier system.

5. Inconsistencies Between Sample Message and Use Case

Cause: Samples don't match the declared use case, or content is invalid.

Fix: Rewrite samples so they reflect the actual outbound traffic. Bracket template fields. Include brand name and opt-out in at least one sample. Submit at least two.

6. Unverifiable Call to Action

Cause: The CTA can't be verified during review — usually because the opt-in happens off-website and documentation is incomplete.

Fix: Provide complete CTA information for every opt-in method. If consent happens off-website, document how the CTA is presented to and actioned by users.

Rejection reasons appear in the Trust Center under Failed. Review the entire submission, not just the cited reason — reviewers often stop at the first issue, so other problems may exist.