Why Your Sales Texts Get Filtered: 7 Deliverability Mistakes

The worst thing about a filtered text is that nobody tells you. There's no bounce email and no angry reply — the prospect just never sees it, and the deal quietly goes nowhere. Carrier filtering is automated, and it reacts to patterns. Here are the seven patterns that most often get sales teams filtered.

1. Texting before you're registered

Business texts sent from local numbers must be registered for 10DLC, and since February 2025 unregistered traffic is blocked outright. If you're not registered, nothing else on this list matters yet. Our plain-English guide to 10DLC covers what registration involves.

2. Sending something different from what you registered

Your campaign registration describes what you send — sample messages, use case, and how people opted in. If you registered customer-care messages and then start sending promotions, your traffic no longer matches what was approved. Keep your messages consistent with the campaign you registered, and register a new campaign when your use case changes.

3. Free public link shorteners

Free, shared link shorteners are one of the most common filtering triggers, because spammers use them to hide where a link goes. Use your own domain for links, or a branded short domain you control, so the destination is clear.

4. Blasting on day one

A brand-new number that jumps straight to thousands of messages looks exactly like a spam operation spinning up. Ramp volume gradually on new numbers and campaigns, and keep daily volume reasonably steady rather than spiking.

5. Texting old or unverified lists

A list that's a few years old is full of disconnected numbers, reassigned numbers, and people who don't remember you. That shows up as failed deliveries, opt-outs and spam reports — all signals carriers watch. Text people who recently gave you permission, and clean lists before every import.

6. Not saying who you are

A first message with no business name reads like spam, to people and to filters. Identify your business at the start of a conversation, and make it easy to opt out. Registered campaigns are expected to include opt-out language, so this also keeps you consistent with your registration.

7. Treating opt-outs as optional

Every text sent to someone who already said STOP is a likely complaint, and complaint rates are one of the strongest signals carriers use. Opt-outs must be honored across everything you send — our guide to SMS opt-out rules covers the details.

Content that gets extra scrutiny

Some categories face stricter rules or aren't allowed at all, including cannabis, firearms, alcohol, tobacco and adult content. If your business touches one of these, confirm what's permitted before you build a campaign around it.

The short version

• Register first, and keep messages matched to what you registered.
• Use links on a domain you control, not free public shorteners.
• Ramp volume gradually and keep it steady.
• Text recent, permission-based lists — and honor every opt-out.
• Say who you are in the first message.

Signilio is built around these habits: registration assistance, automatic opt-out handling, and delivery and reply tracking per campaign and per number, so you can see what's landing. Tell us about your team to get started.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Carrier requirements change; confirm specifics for your business before you send.