Overview
Birdeye now adds an opt-out line to the end of every outgoing SMS. The line tells recipients how to stop getting text messages from your business, for example:
Send UNSUB to opt-out.
You don't need to type this line yourself. It's added for you when the message is sent, and it shows in the message preview, so you can see exactly what your customers will get.
Why this change is happening
Mobile carriers and SMS providers (such as Twilio, Plivo and Vonage) require businesses to tell recipients how to opt out of text messages. This has long been an industry standard, but carriers and providers now enforce it strictly. Accounts that send texts without opt-out instructions can be flagged, filtered or suspended.
Adding the opt-out line automatically:
Keeps your account in line with carrier and provider rules
Protects your account and sending number from suspension
Improves deliverability, because carriers expect standard opt-out wording
Gives your customers a clear, trusted way to manage their messaging preferences
What you'll see in Birdeye
Information note below the message composer
When you write an SMS, an information note appears below the composer. It tells you that opt-out text will be added to the end of your message, and its link opens this article.
Note below the message preview
The message preview shows your message with the opt-out line already added. A note below the preview explains this, so the preview always shows the final message your customers will get.
How the opt-out line affects message length
SMS messages are sent in segments:
Message type | Characters per segment |
Standard text, single segment | Up to 160 characters |
Standard text, split into multiple segments | About 153 characters per segment |
Text with emojis or some special or non-Latin characters | Up to 70 characters (about 67 per segment when split) |
The opt-out line uses about 17 characters of the 160-character segment. If your message is already close to 160 characters, adding the opt-out line can push it into a second segment.
Example: A message of 150 characters plus the opt-out line is longer than 160 characters, so it's sent as 2 segments.
Impact on cost
Mass Texting: Mass Texting is billed per segment. A message that goes over 160 characters because of the opt-out line is billed as more than one segment. Keep messages under 160 characters, including the opt-out line, to avoid extra cost.
All other messaging: Pricing doesn't change.
Templates
Review request templates created with Templates AI
Review request templates created with Templates AI have a 125-character limit. That limit doesn't include the opt-out line, which is added on top of your 125 characters. Your template plus the opt-out line still fits in one 160-character segment.
Pre-built templates
Some pre-built templates are already about 150 characters long. Once the opt-out line is added, these templates can use 2 segments. Check your templates in the preview and shorten any that show more than one segment.
Recommended review request template
Here's a recommended review request as your customers receive it. It fits in a single segment, with the opt-out line that's added automatically at the end. Write only the part before the opt-out line in your template.
Hi {first_name}, thanks for choosing {business_name}! Could you leave us a quick review? {review_link} Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
Best practices
Keep your own text to about 140 characters or less, so your message plus the opt-out line fits in one segment.
Check the preview before you send. It shows the final message, including the opt-out line.
Don't add your own opt-out wording. It's already added for you, and adding your own can make it appear twice.
Use emojis and special characters sparingly. They lower the per-segment limit to 70 characters.
Allow for dynamic fields. Names, business names, and links vary in length, so some messages can come out longer than others.
Frequently asked questions
I already have my own opt-out text in my messages. Will it appear twice?
It can. If your message or template already has opt-out wording, such as "Reply STOP to unsubscribe", your customers may see two opt-out lines. Remove your own opt-out wording from your messages and templates to avoid repeating it and to save characters.
Is the opt-out text translated when I send messages in other languages?
No. Opt-out keywords such as UNSUB and STOP are an industry standard and stay in English, whatever language the rest of the message is in. Carriers recognize these keywords in every message.
Will this affect whether my messages are delivered?
Yes, for the better. Standard opt-out wording is what carriers expect, so it helps your messages get delivered and protects your account from being filtered or suspended.
Does this change what I pay?
Only for Mass Texting, which is billed per segment. If the opt-out line pushes a message over 160 characters, it's billed as more than one segment. Pricing for all other messaging doesn't change.
Does the Templates AI 125-character limit include the opt-out text?
No. The opt-out text is added on top of the 125-character limit.
Why is this being enforced now?
Opt-out instructions have long been an industry standard. Carriers and SMS providers now enforce them strictly and suspend accounts that don't include them. Adding the line automatically protects your account and your ability to send messages.