Lines get flagged when people ignore them. They stay healthy when people reply. Open every new conversation with something that's easy to answer, and send the link after they reply.
For any new contact, on any channel. Verification codes are the only exception.
A link from an unknown number is the #1 spam signal. On iPhones it often isn't even tappable until the person replies. After one reply, send all the links you like.
The easier the reply, the more replies you get. From easiest to hardest:
A photo with a question, a short video, or an AI voice note in your own voice all get replies. What matters is that it asks for one.
"Hi {first_name}, it's Sarah with Bayside Realty" reads like a person. A wall of identical texts to thousands of people reads like a blast.
bit.ly and similar links are filtered by carriers, even later in the conversation. Use your real domain.
If someone hasn't replied after two or three tries, move on. Messaging non-repliers over and over is what gets numbers reported.
Handled for you automatically: STOP opt-outs, daytime sending windows in the recipient's time zone, and a gradual warm-up for new lines.
Copy one, change the details, and keep the question. {first_name} is filled in for each person.
| iBlueText | Typical bulk SMS route | |
|---|---|---|
| Message type | Blue-bubble iMessage, RCS when available, SMS only as a fallback, WhatsApp | Green SMS |
| Open rates | Up to 5x higher with iMessage (industry estimate) | Baseline |
| Photos, video, voice memos, tapbacks | ✅ included | ❌ or extra cost |
| AI auto-replies | ✅ no extra charge | ❌ |
| Replies and follow-ups | Unlimited, $0 | Charged per message |
| Countries | Worldwide on iMessage, WhatsApp and SMS | Varies by route |
Every reply turns a cold number into a conversation. From then on, follow-ups are free and unlimited, links work, and the line stays trusted.
A link from a number someone has never texted is the strongest spam signal there is. On iPhones, a link from an unknown sender often isn't even tappable and shows no preview until the person replies. Carriers filter texts with links, and WhatsApp watches for them too. Once they reply, you're a conversation, and links work normally.
Anything that gets a reply: a question in text, a photo with a question, a voice note, or a short video. The easiest to answer is a yes/no question like "Hey {first_name}, is this still a good number for you?"
No. Once someone replies, every message in that conversation is unlimited and doesn't count toward your daily limits. Per-message SMS providers charge you for every one.
Any lawful marketing or customer messages. The one thing we ask is a decent reply rate, because replies are what keep a line trusted by Apple, carriers and WhatsApp.
We tell you, with tips to fix it. On WhatsApp, a number with very few replies is automatically slowed down so it doesn't get banned, and we always let you know when that happens.
No. One-time codes are expected by the person and go out as they are.
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