Overview
Giving people an easy way to opt out of your SMS communications isn't just good manners — in most markets, it's a legal requirement. The good news is CX Platform handles the heavy lifting for you, so you don't need to build your own opt-out flow or stitch together STOP keyword handling across different gateways.
In CX Platform, SMS unsubscribes are powered by a link embedded in the message. When a recipient taps the link, they're taken to a hosted unsubscribe page where they can confirm their preferences. Once they've opted out, future sends to that recipient are automatically suppressed — no manual list-keeping on your side.
It's a different approach to the classic "reply STOP" model, and it has a few advantages worth knowing about.
How it works
The process is the same every time, and it sits quietly behind the scenes once it's set up.
- Your SMS template includes the
%%UNSUBSCRIBE_URL%%token, which generates a unique unsubscribe link for each recipient when the message is sent. - The recipient receives the SMS and taps the link.
- They land on a hosted unsubscribe page that confirms who the message is from and what they're opting out of.
- They confirm their choice, and the opt out is recorded against their record in CX Platform.
- Any future sends from the same Application are automatically suppressed for that recipient.
You don't need to maintain a separate suppression list, and you don't need to worry about accidentally messaging someone who's already opted out — CX Platform takes care of it.
Add the unsubscribe link to your SMS template
You won't need to type the token by hand. The template editor has a built-in shortcut that drops it in for you.
- Open your SMS template and make sure you're on the Content tab.
- Place your cursor where you want the unsubscribe link to appear — usually at the end of the message.
- Click Insert link in the toolbar.
- Select Unsubscribe from the dropdown.
Best practice
Always include the unsubscribe link in any non-transactional SMS, and place it somewhere it won't get lost — usually at the end of the message. A short, plain-English line like "Tap here to opt out" makes the path obvious and reduces the chance of confused replies coming back to you.
What the recipient sees
The unsubscribe page is a hosted landing page that gives recipients a clear, branded view of what they're opting out of before they confirm. At a minimum, the page will:
Show who the message is from, explain what they're unsubscribing from, ask them to confirm their choice, and then confirm the opt out has been recorded so they know it's done.
If your organisation runs more than one type of SMS communication — say, transactional alerts and marketing campaigns — the page can be set up to let recipients opt out of a specific stream rather than everything in one go.
A quick word on STOP keywords
You might be used to the "reply STOP to unsubscribe" approach. CX Platform's link-based method works alongside it, not against it. Using a link means the experience works the same way across every SMS gateway and every market, gives recipients a clearer picture of what they're opting out of, and creates a proper audit trail of when and how someone unsubscribed.
Reply STOP
CX Platform can also be set up to honour STOP keyword replies as opt outs, so if a recipient texts back STOP instead of tapping the link, their request is still captured and actioned. If you'd like this turned on for your Application, have a chat with your System Administrator. Just remember the embedded link is still the primary and recommended route.