# SMS Best Practices

1. SMSes sent early in the week (e.g. Monday) and day (especially waking hours from 8-10am) are more likely to be seen and read. This [article](https://simpletexting.com/the-best-times-to-schedule-a-text-message-campaign/) provides useful tips, and our own internal research has also shown this to be the case!
2. If recipients have reached out to you to unsubscribe from your SMS campaigns, respect their wishes to be removed from the list, unless your SMSes are of an urgent, or need-to-know nature.
3. Straightforward and direct content works most effectively, as they provide a sense of officiality.
4. You are not advised to use language that implies urgency or induce panic.

#### What kind of links can I include in my SMSes?

If you must include links in your SMS, please note the following points:

1. all links must be a .gov.sg link (or edu.sg for educational institutions/for.sg for healthcare institutions).
2. if you need to use a link shortener, use only [GoGovSG](https://go.gov.sg/#/). 
3. do not send links, including QR codes, that ask for user credentials or that direct to log-in pages.
4. do not include links which are not integral to the message (e.g. if it is a generic website link).
5. do not include links to webpages that are locatable on your agency's website - rather, provide instructions to the MoP to locate the webpage.


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