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Best Practices

When creating your text messaging program, remember these best practices.

  • Write clear messages
  • Test messages before sending them
  • Don't spam your audience—know how often they want to receive messages
  • Customize your messages to your audience's needs
  • Send texts that are interesting and provide value-added information
  • Remind your audience that they can opt out and provide specific instructions
  • Avoid sending protected health information

Move ahead to find out about your Audience.

Real World Example - Reaching Employees Using Texting

During a severe winter snowstorm that shut down transportation and their medical clinics, Public Health - Seattle & King County used text messaging to reach employees who had pre-enrolled in a text messaging program. They based their text messages on input they'd received from their employees. Read a description of the texting program and how it matched employee expectations: Karasz, HN, Bogan, S, Bosslet, L (2014). Communicating with the workforce during emergencies: Developing an employee text messaging program in a local public health setting. Public Health Reports 129(supp); 61-66.