An SMS Short Code is a memorable 5 digit number, for example 80806. These can be bought as dedicated Short Codes or
shared Short Codes. A dedicated Short Code means that you own the number and every message sent to it will go into your account. A shared Short Code means that many people use the same number, however everyone has a unique “keyword”. In this instance the keyword is placed at the start of each message to direct the text into the correct account’s inbox.
If you’re using or are thinking about using a shared SMS Short Code, you might want to spend some time considering your choice of keyword. Here’s why…
A while ago we had a customer who wanted to set up a SMS spell check service. The idea being that if you were unsure of how to spell a word then you would text the word “DICTIONARY” followed by the word that you are struggling to spell to a Short Code.
Unfortunately the service never got off the ground, the main reason being because the chosen keyword “DICTIONARY” proved particularly hard to spell.
We therefore recommend that your chosen keyword is short, catchy, simple and easy to spell. Our SMS experts are more than happy to advise and check what keywords are available for you – please call 0845 356 5758.
