Understanding the SMS organizational prefix

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Updated Nov 5, 2024, 10:46 AM EST
You will learn

You will learn

Learn about the organizational prefix for SMS messages, including what it is, how to change it, when it’s enforced, and more.

This information is intended solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. The content provided is general in nature and may not reflect the most up-to-date information. Klaviyo strongly advises consulting with a qualified legal counsel to ensure your compliance with applicable laws and regulations in connection with your use of our services.

What is an organizational prefix? 

What is an organizational prefix? 

The organizational prefix (also called a brand prefix) is a feature that includes your business name at the beginning of a text message.

Example text message showing an organizational prefix

Using an organizational prefix is highly recommended, as many countries require that you identify your brand within an SMS. Unlike email, an SMS message doesn’t usually have the identifier built into it. The organizational prefix allows customers to understand that a text came directly from your brand.

If the sender identity is unknown or unnecessarily hard to locate, it can create user mistrust, leading to higher opt-out, SPAM complaints, and lower conversion rates.

How the prefix works in Klaviyo

How the prefix works in Klaviyo

You can only have 1 organizational prefix per account, and it is not translated. If you’re sending to multiple countries, make sure the prefix you choose is recognizable to all of your recipients.  

The organizational prefix is typically on by default and may be enforced as well. See the table below for details.

CountryOn by defaultEnforced with sending number
Australia

Branded sender ID

Long codes

Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland  Branded sender ID
Canada All numbers
France Branded sender ID 
Ireland

Branded sender ID

Long codes 

New Zealand Short codes
United Kingdom 

Branded sender ID

Long codes 

Short codes

United States  All numbers

You have the option to turn off the organizational prefix in certain cases. However, if the prefix is marked as “enforced” in the table above, note that SMS sent via that number will still include the prefix, even if you toggle off this option.  

To turn the organizational prefix on or off for a message, navigate to the Compliance tab in the SMS message editor. 

Why is the organizational prefix required in France for branded sender IDs?

The organizational prefix is always included for France because some wireless carriers deliver SMS messages on a random short code rather than the original branded sender ID. 

This means that for certain recipients, your SMS may not include any identifier, which may lead you to being out of compliance. To protect you from this, Klaviyo automatically adds the organizational prefix so your SMS messages always have an identifier. 

Why can’t I turn off the organizational prefix for my long code or short code? 

Klaviyo seeks to protect users by implementing platform guardrails to ensure SMS compliance. 

The UK, Australia, and other countries require that brands clearly identify themselves in every SMS marketing message. 

Unlike branded sender IDs, numeric sender IDs (e.g., long codes and short codes) do not allow for identification of the brand. For this reason, Klaviyo adds the organizational prefix so that your SMS recipients always have a way to identify your brand in any country where this is strictly required.

Compliance tab, showing the organizational prefix option

When to use the organizational prefix

When to use the organizational prefix

The organizational prefix is strongly recommended in:

  • Responses to subscribe keywords
  • Order updates

Even in countries where the organizational prefix isn’t enforced, it’s important to include your full prefix regularly or some reference to your brand in almost every message. For instance, if you are sending messages once a week in the US, you may want to include the organizational prefix in at least 1 SMS per month, and identify your brand in other ways for the rest of the messages. 

When the organizational prefix is not needed

When the organizational prefix is not needed

You don’t need to use the organizational prefix when:

  • Sending to anyone in Canada, as Canadian texts include a company information link [LINK] that acts as the identifier
  • Using a branded sender ID (in most cases)
  • Including another clear reference to your brand within the SMS; however, this may not apply for every country (such as in countries where the prefix is enforced)
View or change the prefix in Klaviyo

View or change the prefix in Klaviyo

By default, Klaviyo uses your sender name (in the Organization settings tab) as your organizational prefix. 

When you change your organizational prefix, it will update in any SMS message containing the prefix, including:

  • Flow messages
  • Scheduled campaigns 
  • All newly created messages

Changing the prefix may add more characters to your SMS messages, which could lead to the messages exceeding the character limit and using more of your plan’s credits. 

To view or change your organizational prefix:

  1. Select your account name in the bottom left. 
  2. Select Settings > SMS
  3. Scroll down to the SMS message add-ons section.
    SMS settings, showing the section to edit the unsubscribe instructions
  4. Optional: change the prefix by editing the text field under Organizational prefix, then click Save
Additional resources

Additional resources

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