---
title: Using SMS in VisitorTap
description: Engage your congregation more effectively by connecting third-party texting services.
---
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# Using SMS in VisitorTap
VisitorReach is excited to offer integrations with VisitorTap. This helps churches engage with their congregations more effectively by connecting with a variety of third-party texting services to extend your outreach capabilities. **This feature is only available for standalone VisitorTap Pro customers.**
### **Tap-to-Text Feature**
VisitorTap includes built-in SMS functionality through its **Tap-to-Text** feature.
A Tap-to-Text function triggers an end-user’s phone’s native messaging app with your phone number auto-populated in the ‘To’ box. A message can also be auto-populated in the ‘text’ box if you so choose.
*Please note that while VisitorReach provides the texting integration, we* ***can not offer technical support*** *for third-party platforms. If you experience any issues or have questions related to how a specific texting service works, please contact that provider’s support team directly.*
### **Overview of SMS VisitorTap Tool**
This feature allows you to utilize any phone number with texting capabilities — including third-party texting services — directly to your VisitorTap dashboard.
### **Phone Number Options**
VisitorTap will accept three different formats for texting:
1. A standard 10-digit US phone number (must be text compatible)
2. A 5- or 6-digit SMS short code (example: 80348 or 75301)
3. SMS Link (example: sms:+15129220000)
The phone number field is restricted to US numbers only (country code + 10-digit number). Country code +1 is automatically added. Formatting symbols are not allowed.
### **Opt-In Messaging Box**
In the Opt-In-Messaging field, you can pre-load a message you want to receive from an individual. It should tell you what they want to opt-in too. Here are some examples:
- “I’m new here! Please send me more information.”
- “Yes, please send me more information on kid’s camp!”
If you leave this field blank, make sure it’s clear that they can send you any message or information they choose.
#### **Add a Keyword **
Many third-party texting services include Keyword functions, so you can pre-fill the opt-in messaging field with the opt-in keyword for your texting workflow.
For example, you could pre-fill ‘21 Days of Prayer’ and members would know that they are texting that keyword in order to opt-in for 21 days of text messages with prayer topics and verses.
#### **SMS Character Limitations:**
- VisitorTap supports up to three SMS segments:
- Each segment is 159 characters.
- Total limit is 477-characters.
- As you type, the system tracks your character count message length.
- It provides the following visual indicators.
- The input box changes color as you approach the 477-character limit.
- - Once the limit is hit, additional typing is disabled.
- - As you delete characters, the visual warnings are removed.
### **SMS Setup in each Location**
**You can implement Tap-to-Text** across the entire VisitorTap platform, including each deck of NFC cards, inserted into a Taptree or within your Tap categories.
#### **SMS set-up for Individual NFC Tap Decks**
Directly connecting decks of Tap cards to SMS functionality is the most common use case for using Tap-to-Text in the VisitorTap dashboard.
**Option One: **
- Select URL / SMS link
- An SMS link can be placed directly in any URL box (including in a Taptree).
- The SMS link will include all necessary text information including the receiving phone number and the copy of the text message so there is no need for a separate number and message box.
**Option Two: **
- Select SMS
- Add phone number (10-digit or SMS short code)
- Add a message body (includes real-time character counter)
#### **SMS functionality in Taptrees: **
- Switch from Link to SMS as the action type
- Add an optional Title (ie. Receive Texts)
- Label the Button (ie. “Text Us”)
- Input a phone number (10 digit or sms shortcode)
- Add an SMS message body (optional)
#### 
#### **SMS function added to Categories **
You can add SMS directly to a category. In doing so, all decks assigned to that category will be updated with the tap-to-text functionality.
*Please note that while VisitorReach provides the texting integration, we* ***can not offer technical support*** *for third-party platforms. If you experience any issues or have questions related to how a specific texting service works, please contact that provider’s support team directly.*
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