Peer to Peer Texting FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions & Answers by Peerly!

Peer to Peer Advantages

What are the advantages of peer-2-peer txting?

There are many advantages to using Peerly over other communication methods such as bulk email, bulk mobile communications or even automated calling.

1. The recipient has the ability to reply back to you.

2. You can get valuable information and collect data.

3. Since there’s human interaction involved in sending the note this is not classified as an auto dialer so it’s a fully TCPA compliant form of non-commercial contact with personal conversations.

There’s a reason why person to person txt is quickly becoming the number one communication method for nonprofit organizations, political organizations and business to customer communications.

What communications are most effective using a peer to peer platform?

The most effective type of P.2.P engagements are political engagement followed by nonprofits and fundraising and just after that we find our business to customer communications to be incredibly effective. People are using this to remind people of appointments or upcoming events they’re holding and they tell us every day they are receiving more replies, communications and bookings using this technology than anything they’ve tried before.

Peerly P2P is very different than the other providers out there and you will see that almost immediately. First, we charge roughly half of the price of our competitors and our system is so much more efficient to use. You have to sign up and try it for yourself, we do offer a 10 day risk-free trial on all plans.

What is P2P text polling?

Did you know you can conduct polling and surveys with 1:1 text communications technology using the Peerly platform? It’s common knowledge that people do not answer their phones as much as they used to, but rather rely on communication applications and text messaging to communicate most of the time. This is one of the reasons why 1:1 texting has gained so much momentum.

The other reason is that it is illegal under the CRTC and FCC to use an autodialer to conduct a poll to a mobile phone. This makes it increasingly more difficult to conduct polling and research with individuals that only have mobile phones. Statistics say that only 55% of Americans still regularly use their home phone meaning almost half of all Americans rely solely on their mobile device. Conducting a poll with 1:1 texting is simple and easy with Peerly. Simply type your content into a template and the questions you would like to ask, press send and sit back and await the responses. If a recipient has a question for you, they simply reply and you can answer their questions and increase the number of viable surveys you receive.

Can I collect data with peer to peer texting?

You can collect incredibly useful data using 1:1 texting. One primary use of one to one texting is in politics, campaigns and elections. Politicians in campaigns can text a voter and ask for their support, a donation or even invite them to a rally. The voter can respond to these questions or even make a mobile donation or RSVP to an event.

The power of one to one texting at scale is the ability to engage individuals and collect data. Any data collected can easily be saved for that individual and exported into a CRM. Response rates for one to one texting are close to 90%. That means that 90% of people will either read your text and/or reply with potentially useful data. Unlike bulk texting or even a robocall, this technology allows you the ability to communicate one on one in a fast and efficient way and easily manage all the responses you will receive.

Why are peer to peer texts effective?

The effectiveness of 1:1 texting lies in it’s ability to send out txts person to person, one to one, at scale. One person can send out thousands of texts in a single day and unlike traditional forms of large scale communications, peer based communications is designed to be intimate and conversational. It is the human interaction that makes this technology so incredibly effective. 

Sending a text to a group of people used to be a cold, one way street. Now, with the ability to engage an individual, carry on a conversation and quickly send out thousands of communications to drum up useful conversations, this technology has become a prominent form of communication. It is popular within politics and organizations who must reach large amounts of people. A recent study showed a peer to peer is over 78% more effective than a traditional bulk SMS and 93% more effective than an email.

Does peer to peer texting work?

Yes, it works! This technology has become the number one form of communication in 2020 and for a very good reason. People are no longer satisfied with one-way communications. People expect more from contact points and want answers to questions immediately. They don’t want to feel like they received spam or they’re one of a million people that just got hit. 

This technology is incredibly personal and is based on one on one communication with intimate engagement directly with a live person. We all hate when we call someone only to get a robot and those chatbots are the absolute worst. But, imagine receiving a communication from a company or organization and texting them back and within minutes and receiving a reply. This is so incredibly powerful and then to be able to collect data from those conversations makes this tool a formidable choice in your communications arsenal.

What are the response rates for peer to peer texting?

When measuring the response rate for 1:1 texting, we see roughly 90% of individuals read a peer based text message and just over half of those people will actually engage in some form or another. It could be as simple as answering a yes or no question or as in-depth as engaging you with questions and entering into a conversation. When you compare the response rates and the engagement rate of this type of technology with bulk SMS, robocalls or emails, there is absolutely no comparison. If you want results, you have to try Peerly mobile texting communications. On day one you will have hundreds of engaged individuals replying back to you.

Peer to Peer Comparison

What’s the difference between peertopeer texting and bulk texting?

The main difference is that P2P requires a human to individually send each communication. It also allows the sender to receive replies from the recipient opening up a one on one conversation. One to one texting at scale has proven to be incredibly effective in areas where large amounts of people need to receive information.

Another difference is you’re able to engage your recipient in a conversational manner and potentially collect useful data during that conversation. With both, you can send out thousands of text messages automatically, at once. However, with peer to peer type texting a human is always required to send out the communications.

Peer to peer is laid out in a much more efficient way to allow that human to send it quickly. Since it involves human interaction, 1:1 texting is not classified as an auto dialer or a robocall the same way that bulk SMS texting is. This is what allows organizations to communicate freely with groups of people for non-commercial based communication while remaining compliant.

Who are the best peer-to-peer providers?

There are a handful of peer to peer providers on the market. In our opinion, the number one Peer-to-P texting provider in the world, in 2020, is Peerly. This is why Peerly charges half of the amount of the average competitor. Peerly has in-depth templates with dynamic keyword field replacement to give each contact point a custom feel.

On average, 60% more txts will be successfully delivered over Peery’s network than our competitors and this is due to a decade long relationship and exclusive contract that Peerly has secured through our sister company. We always encourage our customers to try everyone out. We do this because we are so sure that not only will you come back, but you will see the value of our service versus anyone else’s and remain with us for life.

We have around the clock, live US based support. We accept all major forms of payment. There are no commitments or contracts on any plans. We offer incredibly competitive bulk plans for high-volume users.

Best peer to peer vendor and why?

The best vendor for P2P peer based text messages is Peerly. As this technology began to evolve we’ve noticed competitors charging astronomical amounts of money for this technology. Our goal was to make this technology affordable for small organizations and small political campaigns as well as much larger operations. To do this we knew we had to add all of the common features and do it at half the price. And that’s what we did! Our company has a record of pioneering communications for over 10 years.

Our sister company was the inventor of ringless voicemail drops (endorsed by the Republican national committee) and has one of the largest SMS and toll-free texting infrastructures in the world. We leverage this knowledge and the relationships we have to build the most powerful affordable P2P message system on Earth.

Political Peer to Peer

What is political peer to peer texting?

Political peer to peer communications took the last presidential election by storm (moveon.org) and for the first time political campaigns could communicate with large groups of voters in an efficient way on election day and throughout the cycle. Best of all, this type of technology has proven to be incredibly non-intrusive and results in the voter having a positive interaction with your campaign. It is predicted that in 2020 the primary communication touch point between a voter and a campaign will be over person to person mobile communications.

The high cost of this technology has made it difficult to be adopted by campaign managers across all levels of politics for personal connection contact points. However, that’s where Peerly has changed the game once again. For the first time ever in the history of this technology, Peerly has developed technology at a fraction of the cost of the other providers (featured on daily dot).

Can I contact voters with peer to peer political texting?

Absolutely! Not only is it 100% legal to contact voters using this type of technology, it is quickly proving to be the most effective way on Earth to communicate with voters on their smartphones and for rapid response. Gone are the days where a simple robocall was enough to activate a voter to benefit your campaign. People just do not speak on the phone as much as they used to. Now one volunteer can communicate with thousands of voters while enriching the communications experience and engaging that voter in ways that’s never been done before in 2020. See several use cases including Bernie Sanders midterms, Roddy Lindsay, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders campaign GOTV efforts.

This has also been used very successfully by the republicans and by Donald Trump’s campaign. This will be the number one tool used by political organizations to communicate with voters in the primary election. With our company, political organizations and campaigns can do it for half the cost without sacrificing features and functionality.

Does political peer to peer voter texting work?

With hundreds of millions of communications being sent out throughout the world on behalf of political campaigns, we can say with absolute confidence that political P2P texting works better than any communication tool on the market including social media. This allows you to text people one on one and engage a voter unlike anything we have seen before.

It’s like having a megaphone in your pocket. You can also collect real-time data from a folder and ask them if you can count on their support or if they would be interested in volunteering, canvassing for GOTV or even donating. You can give them a call to action in real-time and all of this data can be automatically populated in your database at the end of the chat.

Best way to send out political peer to peer voter texts?

The best way to send political P to P texts is to keep your opening statement short and sweet and ask the voter questions while giving them a little bit of information. The purpose is that you want the voter to engage you with a reply. So, keep it simple and ask them a yes or no question to start the conversation. Use Peerly’s canned responses and quickly reply back so the voter knows you’re engaged in the conversation. Offer details when answering questions, for example, links to maps or web pages. There are many ways to send out political Peerly txt messages from the voter file, but the best way to start is with a simple campaign.

Can I use peer to peer for fundraising?

Many organizations are using peer based texting to supercharge their fundraising turnout efforts. Now you can ask for donations, answer any questions, share crucial information and collect real-time mobile donations over a single, simple txt chain. Best of all, one person can initiate thousands of conversations quickly. You can also follow up with anyone that shows interest with our smart scheduling system. Nonprofit organizations, political organizations and politicians can save a tremendous amount of money and resources using P2P mobile texting to raise funds over traditional methods. We offer a risk-free trial on every plan. We can almost guarantee you will have results on your first day.

Can I use peer to peer to find supporters?

Yes, yes, yes. This technology is most effective when used to communicate with potential supporters. Not only can you ask for support, you can deliver information to help a voter make up their mind or easily target undecided voters with crucial information on an issue that’s important to them. You can direct them to online content or even schedule a follow up phone call. Best of all, you can contact thousands of people with one volunteer in a single day.

Voters no longer respond to emails. Robocalls are great for quick advertisements, but a robocall is rarely going to be the deciding factor on whether or not a voter supports you. You don’t even know how effective a robo call would be since 10% of landlines are now the wrong number. 1:1 txting is the one on one engagement and personal touch from your campaign that stays with a voter. P-2-P texting will be the most successful and commonly used tool in the 2020 election.

Can I use peer to peer to get my supporters out to a rally?

Peer based communication is incredibly powerful for rallying the troops or inviting people to events. The beautiful thing about this technology is if an event is happening tomorrow in a City, you can simply filter your list to that City and immediately start issuing invites.

One person can easily communicate with a couple thousand people in a single day. When that recipient has a question about the event it’s easy for you to reply and even send a link to a map. Instead of a boring one-way communication, this opens up so many more possibilities than telling people to contact a keyword and this will increase your event attendance guaranteed.

What if voters ask policy questions, how should my volunteers respond?

We offer the ability to have an unlimited number of canned responses. It’s recommended that you have your common policy points set up so when a voter asks a volunteer a question, they can select the correct answer. A volunteer could also send a link to the policy website or even schedule a call directly with the campaign.

That’s the benefit of this technology, it’s just one on one text at scale. It’s the ability to have a conversation with thousands of people literally at once with the press of a send button to voter’s cell phone numbers.

Peer to Peer Rules

Is peer to peer mobile texting legal?

Yes. Peer mobile communications is 100% legal and 100% compliant with all  fcc federal laws if, of course, used responsibly and not for commercial solicitation. Person to person texting is primarily used for business to customer relationships & notifications, political campaign to voter communication and nonprofit recruitment and issue based communications. Unlike bulk short code SMS and robocalls, which fall into a very different category, person to person texting is not classified as an auto dialer. It requires a human to interact with each conversation that is sent removing the ability for a computer to mass send millions of communications at once.

However, Peerly has designed our user interface to allow incredibly efficient messaging where one individual could send thousands of texts very quickly. This individual could easily manage the replies from those conversations and even have in depth conversations with voters and individuals about issues or questions. We’ve also seen technology become incredibly prevalent with fundraising in recent years.

What does the law say about peer to peer mobile texting?

When it comes to 1:1 person to person texting, it falls in an interesting category within the laws and regulations. This is human to human texting, it’s not an auto dialer. For that reason, it is not a mass communication or a robocall. When this technology is used to share information as opposed to commercial solicitation, it is 100% legal with compliant use. Of course there could be additional regulations to look at that govern the content of mobile apps & communications, timing of sending and other common sense things.

It’s definitely important to do your research. However, it’s not much different then if an individual sends you a note from their phone. A commercial-based solicitation is very different and there are several rules and regulations to follow when using this type of technology with that type of communication. For the most part, this technology is used for informational purposes, surveys and research, nonprofits and fundraising efforts.

Can I be sued for using peer to peer?

Peer to peer is very different than an auto dialer system or robocall. It is just a supercharged way of sending communications to people. Each txt always requires human interaction and it’s not designed to send out millions of communications at the push of a button to a batch of cell phone numbers. This technology is designed to be non-intrusive and to foster true communication and relationships with recipients. It is unlikely you would be sued sending a peer to peer out that does not contain a solicitation. However, people can file lawsuits for almost any reason they wish nowadays. It’s important to do your research on compliance and utilize Peerly’s compliance tools to help you stay on the right side of the law. Peer to peer is a compliant form of communication.

Peer to Peer for Business

What types of businesses can use peer to peer SMS texting?

Many different businesses and organizations can utilize this technology. For real estate purposes, real estate agents and brokers are using it to follow up with people who have visited their open houses. They’re also using it to follow up with other agents and brokers. In the medical field, doctors and hospitals are using it to confirm appointments. In financial services, banks and financial institutions are using it to check in with customers.

Membership-based organizations are using it to let their members know if their membership is expiring or needs a renewal. Car dealerships are using this technology to make sure people remember their appointments and when their services are due. There are literally thousands of potential uses for this technology. Currently, the most popular uses are amongst political P-2-P text users and nonprofit organizations.

Does Peer to Peer Political texting for real estate work?

Yes, real estate professionals use this technology to follow up with past and present clients. This could include people who have previously purchased properties or who have looked at previous properties represented by the broker or agent. Real estate professionals often hold open houses and events. This technology can be used to promote such events and is incredibly effective on following up with all the attendees.

Often real estate agents have a large list of clients and they can send out a simple communication notifying them of an upcoming property going on the market. There are so many uses for peer to peer within the real estate industry. Real estate professionals that are interested in trying this technology for the first time can use it 100% risk-free by simply signing up today.

Can I use peerly with business?

Yes, people use this in business all the time with their contact lists. The average company has a customer list in the thousands. Anytime you want to communicate with these customers, there are very limited actions your admin team can take until now. Now, one person can simply send out a text to all of them and then you sit back and wait for the reply. It is easy to allow you to reply and manage conversations and collect data in real-time. We find this technology being used in the medical industry, in real estate, in politics with nonprofit and recruiting, analytics and many other industries. If you haven’t done so yet, you really need to try it for yourself. Sign up for a risk-free account at peerly.com.

About the Software

How fast can I send out peer to peer type texts?

Each agent account on Peerly can send out thousands of texts very quickly. This all depends on how efficient your agent is and on the number of replies that you’re replying to as you go. However, if you need to send out more you can add literally add an unlimited amount of agent accounts at no extra charge.

If you compare this with a live call center, a volunteer agent can make roughly 100 to 200 phone calls in a day. That means harnessing the power of P-2-P texting can increase your efficiency over traditional outbound phone calls. There is no faster way to communicate one on one with large groups of people than with peer to person. 

Do I really have to click send on each one?

That’s the difference with our powerful P-2-P txt . This is not an auto dialer or a robocall system. This technology is designed to send out thousands of communications, so one individual is able to send out and reply to the recipients questions quickly, easily and most importantly efficiently. Also, by having human interaction with every communication, you are able to contact mobile phones with non-commercial solicitation messages and can protect yourself from costly regulatory fines. Sending out peer based communications is classified very differently than sending out an automated bulk S.M.S.

How long can my peer to peer communications be?

These can be as long as you would like. You can use emojis, rich text, hyperlinks and even pictures. We recommend keeping your peer to peer communications short and sweet and starting off with a simple yes or no question to start a conversation. This technology is incredibly effective for engaging people on issues and being able to quickly answer any questions your recipient might have.

Can I send a picture using peer to peer to peer MMS Texting?

Yes, Peerly supports MMS which is multimedia rich content. You can insert pictures or files and send as many as 360 characters in a transmission. We also support emojis and custom emojis. It’s important to have fun with P2P and to talk to your recipient like a person would and not a robot since that’s the whole benefit of this technology. It’s a powerful tool for engagement, it’s not a cold form of peer to peer communications like a bulk SMS or email. This is the new way to communicate. People have made that choice already, we have just adapted to what individuals want and how they wish to communicate.

I don’t want my cell phone number to show, does peer to peer communications use my cell phone number?

Each campaign will be assigned phone numbers local to the areas they’re working in. You do not need to use your own cell phones and numbers and we do not recommend it. Often people are sending out thousands and thousands of these queries in different areas, so it’s important to use a peer based outbound phone number. Each campaign you run will be assigned a separate number and in some cases several.

Can I send peer to peer message texts from my phone or from my computer?

Peerly’s P2P text messaging works over iOS, Android, or on your Mac or PC. You can also use this technology with iPads or tablets. Many clients choose to use computer screens and a mouse to make it easier and faster to send out messages quickly and to manage responses and questions. However, it’s designed to work with your own equipment. You simply login to our user interface on any device and use our easy Campaign Setup Wizard and start sending, receiving replies and replying.

How much do peer to peer text messages cost?

Until Peerly entered the Peer2P text messaging space, this technology was very expensive. Our company has pioneered the technology and by working directly with major carriers, we have been able to reduce pricing for our customers by as much as 100%. The average price for a peer to P text is eight to ten cents per message compared to Peerly at half of that rate. Peerly offers a flat rate service, one small, per message rate covers you for both outbound and inbound messages and you’re only charged for successfully delivered. 

Can I respond with a personalized text message with peer to peer?

Yes, absolutely! That’s actually the entire point. This is not a boring one way communication, this is a way to send out person to person texting at scale. Peer to peer allows the recipient to reply and answer questions, ask a specific question or even learn more about your purpose. It’s the personalization aspect that makes this so powerful.

We offer an ability to use dynamic personalization when sending. You can insert Name, City or any custom information you would like. You can insert Happy Birthday based on the month or you can insert upcoming events based on a City or zip code. The options are really endless on the customization within our easy-to-use templates.

Best Uses

What are the best uses for peer to peer text messages?

There are many uses with this however, a few industries immediately stand out for gaining a tremendous amount of momentum as early adopters to this technology. Politicians and their campaigns during the elections are major users of peer to peer technology because it allows a politician to quickly and easily communicate with tens of thousands of voters in a personal one on one forum.

It’s the ability to engage your audience and receive a response that makes the technology so powerful. Nonprofits are also early adopters of this technology since they are able to fundraise and bring attention to issues and awareness to their mission. In recent years, businesses who are looking for fast, efficient ways to communicate with their customer base for appointment reminders or follow-ups are becoming a major emerging users of this technology. 

Peerly predicts this type of mobile communication will be the number one communication method for businesses and organizations to communicate with their stakeholders in 2020.

Can I use peer to peer to remind my supporters where and when to vote?

This type of communication has proven excellent for helping increase voter turnout and GOTV strategies. During an election you work hard to identify your voters, ensure they’re registered, promote your candidate, issues and message. All of this is completely useless if you do not get your voter to the polls. Being able to communicate directly to the voter and urge them to get out and vote and even provide them with a map and voting location automatically has proven time and time again to be one of the most effective, smartest tools used in American politics today.

Peerly’s 10DLC Compliance

When does 10DLC come into effect for Peer to Peer Texting?

The 10DLC registration process came into effect on March 1st, 2022. 

How Does 10DLC Affect Peer-to-Peer Texting?

10DLC registration is a requirement for all businesses & organizations sending messages to the United States using 10-digit long code numbers. We have partnered with our carriers and The Campaign Registry to ensure our extensive client base is phased into the 10DLC A2P / P2P Texting registration process.  

Is Peerly ready for 10DLC?

Yes! Peerly has had direct meetings with The Campaign Registry and its Verify Partners. We have also designed a simple registration directly in the Peerly App to assist with this that will make the process for you easy and fast. Peerly is also covering almost all of the extra 10DLC fees.

How will the 10DLC A2P / P2P texting registration work for Political Campaigns?

When you complete your A2P texting Identity (Brand Registration) on the Peerly App and get a Verification token, your brand will be Registered. Peerly’s process will assist and ensure you maintain high deliverability while using our platform. 

How will the 10DLC A2P / P2P texting registration work for a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), 501(c)(6), or private company?

When you complete your A2P texting Identity (Brand Registration) on the Peerly App, The Campaign Registry will give your Brand a Trust Score of either Low, Medium, or High Trust. Peerly’s process will assist and ensure you maintain a high trust score while using our platform. This Trust Score will effect how many messages your Organization can send in a day and how fast those messages can be sent.

Can I send Video MMS with P2P Texting?

Yes! You can send Peerly’s TruHD Video Texts® with P2P texting. Peerly’s Video MMS allows you to send a full HD 1080p video over text. Your video will play in real time right in the text window. With over 1 Billion sRGB colors represented, TruHD Video Texting® really is a cinematic experience on your phone. We encourage you to compare the “other guys” side by side and see the difference between true cinematic quality video & sound and boring, compressed SD videos.

What are the Advantages of Sending Video with Peer to Peer Texting?

Commercials cost thousands. Sending a Video MMS over text with Peerly is like sending a commercial out to your lists! For an added bonus, our Video MMS sends in full HD 1080p with over 1 Billion sRGB, colors represented for a truly cinematic experience on your phone!

This innovation will disrupt the campaign & commercial space by allowing candidates to deliver cinematic quality, highly targeted videos directly to people’s phones and also allow them to track open rates with included links. Studies show texts have a 98 percent open rate, making the ability to deliver studio quality video via text a game changer in politics!

Can I Send Text Along with my Video?

Yes! Surpassing all industry standards, you can send up to 2000 characters of text along with your video message! This can include clickable links, emojis and Peerly’s custom fonts, all at no extra cost to you. These features will ensure your message really stands out! You can also track who opened your message using link tracking. See a sample message by entering your phone number above.