# Opt-out (STOP)

> Opt-out is the recipient's way to stop receiving your SMS, usually by replying STOP or tapping a link; it must work instantly and permanently for that list.

Every marketing message needs a working exit. The convention is a STOP keyword sent back to a number that can receive it, or a one-tap link; either must remove the number from future sends without a delay. A STOP that does not work is reported as spam, and spam reports are how operators decide to filter a sender.

Opt-out rates are also a metric: under half a percent per send is normal, a jump after a change of tone or cadence is the audience answering.

At SMSMeteor: STOP keywords on two-way numbers and one-tap links both remove the number from the list and from later campaigns to it; opt-out counts are in the report.

Related terms: [Opt-in (consent)](https://smsmeteor.com/glossary/opt-in), [Two-way SMS](https://smsmeteor.com/glossary/two-way-sms), [Promotional SMS](https://smsmeteor.com/glossary/promotional-sms)

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Source: https://smsmeteor.com/glossary/opt-out (HTML). Generated by SMSMeteor from the same data as the page. Summary of the whole site: https://smsmeteor.com/llms.txt