Yes, you can send yourself a test message at any time directly from your SoTrustworthy dashboard before reaching out to real customers. Testing allows you to preview your text message or email layout, verify that custom tags (like customer names) populate correctly, and click through your direct review link to confirm it works seamlessly on a mobile device.
We strongly recommend sending a test message whenever you create a new campaign template or connect a new integration like Jobber or HubSpot.
How to Send a Test Message Step-by-Step
Sending a test message takes less than a minute and can be done during your 14-day free trial or at any point on a Starter, Growth, or Pro plan.
- Log in to SoTrustworthy: Navigate to your dashboard and select Templates or Campaigns from the left-hand navigation menu.
- Select Your Template: Click on the SMS or email message template you want to preview.
- Click "Send Test Message": Look for the Send Test button near the top right corner of the template editor.
- Enter Your Details: Type in your personal mobile phone number (for SMS tests) or your email address (for email tests). You can also enter a dummy first name (e.g., "Alex") to test personalized dynamic tags.
- Hit Send: Click Send Request. The test message will be dispatched immediately to your device.
Note: Test SMS messages utilize 1 standard SMS credit from your monthly plan allowance to ensure the message routes through standard wireless carrier networks exactly as a real customer request would.
4 Things to Verify When You Receive Your Test Message
When the test message arrives on your phone or inbox, review it through the eyes of a busy customer who just received a text after a service call. Pay attention to the following details:
1. Link Functionality and No-Gating Compliance
Tap the link inside the SMS message. It should take you directly to your Google Business Profile's review interface in a single click, prompting you to select a star rating and type a comment.
SoTrustworthy never uses "review gating"—a practice where unhappy customers are diverted to a private feedback form while happy customers are sent to Google. Review gating violates Google review policies and can result in Google removing your hard-earned business reviews. Your test link must route directly to your public Google review box.
2. Dynamic Tag Replacement
Check that placeholder tags such as {first_name}, {company_name}, or {service_type} replaced properly with actual text instead of showing raw code. If your message reads "Hi {first_name}," instead of "Hi Alex," return to the editor to ensure the template tags were entered using the tag picker tool.
3. Messaging Tone and Length on Mobile
More than 85% of review requests sent through SoTrustworthy are opened on mobile devices. Ensure your text message fits comfortably on a standard smartphone screen without requiring excessive scrolling. Keep your request brief, polite, and direct:
"Hi Alex, thanks for choosing [Business Name] today! Could you leave us an honest Google review? It takes under 30 seconds: [Link]"
4. Opt-Out Instructions (SMS Compliance)
Federal regulations enforced by the FCC under the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) require business messaging to provide clear opt-out mechanisms. Ensure your test SMS includes standard opt-out text, such as "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."
To test this feature on your own device, reply with the word STOP. SoTrustworthy will instantly flag your test number as unsubscribed, ensuring your system remains compliant with industry standards outlined in the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices. (Remember to unblock your test number in settings afterward so you can continue testing).
How to Test Automated Workflows (Jobber, HubSpot, and Field Service CRM Tools)
If you use field service software like Jobber or CRM platforms like HubSpot, SoTrustworthy can automatically trigger an SMS review request the moment a job is completed or an invoice is paid.
Before turning an automated workflow live for your entire customer list, run an end-to-end trigger test:
- Create a Test Contact in Your CRM: Add a fake contact using your own name and mobile phone number inside Jobber, HubSpot, or your connected tool.
- Trigger the Matching Event: Change the test job status to "Completed," or mark the invoice as "Paid" (depending on how you set up your automated trigger rule in SoTrustworthy).
- Wait for the Trigger Window: If you set a delay inside SoTrustworthy (e.g., send request 1 hour after job completion), wait for that timeframe to elapse. For instant testing, temporarily set your automation delay to "0 minutes."
- Check Dashboard Activity Logs: Open the Activity Log in SoTrustworthy. You should see your test contact move from Queued to Sent.
- Verify Delivery: Check your personal mobile phone to ensure the text arrived cleanly.
Understanding Request Throttling During Testing
SoTrustworthy includes an automated feature called Review Request Throttling. Throttling prevents your business from sending too many requests at once, which protects your domain reputation, keeps carrier filters from blocking your phone number, and prevents Google from flagging a sudden spike in reviews as spam.
When testing multiple messages in a short timeframe:
- Single Test Button: Using the "Send Test" button inside the Template Editor overrides throttling limits so you can test quickly without waiting.
- Bulk Upload / Trigger Testing: If you upload a CSV spreadsheet containing multiple test contacts, or complete 10 test jobs in Jobber simultaneously, SoTrustworthy’s throttling engine will stagger those messages according to your account settings (e.g., sending no more than 5 requests per hour).
If your automated integration test seems delayed, check your account's Throttling Rules under Settings to see if requests are held safely in a queue.
Troubleshooting Test Message Delivery Issues
If you click "Send Test" but do not receive the message on your mobile phone within two minutes, check these common causes:
- A2P 10DLC Registration Status: Cellular carriers require business messaging platforms to verify your business identity through A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code) registration. If your business profile registration is still pending verification in SoTrustworthy, outbound carrier delivery may be restricted or delayed.
- Typographical Errors: Double-check that your phone number was entered with the correct country code (e.g., +1 for North America) and no missing digits.
- Opt-Out Blocking: If you previously texted STOP to your SoTrustworthy dedicated sending number during an earlier test, carriers will block subsequent messages to your number. Go to Contacts > Suppressed Numbers in your SoTrustworthy dashboard and remove your test number from the opt-out list.
- Carrier Spam Filtering: If your test text contains all caps, multiple dollar signs, or suspicious URL shorteners outside of SoTrustworthy’s domain, major mobile carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) may silently drop the message. Stick to friendly, conversational text and default tag links.
Next Steps
- [Set Up Your Default Review Request Templates]: Customize your text and email messaging tone before running your first test.
- [Connect Jobber or HubSpot Integrations]: Link your field management software to automate review requests upon job completion.
- [Check Your A2P 10DLC Registration Status]: Ensure your business sending profile is fully verified for reliable SMS delivery across all carriers.
Ask every customer for a review—without review gating.
SoTrustworthy sends a compliant, perfectly-timed review request to every customer after the job — no filtering, no gating, just more honest 5-star reviews on Google.
