Managing social media accounts can be financially rewarding, especially as you scale your business and start taking on more clients. But with every new account you create, you’re faced with the same question: “Whose phone number should I use?”
Using your own phone number makes sense to some extent. You’ll be able to create accounts instantly without bothering your clients to ask for a verification code. But tying your own number up with accounts that don’t actually belong to you could be problematic, especially if you’re only offering temporary or short-term account management.
But when you have to enter a number to create a social account, what’s the alternative? That’s what we’re discussing here.
The Solution: Use A Temporary Non-VoIP Number
If you want to avoid using a client’s number or your own when you’re creating a social media account, the best option is to use a temporary non-VoIP number to receive the SMS verification.
“Non-VoIP” means the number is tied to a real SIM card, like your own number. Essentially, you want to look for a non-VoIP number because VoIP numbers (those that are internet-based) are often rejected by sites because they’re often associated with spam and bot accounts.
How to Use A Temporary Number For Creating Client Accounts
When you’re using a temporary number instead of your own, you’ll need to first buy the number online (usually for a couple of dollars or less). Then, enter the number when it’s requested by the social media platform you’re creating an account on.
You’ll receive the SMS verification code online, which you can enter to complete account signup. And that’s it—you’ve created and verified your client’s account without having to use your own details.
Wondering where to find SMS verification tools? Check out SMSPool for temporary numbers that work with any service for fast online SMS verification.
When You Should (And Shouldn’t) Use Temporary Numbers
You can use a temporary number whenever you want to create a client’s social media account and need to enter a phone number to complete the account setup.
For obvious reasons, don’t use a temporary number for two-factor verification. If a social platform is insisting that you provide a number for this purpose, you’ll need one that you can access at any time.
The good news is that most sites requiring two-factor authentication will give you alternative options (for example, receive an SMS message OR an email), so you might not have to use a phone number long-term.
Takeaway
Using your own phone number to create clients’ social media accounts might have been okay when you were starting out, but when you’re scaling your social media management business, this solution will rarely make the most sense.
Buying a non-VoIP number for this purpose will save you the hassle and potential privacy issues related to using your own. Just make sure to find a provider of high-quality non-VoIP numbers that work with any service.