How to Maximize Text Marketing

Text messages have a 98% open rate and a response rate over 7 times higher than email. Text marketing should be a no-brainer and even if you are new to text marketing or have previously underutilized it, there is still hope and some best practices can offer the help you need. Matt Reid, Chief Marketing Officer of EZ Texting, shares 9 text marketing best practices that will get results every time.

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Consumers love text messages - 98% of all texts are opened, and they are seven times more likely to receive a reply than an email. But are marketers making the most of text marketing efforts, generating results through powerful SMS campaigns?

Many are still behind the curve. They either have not used text marketing or aren’t properly building an effective SMS strategy. Luckily, there are a few simple things every marketer can do to build and optimize a campaign.

1. Develop a keyword strategy

Most text marketing campaigns will share a texting short code, so finding an effective keyword is critical. Start with a list of 15+ keywords to determine which will be the most memorable for the customer. The keyword should also be accepted by autocorrect so contacts can easily opt in.

Keywords can also be effective for short-term campaigns such as a holiday special. Keep keywords active for a few weeks after the holiday or campaign has ended to allow for customers to opt in during the campaign and share the keyword with others well after it has ended.

Also Read: Sales and Marketing: A Symbiotic Partnership

2. Make exclusive offers

Contacts are most responsive to text marketing when it delivers deals not offered anywhere else. They respond better to promotions when they know texts will include exclusive offers not found in email or social media. Offer exclusive coupons or deals, encouraging contacts to share opt-in information with others so more customers can benefit from the offer.

3. Stick to a schedule

Consumers appreciate knowing how often they will receive messages, which can be beneficial for many industries. Senders can use a steady messaging cadence to their advantage, such as a real estate agent targeting contacts actively looking to buy or sell a home. Scheduling texts can also be helpful, allowing the user to build a rhythm without having to press “Send” for every single message.

4. Include a CTA

Texts need to be actionable. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but contacts expect information in text messages to be relevant and actionable. Calls-to-action can include a phone call, link, reply or showing the text to a store member to activate the offer.

5. Make messaging personal

Personal messaging is always good marketing, and text marketing is no exception. A good text marketing platform will have the capability to quickly personalize messages, including a contact’s first name and information about their purchase, appointment, etc.

Messages should also be personalized from the sender. Many organizations often share five- and six-digit short codes, so a brief identifier can keep contacts from getting frustrated with messages from a nonobvious sender.

6. Shorten URLs

Links can take up valuable space in an SMS marketing message. A shortened URL frees up characters for additional messaging and, depending on the platform, will allow for click tracking so the sender can evaluate how users are interacting with their messages.

7. Use images

Text marketing can go well beyond the text of the message. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) texts can deliver images to customers. Images can enhance marketing for restaurants introducing new dishes or retail stores with products. Realtors can send pictures of homes, and nonprofits can keep employees and volunteers updated with complicated projects.

8. Create value and urgency

Text messages are read within three minutes of receipt. Senders can capitalize on the immediacy of text delivery by creating a sense of urgency, urging contacts to act in as little as a few hours. Texts can contain an end date for an offer or a message encouraging contacts to act on a limited supply. It is important, however, to ensure offers and other messages are valuable to contacts. The quickest way to ensure users unsubscribe is to send messages without valuable information in an attempt to stay top-of-mind.

Also Read: 6 Customer Experience Strategies for SMS and WhatsApp

9. Try different campaigns

As with any marketing strategy, different campaigns reach different audiences. A company utilizing a text marketing platform for internal employee communication will use a completely different campaign than a pet store trying to market its new grooming services. By working to find which strategies drive the right audiences to action, an organization can maximize its text marketing potential and develop powerful campaigns.

Customers want authentic and valuable interactions. Whether an organization has used text marketing before or is trying it out for the first time, following these best practices will encourage opt-ins, keep customers engaged and drive conversions.