Given how pervasive text messaging has become, launching an SMS campaign is an easy way to capture a mobile audience. While the basic concepts of SMS campaigns look simple, there are some important things to note before you launch your campaign. If you are interested in initiating a mobile messaging campaign, follow these guidelines that will help you as you navigate throughout the mobile space.
To run an SMS campaign, all you really need is a short code and a keyword. As text-messaging campaigns have become more common, your audience is probably already familiar with short codes and keywords. A short code is a five or six digit number that a participant texts into in order to engage with the mobile campaign. The keyword is the actual word they text. For example, you may see commercials prompting you to text “W-I-N” to “43243” to enter a sweepstakes. “W-I-N” is the keyword, “43242” is the short code. While this is a very generic example, there are many innovative ways to utilize SMS to engage an audience.
So the next question you should ask is, “how do I get a short code and keyword?” Much like you would register for a domain name on the Web, you have to apply for a short code through the Common Short Code Administration (www.usshortcodes.com). Typically, it will take six to twelve weeks before you are assigned a short code and costs between $500 and $1,000 a month to lease. During the time of your lease, your brand is given exclusive rights to your short code. A random short-code is referred to as dedicated and a specific request for a five or six digit short-code is referred to as vanity.
If you are working on a tighter budget or just want to get your campaign moving faster, you can obtain a shared short code through a mobile applications company. While other brands and businesses will have access to the same short code, you will be given a unique keyword to distinguish between your campaigns. Various mobile vendors and application providers can get you up and running on a shared short code within 24-48 hours. Depending on the timeline and desires of the brand, both shared and dedicated short-codes have been proven to be extremely successful.
While SMS campaigns are relatively simple to get started, you still need to think about the strategy of your campaign and what you wish to accomplish. Now is a great time to get involved with SMS because people are responding positively to these kinds of marketing platforms. It has been reported that “…roughly one in four wireless users express interest in mobile marketing initiatives” (www.advieux.com/). It was also found that brand awareness increased by 24 percent among people exposed to some form of mobile marketing (adweek.com). There are too many advantages and benefits of Mobile Messaging. An SMS campaign needs to be implemented into your next cross channel media strategy.
Considering that 95 percent of mobile devices are SMS capable, it is important to look at how you can incorporate an SMS campaign into your mobile marketing strategy. SMS stands for short message service but is commonly referred to as text messaging. Today, nearly everyone with a cell phone has probably sent or received a text message. If you are thinking of initiating a mobile marketing campaign, SMS campaigns are a great starting place.
While many think of text messaging as a form of communication between two users, it can also be used for commercial purposes on a much larger scale. The first thing to keep in mind when using text messaging for marketing purposes is that you must get permission before you begin marketing. Without permission, people will view your campaign as spam. Secondly, you must be able to condense your message into 160 characters, including spaces. Therefore your message must be direct and to the point. Many of the most popular SMS campaign formats include gimmicks like mobile coupons, text-to-win, text-to-vote, and mobile alerts. While the basic idea is relatively straightforward, you can find innovative ways to incorporate these gimmicks into your SMS campaign.
Since text messaging is essentially a universal application found on the vast majority of cell phones, it is found to be one of the most affordable and efficient ways to launch a mobile campaign. Not only does the technology lend itself to a large group of users, research also shows that audiences are receptive to its messages. eMarketer found that more and more marketers are embracing text messaging campaigns because SMS campaigns reported higher click-through-rates when compared to Web banners. Like all mobile campaigns, however, SMS requires that you receive permission from the user before sending them a message. If the message is compelling enough, though, you will catch your audience’s attention.
Unlike other forms of marketing, SMS campaigns can be used across a variety of mediums. Depending on your business, it may be helpful to initiate a text messaging campaign that spans across multiple mediums such as television, print, radio, and the Internet. In the last few years, SMS campaigns have become very popular on television. Many shows allow users to text in to vote for their favorite contestants or enter themselves in sweepstakes. Radio stations now ask listeners to text in to request a song. Today marketers can design print ads with an SMS call-to-action so that the audience has an alternative way to interact with the product or service. Essentially, SMS enables brands and businesses to interact with their clientele in a variety of ways.
If you know you want to start a mobile campaign but don’t know exactly where to begin, look at launching an SMS campaign. SMS campaigns can be used in combination with your current marketing platform and allow for your users to interact with you further. Considering that 30 billion text messages are sent globally each month, there is a clear audience for this medium. The trick is to figure out how to make your audience engage with your brand or business.
