SMS marketing

Explore the inexhaustible potential of effective SMS marketing for businesses.

  • Conduct text marketing on your terms.
  • Discover SMS marketing best practices and tools.
  • Test, observe results and improve marketing messages.
  • Scale your business in the mobile channel.
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Definition of SMS marketing

SMS marketing is text messages containing advertisements, promotions and other forms of encouragement to take advantage of special offers. The effectiveness of SMS marketing campaigns, including marketing texts, is directly related to the quality of the database and respect for recipients’ privacy. Remember that all recipients must consent to data processing for marketing purposes (check out the GDPR consent template for SMS marketing).

SMS marketing is both mass text messaging and tailor-made promotional messages to a select group of recipients. Read on to learn how to run effective text marketing.

SMS marketing - benefits for your business

  • SMS marketing services mean more purchases are made on the mobile channel.
  • Mass SMS texts translate into increased traffic to the company’s store, website (landing pages) or app.
  • SMS marketing improves the lifetime value (LTV) ratio of customers.
  • Marketing automation becomes easier with integrations with e-commerce, marketing automation, CRM, CDP or ERP systems.
  • Utilizing SMS marketing software can further streamline marketing efforts by enabling personalized communication and providing valuable insights into customer behaviors.
  • Regular messaging influences the building of loyalty and commitment of the potential customer.
  • Text message marketing platform also allows quick NPS and satisfaction surveys.

  • Five opportunities to build your contact base

  • 1. Online shopping

    E-commerce is m-commerce already. Take advantage of customer data from marketing automation and CDP systems to develop comprehensive marketing strategies that integrate SMS with other marketing tactics. A successful online store purchase is a great time to invite customers to subscribe to text messages with exclusive offers.

  • 2. Shopping

    We shop with smartphones in hand, comparing and looking for bargains. Reach customers' cell phones directly with your offers - set up a tablet with a form at the checkout and encourage them to sign up for SMS marketing in stores or service establishments.

  • 3. Loyalty clubs

    Launch a new channel of communication with your brand’s most loyal customers. SMS services promote products and deliver content tailored to the needs and habits of the narrow audience of customer loyalty programs.

  • 4. Social media, outdoor and traditional media

    Are social media, press, radio, TV, or large-format advertising good sources for new customers? Creative campaigns, CSR, and contests focused on interaction and engagement are your tools for getting them.

  • 5. Trade shows, conferences, mass events

    Focus attention on your brand at mass events and gather contacts of potential customers and business partners instead of business cards. Implementing targeted SMS text marketing campaigns can significantly improve engagement and ROI. Add short text messages to the communication mix before, during and after the event.

Text messaging gateway for businesses

A professional messaging gateway is more than text marketing, MMS and VMS! See what else you gain from registering with SMSAPI.

  • Send text message marketing anywhere in the world

    Send text message marketing anywhere in the world

    Text messaging is the gold standard because every phone and smartphone can receive and send messages. New subscribers from all over the world are within reach of your campaigns. All you have to do is ask them for their phone numbers, consent to SMS marketing, learn their buying preferences and convince them to purchase.

  • Automate SMS notifications, payment reminders and 2FA codes

    Automate SMS notifications, payment reminders and 2FA codes

    Your SMS marketing campaigns are just the first step. After a successful sale, it’s time for exemplary customer service - notifications. Combine your SMS marketing service with your e-commerce and CRM tools and send text messages about important issues, appointment reminders, sudden changes, order statuses, delivery and complaints.

    You will run SMS notifications in over 200 systems integrated with SMSAPI and by creating your connection with SMS API. We also provide a turnkey solution that improves login security. Explore SMS Authenticator, with which you will enable SMS as an authorization component to transmit verification codes.

  • Text message marketing is compliant with GDPR

    Text message marketing is compliant with GDPR

    Like any other sales communication method, SMS marketing campaign includes offers and promotions and falls under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. So before sending SMS messages to your customers, ensure you have data processing consent for marketing purposes. The easiest way to do this is at the stage of obtaining a phone number - add a checkbox with GDPR consent to send marketing SMS.

    • SMS marketing tools to increase customer engagement

    The content of an SMS message is a mere 160 characters, with zero pictures, video or sounds. However, practice proves this is enough to create engaging messages. Check out the tools at your disposal for your SMS campaign.

    • Text message sender field (SMS branding)

      Ensure brand recognition - set the company name instead of the number. In one fell swoop, you will improve your SMS campaign and increase engagement, conversion rate, SMS open rate (open rate), and link click-through rate (CTR). Moreover, the message's recipient will see the brand in the notification bar. However, you cannot reply to messages with your sender id. SMS branding is free.

      Text message sender field (SMS branding)

    • Receive SMS messages online

      Two-way SMS communication allows you to exchange information with your customers. Conduct creative marketing activities, NPS and satisfaction surveys. Handle orders and appointments via SMS. Your customers will not pay extra for sending messages.

      We provide SMS receiving numbers in two formats: 9 or 4-5 digits. Use a shortcode or short SMS number to expand your audience base and find new customers on social media and traditional media, such as billboards, press, radio, or TV.

      Receive SMS messages online

    • Personalized messages

      Enhance text marketing content with dynamic parameters - variables the text message marketing software replaces with corresponding information. Add a name, favorite product category or address and send a personalized SMS campaign. Personalizing content is an excellent solution, which is why most companies tailor messages to the potential customer.

      Personalized messages

    • Bulk SMS messages with short links

      Every phone receives and sends text messages even without internet access. Shortened links will help you guide your potential customers back to your website. Shortening links saves valuable characters, introduces traffic analytics and, most importantly, redirects recipients to a product page with the special offer.

      SMS advertising boasts one of the highest CTR (link click-through rates) – don't miss this opportunity. Remember to precede the shortened link with a call to action (CTA) to engage customers.

      Bulk SMS messages with short links

    • SMS content: unique values and discount codes

      How can the effectiveness of an SMS campaign be improved? Include discount codes, reminders about new offers, promotions on complementary products or offer free delivery in the message content. Analyze the usage rate of discount codes and gain insight into the effectiveness of SMS marketing.

      SMS content: unique values and discount codes

    • SMS loyalty programs

      SMS mobile marketing reaches customers directly, bypassing spam email marketing and content-overloaded social media walls. It's a chance to drive conversions from loyal customers. Create an SMS loyalty program and send exclusive discounts, offers and news to customers enrolled in loyalty programs.

      SMS loyalty programs

    • Content marketing: the fear of missing out mechanism and more

      Most SMS messages are read five minutes after delivery. That's why you can successfully use promotional campaigns with a short shelf life. Use FOMO (fear of missing out) and other mechanisms to increase response rates. Limit the promotion to a few hours, write a call to action (CTA), precisely select the group and schedule messages, and watch the sales columns grow.

      Content marketing: the fear of missing out mechanism and more

    • Targeting text message marketing

      Data from online sales and marketing systems are the basis for narrowing down your audience groups, i.e. better targeting of SMS marketing. Use them to create messages tailored to your SMS campaign goals and objectives. Sending targeted messages is another step to improving KPIs.

      Targeting text message marketing

    • Surveys, polls and SMS surveys

      Contest SMS polls are a popular way to increase brand recognition and build an audience base across industries. Use them at events, in the media or on your website. You can survey customer satisfaction in two ways: send a message with a link to a survey or use a receiving number. The second option is faster and more convenient - just write back to the SMS.

      Surveys, polls and SMS surveys

    • SMS opt-out system (Unsubsc.me)

      Subscribing to a company's SMS communication is not a lifelong decision. We provide a ready-made tool for your customers to unsubscribe from the contact database. Meet Unsubsc.me - our SMS opt-out system. All the recipient has to do is click the link to stop future text messages. The tool will also help you simultaneously clear your base of many disinterested recipients.

      SMS opt-out system (Unsubsc.me)

    Effective SMS marketing messages - campaign research and analysis

    Learn the eight factors by which you will determine and measure the effectiveness of SMS marketing.

    Text message marketing – testimonials

    Lukasz Gapa

    Auto awa

    Lukasz Gapa

    SMS campaigns and relationship-building

    By working with SMSAPI, we reach our audience quickly and directly. We give a discount less often than more often, and at the same time, hunt for situations where we can add something from ourselves. It is definitely cheaper and easier to keep existing customers than constantly acquire new ones. It's very simple - if you get a customer once, with whom you manage to build a positive relationship - you will gain more.
    Wojciech Chocholowicz

    Gino Rossi

    Wojciech Chocholowicz

    Multichannel communication with customers

    SMS messages are an essential tool in Gino Rossi's marketing activities. Constant contact with our customers has a real impact on sales volume. The posts confirm that SMS is one of the best-performing marketing communication channels. However, it is worth remembering that it is necessary to combine channels such as SMS with e-mail to ensure maximum effects. Such campaigns bring the best results.
    Wojciech Tomaszewski

    Answear.com

    Wojciech Tomaszewski

    Advantages of SMS marketing campaigns

    We chose the SMS channel because of the personal relationship it creates with the recipient. We use messaging for larger campaigns several times a year, and to increase the campaign's effectiveness, we combine other marketing channels simultaneously, which definitely affects conversion. Our experience shows that campaigns combining email and SMS can achieve up to 30% higher results.

    How to send SMS marketing campaign?

    Conduct SMS marketing at your convenience: directly from the SMSAPI customer panel, using automation features of an integrated system, or through your connection to the SMS API interface. How to get started?

      SMS marketing in six steps:

    • Create a test account for free (quick registration)
    • Verify your company data
    • Set up your SMS sender field
    • Prepare a database with contacts and GDPR consents
    • Create engaging SMS content
    • Send SMS campaign to your customers

    Register for free

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    FAQ

    What is RCS and will it replace traditional SMS marketing?

    RCS (Rich Communication Services), often called "SMS 2.0," is a messaging standard that enriches traditional communication with features known from internet messengers, such as carousel graphics, action buttons, and videos. Although RCS offers far broader visual and interactive possibilities, traditional SMS remains irreplaceable due to its reliability and 100% reach (it works on every phone, even without internet access). Currently, the best strategy is to treat RCS as an extension of your campaigns for users with modern smartphones.

    What are the legal rules and GDPR requirements for SMS marketing?

    In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR), mass SMS sending requires obtaining the recipient's prior, voluntary marketing consent. It is also crucial to provide users with an easy way to unsubscribe, for example via an opt-out link. Storing the database within the EU (which SMSAPI guarantees) makes it easier to meet legal requirements and ensures high standards of personal data protection.

    What is the SMS sender field (Sender ID) and how does it build trust in an SMS campaign?

    The SMS sender field (Sender ID), also known as the SMS sender name, is a name (up to 11 characters) that appears on the recipient's phone instead of a random number. Using your own brand name builds a professional image, increases trust and security (protecting against phishing). In professional SMS API systems, registering your own sender field is standard practice, allowing the customer to instantly identify who the message is from.

    SMS marketing vs. email marketing – which one delivers a better ROI?

    The best results come from an omnichannel strategy that combines both channels. SMS marketing stands out with an incredible open rate (around 95%) and fast read time (usually within five minutes), making it ideal for urgent notifications. Email marketing works well for delivering more extensive content. By combining them, you can, for example, send an SMS to people who haven't opened an important email, dramatically increasing your return on investment (ROI).

    How to integrate SMS marketing with an online store (e-commerce)?

    SMS marketing is most often integrated with e-commerce through ready-made plugins, such as WooCommerce or Shopify, or through a direct connection via SMS API. This enables full automation: sending order status notifications, abandoned cart reminders, and personalized discount codes. Thanks to this integration, the system automatically responds to customer behavior, significantly increasing the conversion rate.