Not all SMS marketing messages are created equally. Some brands consistently get better response rates, click-throughs, and opens. It’s not just about content. You might think sports teams and entertainment messages would easily outperform retail hardware stores, but that’s not necessarily the case. The most successful SMS marketers understand the medium and use that knowledge to drive results.

Follow these SMS marketing strategy guidelines written by our top business SMS service experts, and give your text message marketing efforts the best chance for success.

Business SMS Strategy #1 Opt-in Audience

Text messages are not the place to raise awareness with unknown audiences. Sending unsolicited messages to a purchased phone list is a sure way to trigger complaints, generate bad will among your recipients, and reduce your credibility in the market.

Opt-in audiences, on the other hand, are already primed to receive your messages and offers. Generating opt-in phone lists might be easier than you think. Create text-to-win offers, host text contests, or ask for phone numbers at exhibitions and events. With every message, make sure your recipients have an easy way to opt out of your phone list.

Business SMS Strategy #2 Say Who You Are

When members of your list receive your messages, you want them to know that it’s your business that is sending the message. When possible (sometimes government regulations prevent it), always include your business name as the sender. That way, your brand name will appear in your recipients’ massaging application.

Some countries require registration to do this. In those locations, make sure to include your brand name in the first words of the message. That way, customers can easily see who is contacting them, and more often than not your brand name will appear on the notification for your message.

Business SMS Strategy #3 Branded Short URLs

Short URLs use fewer characters than regular website URL. Bit.ly, a well-known link compressor, can convert a link with hundreds of characters into about 12 characters. This is important when dealing with character limits in an SMS.

However, marketers who are looking to get more out of their text messages should consider branded short URLs. While in short form like a bit.ly, these URLs can begin with your brand name. Research has shown that branded links receive up to 39% more clicks than the generic short links.

Business SMS Strategy #4 Personalized Messages

When brands personalize messages to individuals, it helps forge a stronger connection between the brand and recipient. The messages are more relevant, and the customer feels like the brand is more of a colleague than a business.

Personalization can take different forms. In some instances, it uses the recipient’s name, while for others the offer is customized based on the buyer’s history with the brand. Either way, this technique tends to increase conversion and response rates.

Business SMS Strategy #5 Trackable UTMs

UTMs are a method Google Analytics utilizes to track web traffic. While your bulk text agency should be able to tell you how many people clicked on your link, the UTM can tell you what happened once those people arrived at your site.

UTMs can tell you how long people stayed on site, the pages they viewed, and whether or not they ordered a product or downloaded a white paper. UTMs are instrumental in A/B testing, allowing marketers to see not only which message brought the most traffic, but whether there was a difference in the quality of traffic that came through.

Talk to our smart message SMS experts to ensure your SMS campaigns deliver the customers and conversions your business is targeting.