o measure an SMS campaign, track six numbers: delivery rate (delivered ÷ sent, from delivery receipts), click-through rate (unique clicks ÷ delivered), conversion rate (conversions ÷ delivered), opt-out rate (opt-outs ÷ delivered), cost per delivered message (total cost ÷ delivered) and return on spend (revenue ÷ cost). Delivery tells you whether the route works, clicks and conversions whether the message works, and opt-outs whether the audience still wants to hear from you.
Key takeaways
- Use delivered, not sent, as the denominator for engagement metrics.
- Delivery rate comes from delivery receipts (DLRs); a 200 response from an API is not delivery.
- Branded, trackable links make click-through measurable per campaign and per recipient.
- Opt-out rate is the early warning for frequency, targeting and content problems.
- Cost per delivered message is the fair way to compare routes and providers.
Which SMS metrics should you track?
| Metric | Formula | Where the data comes from | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery rate | Delivered ÷ sent | Delivery receipts (DLRs) | Route quality, number-list quality |
| Failure breakdown | Failures by error code ÷ sent | DLR error codes | Invalid numbers, blocked content, operator issues |
| Click-through rate | Unique clicks ÷ delivered | Branded short-link analytics | Whether the offer and wording work |
| Conversion rate | Conversions ÷ delivered | Your shop, booking or CRM data with link tags | Business result per message |
| Opt-out rate | STOP replies ÷ delivered | Inbound replies and suppression list | Audience fatigue or poor targeting |
| Cost per delivered message | Total cost ÷ delivered | Invoices and DLRs | The true unit cost of a route |
| Return on spend | Attributed revenue ÷ campaign cost | Revenue data and link attribution | Whether the campaign paid off |
How do you measure SMS delivery rate?
Every SMS you send gets a delivery receipt (DLR) from the network with a final status such as delivered, failed or expired, and an error code when it fails. Delivery rate is delivered messages divided by messages sent. Read it per country and per network, not only as one number: a 97% total can hide a failing operator. Group failures by error code to separate invalid numbers (clean the list), blocked content or unregistered sender IDs (fix compliance) and temporary network issues (retry or change route). See what a DLR is and DLR error codes explained.
Invalid and inactive numbers drag the rate down and still cost money. An HLR lookup before large sends removes numbers that are no longer active; our guide on using HLR lookup to cut messaging spend shows how.
How do you track clicks and conversions from SMS?
Use a branded short link per campaign, or per recipient when you need individual attribution, and add campaign tags (such as UTM parameters) to the destination URL so your analytics tool attributes the visit. Count unique clicks against delivered messages. Then follow the visitor to the result that matters: an order, a booking, a payment. For reply-based campaigns, the reply rate plays the role of clicks. See branded short links and SMS attribution.
What does the opt-out rate tell you?
Opt-outs are a direct signal from your audience. A rising opt-out rate after a campaign usually points to one of four causes: sending too often, a list that includes people who did not expect your messages, an irrelevant offer, or a bad send time. Track opt-outs per campaign and per segment, honour every one immediately, and never re-add suppressed numbers. See how to handle SMS opt-outs.
Why use cost per delivered message?
Price per message sent flatters cheap routes. If route A costs less per message but delivers far fewer of them, you pay for messages nobody receives, and the customers who missed a code or an offer are lost too. Dividing total cost by delivered messages gives the real unit cost and lets you compare routes and providers fairly. Our analysis of SMS deliverability economics walks through the maths.
How do you calculate SMS marketing ROI?
Return on spend is revenue attributed to the campaign divided by the campaign's cost (messages plus any link, platform and creative costs). A worked example with made-up numbers: 10,000 messages sent, 9,700 delivered, 485 unique clicks (5% of delivered), 97 orders (1% of delivered) at an average of 30 in revenue each gives 2,910 in revenue; if the campaign cost 300, return on spend is 9.7 to 1. Use a holdout group that receives no message when you want to prove the campaign caused the sales. More in how to measure SMS marketing ROI.
How do you improve weak SMS metrics?
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Low delivery in one country | Unregistered sender ID, grey route or content filter | Check registration rules; use direct operator routes |
| Many invalid-number failures | Old or badly formatted list | Validate to E.164; run an HLR lookup |
| Delivered but few clicks | Weak offer, unclear call to action, untrusted link | Rewrite the copy; use a branded link |
| Clicks but few conversions | Landing page mismatch or friction | Match the page to the message; shorten checkout |
| Opt-outs rising | Frequency, targeting or timing | Send less often; segment; respect local time |
For copy, see how to write SMS marketing messages; for timing, the best time to send bulk SMS. BroadNet's bulk SMS platform reports delivery receipts per message, and SMS analytics explains the reporting in short.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good SMS delivery rate?
It varies by country, route and list quality, so compare your own campaigns over time and by network. Direct operator routes and clean lists give the highest rates; see SMS delivery rate benchmarks.
How is SMS click-through rate calculated?
Unique clicks divided by delivered messages, measured with a trackable link.
Can you track SMS open rates?
No. SMS has no read receipts for business messages, so use clicks, replies and conversions instead.
What is cost per delivered message?
Total campaign messaging cost divided by the number of messages actually delivered. It is the fair way to compare routes.
What opt-out rate is too high?
Watch the trend rather than one number: a jump after a campaign means that campaign's frequency, audience or content needs attention.
Where do SMS delivery statistics come from?
From delivery receipts (DLRs) returned by the networks for each message.
Numbers in the ROI example are illustrative, not benchmarks. Reviewed 28 September 2026. See our editorial standards.