How to optimize your SMS marketing Campaign
Though online chat options are undoubtedly affecting this figure, SMS remains an extremely popular way for people around the world to communicate.
For marketers, marketing via text blast is quite limited in terms of what can be sent to customers. But these limits make it a walk in the park to put together SMS marketing campaigns and it’s more than worth the effort.
SMS is the most effective direct marketing channel. It has the best engagement rates – and is a lot less annoying than a cold call. Thanks to a lack of spam filter and the fact that people check their phones more obsessively than their email inbox, companies can yield a great return using SMS marketing campaigns.
So without further ado, here are some tips that will help you make the most of your SMS marketing campaigns:
And now that most people use smartphones, it is also a great medium for driving people to your website and should be to the fore of digital marketer’s minds
Target your text messages
As most companies don’t send SMS messages to customers as often as they might send emails, it’s important to make your SMS count.
One of the best ways to do this is to make sure you segment your audience so you can send them targeted messages. This way your texts are more likely to be welcomed by your customer and lead to a conversion.
It’s a good idea to integrate your CRM system with the messaging platform that you’re using. This way, depending on the information you’ve got stored, you can send out messages based on demographics, purchase history, or even location.
SMS marketing campaigns by well-known brands like Pizza Hut and Kiehls have had huge success targeting customers based on location. Pizza Hut in the UK set up SMS geofencing to target customers who were within a half-mile radius of one of their locations. According to the text message marketing tool, Tatango, this campaign proved more effective in generating sales than the company’s online advertising.
Similarly, cosmetics brand Kiehl’s encouraged customers to sign up to their SMS campaign and sent them offers based on location. 73% of the people who signed up bought something as a result of the message.
Set up triggered messages
You can also target your customers based on their actions – or even their inaction. Use triggered messages to continually interact with your customers.
If they buy a particular item on your website, say a laptop, send them a text suggesting they might like a related item, like a laptop cover. Maybe you could even offer them a discount. Because of the immediacy of SMS, you could even send the text before they’ve left your website.
Triggered messages can be handy for marketing to customers after they make all sorts of actions.
Timing is everything
When my phone buzzes with the arrival of an SMS message, I get around to opening it with much more urgency than say when an email notification pops up on my screen. So while timing isn’t the biggest consideration when sending out emails, it is definitely something to consider carefully for your SMS marketing campaigns. If someone gets a text in the middle of the night, they might actually get up to check it – so make sure to pick a better time for customers!
Keeping in mind the immediacy that comes with SMS marketing, it is also a good idea to include offers or deals that are time-sensitive. This will encourage people to take action, instead of putting it on the long finger.
Keep it short and to the point
With SMS, it’s important that you get to the point fast. Most messaging services will break your text into chunks if you go beyond 160 characters. Though most modern phones will join the messages together into one coherent message up to 918 characters, you’re better off to keep it brief. People don’t want to receive long, spammy-looking messages and you’ll likely be charged for each chunk too.
Include a Call To Action
Like every other piece of marketing material, it’s important to include a strong Call To Action in your SMS messages. Tell them about a great new offer and they ask the reader to ‘Click here’ or ‘Buy now’.
For example, a short message like: “Get 30% off your next order until Sunday. Buy now: Nike.Sneakers/Sale” would be effective.
Use branded links for SMS marketing campaigns
Most CTAs will include a link to your website, but you won’t want to use a long, ugly link full of UTM parameters, especially when you’re limited to 160 characters. Though it may be tempting to shorten your links, using a generic URL shortener, it’s much better to create a custom short link with your brand’s name on it.
By using a vanity URL in your SMS marketing campaigns, you not only increase your brand visibility and create a tidier text message, but you could see a boost in your click-through rates of up to 39% too.
Branded links get more clicks because they are more trusted than a generic short URL. This is particularly important for SMS marketing campaigns, as people know a text to their phone could be coming from anyone. But once people see that your brand’s name is associated with the link, they’ll feel better about clicking on it, knowing your company wouldn’t be associated with spam or phishing sites.
H2: If you aren’t using branded links in your SMS communications, it really is a missed opportunity for building brand visibility and awareness.
Many brands are using SMS campaigns for much more than just marketing. Some use it for customer service, like sending password resets, appointment reminders, and delivery confirmation. Others use SMS to encourage feedback and the completion of online surveys. When it comes to marketing, these other uses will just make your customers even more receptive to your message.
Text messaging with Broadnet Technologies can be a powerful tool for your business, allowing you to send important messages straight into the hands of your customers. So, take advantage of it. Remember to keep these tips in mind and you’ll be a pro at SMS marketing.
Now, start creating some amazing options to get those SMS users. Join Broadnet Technologies today!