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Advantages of text message advertising?
Text message advertising use cases (with examples)
Keys to effective text message advertising
Common mistakes you need to avoid
To conclude
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Text Messaging
Text message advertising: How to make it work for you?
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By Nandhaan Verma
Published on June 20, 2022
Text Messaging
Table of Contents
Advantages of text message advertising?
Text message advertising use cases (with examples)
Keys to effective text message advertising
Common mistakes you need to avoid
To conclude
Engaging with people nowadays is a major challenge.

With all the digital noise, it has become difficult for organizations to connect
with people.

However, a recent survey found that 3 in 10 people would give up calling for
messaging. Moreover, over 68% of people said they text more than they talk on their
smartphones.

Given these findings, it’s clear that texting is the preferred channel of
communication. For you, this is an opportunity to engage with people on a platform
they are comfortable with. And advertising text messages paves the way for you.

Text message advertising is the practice of leveraging SMS to share updates, and
information, and connect with people. The objective of the message could be:

Generating awareness
Prospect nurturing
Getting people to take action
While there are many benefits of text advertising, you only see them by following
some best practices and avoiding common mistakes, all of which we’ll cover in this
post.

Advantages of text message advertising?

The usage of mobile phones has gone up exponentially, and people spend over 70% of
their time texting. This kind of penetration of SMS paves the way for numerous
other advantages of text message advertising like:

1. Better reach
95% of people between 18-29 and 91% of people between the ages 30-49 actively use
text messaging.

These numbers are higher compared to the use of social media, 90%, and 82%
respectively, and email, 91%, and 90% respectively.

Moreover, texts also have the highest open rates (98%) among all other channels.
This makes SMS the most effective channel for advertising with the highest market
reach.

2. More conversions
With text message advertising, you can achieve a conversion rate of 36% on average.
Moreover, this number can go up to 70% for more engaging peer-to-peer and bulk MMS
campaigns.

Compared to the conversion rate of 1.22 % and 9.21% for email and social media,
respectively, advertising through text messaging clearly shows more potential.

3. Lower costs
It’s a common misconception that text advertising can cost a lot. However, with
most mass texting solutions, the cost doesn’t usually exceed 5 cents per message.

On the other hand, a single click on a search or social media ad can cost you a
couple of dollars.

While the cost may seem higher than that of an email, the ROI of texts makes up for
it.

4. Highly personal
Finally, text advertising is highly personal and free of all the digital noise on
other channels.

90% of texts are read within 15 minutes, whereas the overall open rate of emails
ranges from 15-25%. On social media too, the number of ads and posts from
businesses creates a clutter that people develop blindness to.

However, that is not the case with SMS, which makes it one of the most effective
channels for advertising. Plus, over 85% of customers prefer receiving text
messages over a phone call or email, which adds to the impact.

Read Next: SMS Marketing: The Definitive Guide for Nonprofits and Political
Campaigns

Text message advertising use cases (with examples)

In case you’re wondering about how to advertise through text messages, here’s a
list of some of the most popular use cases for it.

1. Announcing product launches

Businesses can drive awareness (and sales) by announcing the launch of new products
or services through text message advertising.
Product launch text
2. Promoting coupons and offers
Another great way to drive sales or traffic online is by promoting your
coupons/offers through SMS advertising. You can also drive foot traffic offline by
advertising exclusive in-store offers or discounts.

Text message advertising coupons

3. Cart abandonment messages
Online stores try to reduce cart abandonment by sending offers/reminders through
email. However, the high open and read rates of text messages provide a better
opportunity to overcome them.

Cart abandondment text

4. Appointment reminders
Sending text message reminders is an easy way to avoid missed appointments. Since
55% of consumers prefer getting reminders through texts (rather than email or
calls), SMS is the most effective and reliable channel for it.

Appointment reminder text

5. Event notifications
Text message advertising is a great way to create a buzz around events too.
Schools, universities, religious organizations, businesses, and others can leverage
this to generate awareness and boost ticket sales.

Event updates text

6. Emergency updates
It’s quite common for businesses to use SMS for general updates (like delivery or
order details). However, government, nonprofit, and disaster relief organizations
can also use it to send emergency updates.

For emergency updates, organizations need to be able to send a message to a large

number of people quickly. Moreover, the message should also be read by most, if not
all. Sending broadcast messages using a text alert software fulfills all these
criteria.

Emergency updates text

7. Fundraising through texts
Text messaging advertising services can also support text-to-give or text-to-donate
campaigns. The frictionless process and higher reach can amplify fundraising
efforts for nonprofits or religious organizations.

fundraising texts
You May Also Like: Top 20 Text Message Marketing Statistics to Give You a Leg Up
With Customer Communication

Keys to effective text message advertising

1. Text message length
The permitted length of an SMS is 160 characters and that for an MMS message is
1600 characters. Going beyond that splits the text into two (or more) messages and
may not deliver a great experience.

When advertising through text messages, keep in mind that your message has to
accommodate for:

Text body: The compelling message to inspire the reader to click on the CTA
CTA: The link within the message that you want the reader to click. This, however,
won’t be applicable for general updates or notifications.
Paragraph spacing: For better visual perception, you can split the message into
paragraphs. This takes one-two characters depending on how much space you use.
Generally, the best practice is to keep your message short and concise. You can use
text abbreviations if it matches the tone of your brand.

Text message advertising abbreviations

2. CTA structure and placement
Apart from general notifications, each text of yours should have a CTA. This is the
link that people click on and are directed to another page to take a specific
action.

Advertisements through SMS should have just one CTA in the body. Having more would
make the text longer and wouldn’t leave room to write a compelling body.

When placing your CTA in a text, a few other things to keep in mind are:

Use shortened URLs: Use a link-shortening tool to shorten your CTA to save on
space.
URL placement: Place it at the end of the message if you want the reader to know
something important before they open the link, like a coupon code. If the page is
self-explanatory, you can place it anywhere in between the text.
Mobile optimize the landing page: Make sure that the page (or wherever) you direct
your readers to is mobile optimized. Your job to provide a good user experience
extends beyond the SMS too.
Link placement text message
3. Time and frequency of sending
It’s easy to ignore emails and ads on social media, but not texts. While this is a
good thing, it’s essential that you don’t abuse this characteristic. Remember,
people can opt out of texts too.

While there is no “best” time or frequency for all messages, you can follow these
steps to determine that number:

Start with one text a week: Increase it slowly and keep track of the click-throughs
and opt-outs. As the latter starts increasing and the former decreases, revert back
to the previous sending frequency.
Send your texts at noon: Studies showed that the most clicks on text CTAs were at
12 pm. Start off by sending messages at 12 and experiment with times around it. At
12, you may face a lot of competition from other organizations following this rule.
Set texting frequency during opt-in: Let prospects know how often they should
expect your messages. You tell them about this while promoting your keyword and
shortcode or in a welcome message when they first opt-in.
Message frequency text
4. Engagement
SMS is short and direct, whereas an MMS is more engaging. The higher engagement can
ramp up your texting advertising campaigns and increase conversions from 36% to
over 70%. Moreover, the character limit also increases to 1600 for an MMS giving
you more room to write a compelling body.

However, with MMS marketing, there are quite a few things you have to keep in mind:

File size: The size of the MMS should be within a specific range (350kB to 1.2 MB)
so that it renders correctly in all types of phones.
Dimensions: There are specific dimensions for each type of multimedia too (static
images, gifs, videos) that you have to follow to provide the best experience.
Subject line: Similar to emails, you need to write compelling subject lines too, a
feature exclusive to MMS.
Message Body: The multimedia is accompanied by a text body in which you add the CTA
and message to inspire people to click on it.
>>For more detailed insights into MMS marketing best practices, check out this
post.

Test message advertising MMS

Common mistakes you need to avoid
While text message advertising can be highly beneficial for your outreach efforts,
it can be equally harmful if you make any of the following mistakes.

1. Not getting permission

When advertising through text messaging, you must have direct permission from
recipients in order to maintain SMS compliance. It is required by law for you to
obtain written consent obtained in the form of permission given on paper or through
a website form.

How can you avoid it?

There are two simple ways to get the recipient’s consent:

Have them opt-in using a keyword

Promote your shortcode and keyword on different platforms like social media,
flyers, in-store banners, etc. When doing so, make sure that you make the terms and
conditions of the same clear.

Therefore, when people send in the keyword, you get their legal consent to send
them promotional updates and messages.

Text message advertising opt-in

Send them a link to your privacy policy
In case you obtain the person’s mobile number in ways other than that described
above, start off with a welcome message. Send them a link to your privacy policy
and an option to opt out if they would like to. A safer bet would be to ask them to
reply to you in case they wish to opt in.

Privacy policy text

2. Not providing an easy opt-out option
No matter how great your advertisements through SMS are, you still have to provide
an easy way for people to opt out. It’s not just a good practice for SMS marketing
but required by law too.

How can you avoid it?

An easy way to avoid this is to add a line at the end of your message, as shown in
the example.

However, make sure that you also provide an easy way for the prospect to re-enable
service. Send a message that describes this once someone unsubscribes from your
list.

Text message advertising opt out

To ensure compliance better, use a texting solution that automatically removes
people from the list when the keyword is sent. This eliminates the grunt work that
you would have to do in reviewing responses.

3. Not using a recognizable number

Whether you’re sending texts, emails, or letters, it’s important to maintain your
brand identity across all channels. For texts (especially SMS), since you can’t add
your logo, you need to adopt other ways to maintain this identity.

The number you use to text prospects is one way to ensure that. Yet, a business
sending messages from different numbers is quite common. This is how organizations
lose the opportunity to establish a strong brand identity.

How can you avoid that?

Use a shortcode to text your prospects, and don’t change it. While you can use a
standard 10-digit number, a shortcode is more memorable, and hence it’s easier for
people to relate it to your brand.

Plus, with a shortcode, you can deliver messages faster. It takes 1 second to send
a message with a 10-digit number whereas a shortcode lets you send 100 texts per
second.

Shortcode vs. standard number

Having said that, if for any reason you don’t want to use a shortcode, use a local
10-digit number. It may not add to your identity but will enhance your credibility.
A message from a random toll-free number may be seen as spam but one from a local
number will not.

4. Relying solely on a single channel

A common practice among organizations is that as you start seeing results from one
channel, you focus all your efforts on it.

Surely there are many benefits of text message advertising. But you can’t ignore
the fact that at some point, this channel too will reach a saturation point that
you can’t come back from.

How can you avoid it?

Rather than relying solely on text marketing, use it in tandem with other channels.

If you are making cold calls, use a text through call center software to reinforce
your conversation with a follow-up text. If you sent an email with an exclusive
coupon code, use SMS to bring that fact to their attention.

90% of your customers expect consistent interactions across channels. Plus,

organizations using multichannel marketing experience 3x higher effectiveness rates
than those with non-integrated campaigns.

Hence, make sure that apart from having a standalone outreach strategy, your SMS
campaigns support other channels too.

To conclude
You can only talk to people if they are listening. And for now, it seems like they
are more attentive to SMS than any other channel.

If you wish to effectively connect with prospects, sign up for CallHub, and get
started with your texting advertising campaigns.

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Resources Hub » Blog » 6 SMS Marketing Tips for Copywriting (With Examples)
7 minute read time
6 SMS Marketing Tips for Copywriting (With Examples)
Campaign Monitor - Mar 31, 2022

Copywriting can make or break the success of your SMS marketing campaign. To
succeed, you need to be able to get your message across as quickly and easily as
possible. Follow these SMS copywriting tips, and you’ll do just that.

In the age of instant and personalized communication, short message service — more
commonly known as SMS — reigns supreme. According to SimpleTexting, about 60% of
people check text messages within 1–5 minutes of receiving them. It’s one of the
few marketing channels where you’re likely to not just reach but also engage your
customers. What’s more, 96% of marketers who use SMS marketing say that it helps
them drive more revenue.

While the channel packs serious potential for improving engagement and conversion
rates, there are certain things you need to get right to win at SMS marketing. One
of them is SMS copywriting. There’s a lot more that goes into copywriting for SMS
marketing than simply keeping your texts short and sweet. And it’s not like
marketers have a choice in this matter; the character limit for a single text is
only 160!

Crafting compelling copy for your text message marketing campaigns is tough.
Approach it with the following SMS marketing best practices in mind to successfully
engage and convert your customers.

1. Use one idea per message

Every day, mobile phones buzz with notifications of messages sent from businesses
competing to get their customers’ attention. This excess of ads, emails, and of
course, text messages, is resulting in information overload. According to research
by Frontiers, customers have a hard time making decisions when there’s too much
information to process.

Research by the Technical University of Denmark suggests that the constant exposure
to content is narrowing our collective attention span. In the context of SMS
copywriting, that means you should limit every text to just one idea. Make sure
that your message revolves around a single promotion or product and has one call to
action (CTA). Always proofread your copy to ensure you’re not cramming in multiple
ideas, promotions, or CTAs in your text before sending it out.

This text from Jack in the Box is a perfect example of this best practice in
action:

SMS and email are a powerful marketing combination

SMS and email are a powerful marketing combination
Our SMS marketing platform makes it easy to send powerful text campaigns with
confidence

Learn about SMS

SMS example from Jack in the Box.
Source

The text keeps the copy limited to its special offer for National Fast Food Day
(promotion) and has a single link leading to the app store (CTA).

2. Give a positive reason to take action

Focus your SMS text message on a positive reason for using your product or service.
Emphasize a key benefit or incentive that the customer will enjoy by taking the
desired action. That’s important because people understand positive statements 30%
to 40% faster than negative ones.

Over time, your customers will begin to form a positive sentiment toward your
brand, which, in turn, will likely result in positive responses.

Tell the customer what they’ll gain by reacting quickly instead of what they’ll
lose if you’re running an SMS marketing campaign to promote a limited-time offer.
Suppose you’re promoting a summer sale that will end soon. Here’s a good example of
how you should tell your customers about it:

<Brand Name>: Save big this summer!

Use promo code BEACH321 and enjoy a 50% discount on your next purchase.

Offer valid till 7/31

The entire text consists of three sentences, two of which say something positive.
The final sentence creates a sense of urgency without causing panic or fear. Follow
suit and avoid sentences like “Hurry up before the time runs out” or “The offer
won’t last forever.”

Here’s a great sample text message that ticks all of those boxes:

SMS example from [Link]

Source

3. Use simple and clear language

U have only 160 chrctrs 2 get ur point across in txt, so use dem wisely!

You’re not alone if the above sentence made your eyes itch. While using such short
SMS lingo with unusual abbreviations — known as “textese” — gives you more room, it
doesn’t guarantee that everyone will understand what you’re trying to say.

Your target audience is more likely to understand textese if it consists of just

millennials and/or zoomers since they’re more digitally connected than other
generations. And even those customer groups may misinterpret your messages, as not
all textese is universal and is constantly evolving.

Learn how Girls Who Code uses Campaign Monitor to change the tech world for the
better.
Case Study

Learn how Girls Who Code uses Campaign Monitor to change the tech world for the
better.
Learn how
Always strive to use simple and clear language in your copy with words fully
spelled out to ensure all of your customers interpret your message correctly. You
can tackle the tight character limit by writing fragments instead of complete
sentences without resorting to textese. For example, you can simply say “Offer
valid till 12/31” instead of writing “This offer will remain valid till 12/31.”

Moon magic SMS copywriting example.

Source

In the example above, the copy simply says, “ends Sunday midnight” instead of
fleshing out the complete sentence, “The offer ends on Sunday at midnight.” The SMS
gets its point across without using any textese while still remaining under the
160-character limit.

4. Personalize your message

Businesses need to go above and beyond to get the attention of their customers. One
highly effective way to do that is through personalization. Don’t take our word for
it — about 72% of customers say that they engage with messages that are
personalized.

However, there’s a lot more that goes into personalizing your SMS copy than simply
using the names of your recipients. It entails segmenting customers based on
certain qualities and parameters, such as buying behaviors, locations, and past
purchases, and then crafting messages that they can relate to.

Your SMS copy has to resonate with the segment you’re targeting. For example, you
could send promotional messages that will draw the recipients to your e-commerce
store if you’re targeting a segment of customers who only shop online.

This sample text is a good lesson in personalization:

Example of personalization in SMS.

Source

It not only uses the recipient’s name but offers a special discount that’s only
available for the residents of Shropshire, which is where the customer lives.

5. Incorporate emojis in your copy

Where words fail, emojis speak.

Emojis are highly effective at expressing emotions. And it turns out they’re just
as effective when used in mobile marketing. The 2021 Global Emoji Trend Report by
Adobe found that 42% of people are likely to purchase products that are promoted
using emojis.

Don’t shy away from sprinkling an emoji or two in your SMS copy. In doing so, your
brand will appear more human, trustworthy, and authentic.

Example of emojis in an SMS marketing message.

Source
The emojis should make sense with the rest of your copy, like in the example above.
Don’t include one just for the sake of it. Also, make sure that the emoji(s) you
use are not misinterpreted or potentially offensive to the market you’re targeting.

6. Strengthen your copy with power words

Marketers use certain words to invoke emotions and elicit desirable responses from
their customers that help drive business results. Depending on your goals, these
desirable responses can be anything from buying a product to sharing a link. These
terms are known as power words.

When used right, power words can significantly improve your copy. Power words such
as discount, enjoy, or off are primarily used to inspire customers to take certain
actions, such as purchasing a new product or clicking on a link. Words like hurry,
limited-time, and now help create a sense of urgency, whereas special, coupon, and
exclusive help create a sense of exclusivity.

SMS copywriting example.

Source

What do you think are the power words in the example above? If your answer is
special, off, and exclusive, then you’re right!

Track your SMS marketing efforts

Consistently look at key metrics to decide if your SMS marketing efforts are
bearing fruit or not. A/B test your copy to see what types of words and angles
resonate best with different segments. And then use that data to improve your
messages and get the best results possible.

Finally, keep in mind that an SMS marketing strategy alone won’t yield the results
your business is looking for. Combine it with email marketing, social media, and
other channels to get the best results out of your overall digital marketing
strategy.

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This blog provides general information and discussion about email marketing and
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should seek the advice of professionals prior to acting upon any information
contained in the Content. All Content is provided strictly “as is” and we make no
warranty or representation of any kind regarding the Content.
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SMS Marketing
17 Tips for Writing Effective SMS Marketing Copy (With Examples)
phone and speech bubble
Posted in
SMS Marketing
Published on
Feb 28, 2022
Written by
Hadley Irwin
SMS Marketing Basics
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Writing effective SMS marketing copy can make a huge impact on engagement—and
conversion. Use this post as a guide for how to communicate in 160 characters or
less.
Copywriting is tough—especially when you have limited characters to work with—and
it might not be at the top of your job description. But even if writing is your
jam, writing for your text channel isn’t the same as writing for email.

To help you write and send the most effective text messages possible, we’ve pulled
together best practices from over 5,000 brands who partner with us to identify the
patterns that lead to higher click-through rates.

Learn our top tips for what to do—and what not to do—when it comes to writing
effective SMS marketing copy. Access the full SMS marketing strategy guide to
ensure you're setting yourself up for success

SMS marketing do’s

Keep it concise. Subscribers’ attention spans are short, so get to the point
quickly to ensure you capture your subscriber’s attention. The shorter the better.
We recommend keeping copy between 75-115 characters, or 3-4 lines long.

Treat your first few words like a subject line. You should consider what
subscribers will see as the preview in their text message inbox. Treat the first
few words as you would an email subject line: it’s the subscriber’s first
impression of your message before they open it. Use powerful words (e.g.,
“explore,” “start,” “level up,” etc.), short sentences, or the subscriber’s first
name to catch attention.
Use line breaks to increase your texts’ readability. Think about your own texting
habits—a wall of text can feel overwhelming, and may encourage subscribers to tune
the message out. Consider adding a line break after your “subject line” to make it
more approachable.

Use visuals. Incorporating multimedia like images, GIFs, video, and audio is a fun
way to add personality to your texts. You can communicate important information
within the image to catch subscribers’ eyes if they’re quickly scanning a text.
Images must be under 500kb. We recommend sending square or portrait-oriented
graphics to optimize for readability. ‍
Use timely language. Powerful, emotional words and short sentences can effectively
communicate when there is a time-sensitive event like a sale or low-inventory. Key
phrases like “this weekend, starting now, almost over, today only, ending soon, act
before the end of the week” work well to catch your subscribers’ attention, as
they’re likely to be on the go when the text hits their inbox. ‍
Express gratitude. Help your subscribers feel appreciated by incorporating phrases
like “you’re the best, we appreciate you, your loyalty has paid off, thanks for
being our customer, because you're a valued customer.”
Speak in first person. Remember, subscribers text their favorite brands alongside
their close friends and family. Speaking from a first-person point of view matches
your audience’s texting habits, and makes it feel more personalized. ‍
Promote multiple items in one text message. Messages that promote multiple items
vs. a single item are more likely to get engagement. Just like a salesperson brings
a shopper options to the dressing room, a text with multiple items invites
engagement by presenting shoppers with a choice. ‍
Include a sale or a discount. This one isn’t surprising: shoppers like a good deal.
Messages that present a sale or a discount tend to engage consumers.

Provide value in every message. Even if your brand doesn’t offer discounts, you
should still make sure there’s value for the subscriber in every single text
message you send. Opt for loyalty rewards, first access, or free shipping in lieu
of discounts.
Test your messages before you send them. We’ve all experienced that moment when
we’ve sent something, only to realize there’s a typo. Save yourself the stress by
sending yourself a test of your message every time. Proofread and check all links
you’re including in the message before officially hitting “send.”

SMS marketing don’ts

Don’t use the same exact copy across text and email. Although this strategy might
seem like an effective way to be consistent across channels and save time writing,
text message and email copywriting is not synonymous. Keep it short and sweet over
text, and save the details for email.

Don’t overdo it with emojis. Emojis are a fun way to add visual excitement and
highlight important takeaways. They also add visual interest to longer texts. But
don’t take it too far, as too many can come across as disingenuous. As a general
rule, limit yourself to one or two well-placed emoji per text (unless using them to
break out a list in place of bullet points).
Don’t go off brand. Make sure your text message copy clearly embodies your brand’s
voice. This means using words and phrases that your subscribers know and resonate
with. Use SMS to communicate your brand story and how it's aligned to rising
cultural trends that your customers care about. You can experiment with unique
lingo or slang to speak in your audience’s voice, but don’t go overboard. It’s
important to stay consistent to who you are as a brand, especially if you’re trying
to build loyal subscribers.

Don’t go overboard with abbreviations. If you need to save characters, start with
the most obvious words first, but keep them to a minimum. You want your subscribers
to understand what you’re saying with ease. Too much ‘text speak’ like “l8r” or
“LOL” can lead to opt-outs.
Don’t overdo it with all caps. People use text to talk to one another, not shout.
All caps writing can be an effective way to place emphasis on certain words, but
consider how much you’re capitalizing.
Don’t leave your subscribers hanging. End your message with a strong and clear call
to action. Our attention spans are limited, so tell your subscribers exactly what
step to take next—whether it’s taking advantage of a sale or signing up for a
loyalty program—to avoid confusion.
Our final tip for writing effective text message copy is to ask yourself if the
text message you’re sending is something you'd want to engage with if you received
it. With limited characters, make each word matter. You can even subscribe to other
brands’ SMS marketing channels to study what makes you take action.

Want more inspiration? Explore real SMS marketing examples from our customers by
heading over to Texts We Love.
Want to experience Attentive in action? Sign up for texts to unlock our exclusive,
interactive SMS overview and see what might be missing in your current SMS program.

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10 SMS copywriting tips that will trigger customer conversion (with examples)
Topic: SMS, SMS Marketing

Did you know that more than 90% of people read a text within the first three
minutes of receiving it? This is exactly why businesses cannot ignore the power of
SMS. It’s one of the few communication channels where you stand a strong chance of
not only reaching your customers but engaging with them.

Capture and retain your audience’s attention with excellent SMS copy. Here are 10
SMS copywriting tips, plus examples, that will help you boost conversion rate.

Keep it short
Use timely, emotive language
Show your appreciation
Use line breaks
Speak in first and second person
Always offer value
Promote one idea per message
Adjust your language depending on the channel
Use imagery and emojis
Speak like your customer
Keep it short
An SMS message consists of 160 characters. If you write more than that, it will be
sent in separate messages. So, try and condense your content into one 160-character
message – not just to improve cost efficiency but also to prevent bombarding your
recipients with multiple messages.

Use timely, emotive language

Attract attention and empower your audience to act when you use timely, emotive
language. For example, if there’s a sale, use phrases like this weekend only or
count down to when it ends.

Don’t miss out on our big winter sale. Plus, DOUBLE loyalty points when you spend
£30 or more. Start shopping: [LINK]

Use line breaks

Walls of text can be overwhelming and lead to subscribers scan reading rather than
actually engaging with your messages. So, split up your sentences with line breaks
to boost readability.

Show your appreciation

A little appreciation for your SMS subscribers can go a long way. Whether you thank
them for their loyalty or share updates/promo codes that are exclusive to SMS
subscribers, it can help people feel special.

Hey VIP, the big summer event is about to start and you get early access 🎉 [LINK]

Always offer value

There are few things that will make a person hit ‘unsubscribe’ faster than
irrelevant and uninteresting content. So, make sure that you’re offering value to
subscribers in every SMS message you send.

Think along the lines of:

Personalised promo codes

Loyalty rewards
Tailored recommendations
Previews/first access
Exclusive news and updates
Speak in first and second person
SMS is a very personal channel – it gives you the chance to speak to customers one-
on-one. Use this opportunity to not only talk directly to subscribers but also
mimic the tone of voice they adopt when interacting with loved ones.

In other words, speak in first and second person – this will help your message
sound more personalised.

Hi [NAME]. Good news – the [PRODUCT] you were interested in is now on sale!

Hey [NAME], [BRAND] here. I just wanted to share a quick update about our opening
hours over the holidays. Check out the link here: [LINK]

Promote one idea per message

Avoid confusion by having a clear call to action (CTA). While you can promote
multiple products in one message (just like a salesperson would bring a prospect
various options), ensure you have one main CTA, whether it’s a link to your product
page, loyalty program or you just want people to log into their account.

Use imagery and emojis

Images and emojis can break up copy and add a fun, personal touch to your text
messages. Make sure your images are under 500kb. And don’t go overboard with
emojis. Unless you’re using them in the place of bullet points, use no more than
two per SMS message.
Don’t forget about your basket, [NAME]. It’s safe for now but head to checkout ASAP
before somebody else nabs it! 🏃

Speak like your customer

Mimic your customer’s tone of voice and level of familiarity while staying
consistent with your branding. Be wary of abbreviations unless you’re certain that
your recipients will understand what you mean and/or it’s in line with what your
brand stands for.

Adjust your language depending on the channel

Though it may seem like a ‘quick win’, your SMS copy should be different to the
copy you write for email, social media and other communications channels. It should
even be different between different mobile messaging channels. Why? Because
customers sign up to different channels as they want their information delivered in
varying formats.

It also allows you to take advantage of different channels for their unique
features. For example, SMS is short and snappy while email allows for more details
and WhatsApp allows for richer content.

Final thought: Would you engage with the message you’re sending to subscribers?
When you’re planning your SMS strategy, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and
question whether you’d engage with the content you’re sending out. You only have
160 characters to play with so make every one count.

For more inspiration, check out our text template library for 50+ SMS examples you
can copy and paste into your own campaigns.

Ready to get started?

Visit text template library
Download our SMS Sheet Cheat
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Prachi Bametha
Marketing Coordinator, Esendex Australia

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5 Tips to Improve Your SMS Copywriting
How to write the most engaging text messages ever.

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1. Incentivize Your Call to Action
2. Avoid "Text Talk" (Unless You Should Be Using It)
3. Use Powerful Words
4. Focus, Focus, Focus
5. Lead With Power
It's easy to make the mistake of thinking that any 160-character message is okay
when it comes to SMS copywriting. That's because the no-frills, simple approach
feels informal and – in some ways – unprofessional. However, the quality of your
SMS marketing copy is just as important to generating a positive response as the
copy quality of any other advertising message.

Try these simple tips for improving your SMS message, or to use as a lens to coach
the team member to whom you've delegated the task.

1. Incentivize Your Call to Action

People have heard "Act Now!" and "Call Today!" so often the sentiment is all but
invisible. Instead, provide a discount, perk or elite status option for texting a
response or coming in with the message. A lunch hour special for example includes a
time limit, which can further motivate immediate action.

YES: Text 123456 to try our newest milkshake FREE!

NO: Time is limited! Act now!

2for1 Keyword Text Message

2. Avoid "Text Talk" (Unless You Should Be Using It)
Unless your customer base consists entirely of teens and young adults, keep your
SMS message professional. This means using proper grammar and traditional spelling.
You'll never alienate even the most wired customer by using standard conventions –
but text abbreviations may cost you a client.

YES: Come early for the best view of our newest addition.
NO: Hope 2 CU there! LULZ!

If you must abbreviate to stay within character limits, stick with standard
abbreviations, and avoid web slang.

YES: Text B4 noon for a 2-for-1 deal.

NO: Text FTW! Don't B L8.

Coffee VIP Program Text Message

3. Use Powerful Words
Make the most of your characters by using words that evoke action and emotion. Each
industry has its own set of words that speak loudest to the customer, but verbs and
adjectives can be your best friends. Use them to paint a "benefits picture" of what
will happen when a subscriber responds to your message.

YES: Enjoy a relaxing Swedish massage.

NO: Massage sessions open today.

Good gym text message.

4. Focus, Focus, Focus
It's been said that SMS advertising is an arrow to traditional media's shotgun.
Focus on your broadcast subscribers, rather than the general public, with
references to your shop, brand, and unique selling proposition. You may want to
focus even further, such as with an offer for fans of just one product you carry –
or on the customers who come in at a specific time or day of the week.

YES: Jerry, enjoy your favorite side dish at lunch FREE.

NO: Dear customer, take 10 percent off this week.

Thanks for your purchase text message.

5. Lead With Power
The first line of your message must hook the reader and draw him into the rest of
your message. A personalized connection, such as the use of a first name, or a
compelling benefit, are two of the best tools for accomplishing this. Without that
powerful lead line, you run a risk of your message never receiving the attention
you'd hoped for.

YES: Today only discount for your favorite shirts.

NO: Shirt sale begins tomorrow.

Sale text message.

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