SMS Marketing is one of the most valuable ways to increase
sales for your business. Becoming an
effective SMS marketer can be the difference between increased sales and
stagnant progress in your business. Learning key components within SMS
marketing, and effectively using them, can make all of the difference. As you
may have already learned, one of the backbones of any SMS marketing campaign is
SMS short codes. To get you started in becoming a successful SMS marketer,
Tatango has put together a list of everything you need to know about SMS short
codes.
A SMS short code is a 5- to 6-digit phone number that is
used by brands to run their text message marketing campaigns. Consumers can
opt-in to these campaigns by texting a keyword to a company’s short code.
Businesses then send SMS messages to these opted-in subscribers, typically
containing coupons, offers, company communications, and promotions. In order for a consumer to interact with an SMS short code,
the consumer would simply compose a new text message on their cell phone and
address it to a brand’s SMS short code When Should I Use a Short Code?
The best time to use a short code is when you want to reach
a large audience quickly. Short codes let you send thousands of messages at
once, making them ideal for mass texting.
There are two types of short codes: shared and dedicated.
They work in almost exactly the same way, but there’s one important difference. Shared Short Codes
A shared short code, like 35344 or 900900, is a number used
by multiple businesses. If you use a shared short code, you’ll be limited in
what keywords you can use. If another entity has already claimed a keyword, you
won’t be able to use the same one. There are several reasons why thousands of companies opt for
a shared short code. First off, it’s more affordable. Dedicated short codes are
leased monthly and require a one-time setup fee. On the other hand, with a
shared short code there’s no overhead. you to only pay for the messages you
send and incoming SMS messages are completely free. Another advantage of shared short codes is that they only
takes minutes to set up. A long code or dedicated short code can take up to a
few weeks to provision. Dedicated Short Code
A dedicated short code is a number that only you can use.
You can get a randomly generated short code or select a custom vanity short
code. For example, a spa may choose the custom code “73529” which spells out
“RELAX.” Dedicated short codes have several advantages. Perhaps the
most important is that they provide you with creative freedom. Because you’re
not sharing your number with anyone else, you can pick any keyword you
want—even if another company is using it. With a dedicated short code, you also
have more control over your brand image. Unlike a shared short code, you’ll
know exactly what messages your customers are receiving from your number. Disadvantages of Short Codes
The main disadvantage of short codes is that receiving a
text from a 5 or 6-digit number can feel impersonal, especially if it isn’t a
dedicated short code. The good news is our threaded conversations features
still allows you to have 1 on 1 conversations with your customers. When Should I Use a Short Code?
If you need to text thousands of people at once If you’re hosting a Text to Win Sweepstakes If want to poll your customers using Text to Vote Surveys If you need to send images using MMS If you’re sending alerts and updates that don’t need to be
personalized
SMS Short Codes vs SMS Long Codes: Lets make the right
choice!
In the United States, there are strict regulations that
dictate how businesses should interact with end users via SMS. Sending an SMS
incorrectly can result in an immediate shutdown of your service, or worse fines
of up to $1500 per message. The two most common ways to send SMS messages in
the U.S. are using a long code or a short code as the Sender ID (a Sender ID is
the “from” address of a text message). This post will assist you in
understanding the differences between the 2 options and help you choose which
option is best for your use case.
Long Codes
First, let’s talk about long codes (also known as Long
Virtual Numbers, LVNs or long numbers). Long codes are essentially 10 digit
phone numbers designated by the mobile operators for person-to-person
communication. Some sample use cases include chat applications, anonymous dating
applications, and customer service communications. Other facts to know about long codes: Messages are limited to 1 message per second No setup time needed Many different local area codes are available for
region-specific needs
Short Codes
Now, let’s talk about short codes. A short code (also known
as a Common Short Code or CSC) is a 5-6 digit phone number that customers can
lease, and the registry is managed by the Common Short Code Administration.
Service providers can manage the short code lease on customers’ behalf and aid
customers with the various short code guidelines and provisioning process.
Users “opt-in” to SMS programs by texting a keyword to a short code or by
entering their mobile number in a web form. Short codes support high-volume
messaging and can reach many different users at once. Common use cases are: Alert notifications Two-factor
authentication (often abbreviated to 2FA) Mobile coupons and
marketing promotions
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