43 Best Practices for SMS Marketing

Patrick A. Snyder
Patrick A. Snyder Published on February 16, 2023

SMS marketing is a powerful way to reach consumers and achieve business goals. Here are 43 best practices to follow for a successful SMS marketing campaign:

  1. Create a Strategy
  2. Use SMART Goals for Your Campaigns
  3. Explore All Your Options
  4. Follow Trade Association Best Practices
  5. Comply with SMS Compliance Best Practices
  6. Be Upfront:
  7. Disclose Program Details at Opt-In
  8. Obtain Written Consent
  9. Clarify Terms and Conditions
  10. Observe Timing Guidelines
  11. Give Your Business Name in Every Text
  12. Make Opt-Outs Easy
  13. Curb Your Language
  14. Leave Opt-Outs Alone
  15. Use Data and Testing Best Practices:
  16. Test Until You See What's Essential
  17. Calculate Your Click-Through Rate (CTR)
  18. Monitor Your Response Rate
  19. Follow Additional SMS Marketing Best Practices:
  20. Be concise
  21. Include a Call to Action (CTA)
  22. Use Personalization
  23. Make Sure Your Campaign Is Mobile-Friendly
  24. Avoid Spamming Your Audience
  25. Use Urgency and Scarcity
  26. Use Text-to-Win Contests
  27. Focus on Value Propositions
  28. Segment Your List
  29. Use Exclusive Offers
  30. Use Social Media to Boost Your SMS Campaign
  31. Use Geo-Targeting
  32. Use Text-to-Screen
  33. Include Video and Images
  34. Provide Customer Service Support
  35. Use Segmentation to Personalize
  36. Use SMS Automation
  37. Use Shortened URLs
  38. Make Sure Your SMS Provider is Reliable
  39. Use Two-Way Messaging
  40. Monitor Your SMS Program Performance
  41. Use Text-to-Donate
  42. Offer Customer Rewards
  43. Provide Updates on Order Status
     

Remember that SMS marketing best practices start with creating a strategy, using SMART goals, exploring all your options, and following trade association and legal guidelines. 

Comply with SMS compliance best practices, be upfront, and use data and testing best practices to get the best results.

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