How Does Mass Texting Actually Work?

The possibilities with mass texting extend far beyond digital marketing.

02:30 25 April 2022

One of the defining factors of the digital age in which we’re living is accessibility. Nearly everyone has the equivalent of a mini-laptop-computer in their hip pocket just about 24/7. Cell phones. Not just cell phones, but smartphones. With the majority of the globe dialed into a network at any given moment, the majority of the globe is only a moment away from connecting. This is one of the variables that makes using a mass text so effective and such an enticing strategy for so many organizations.

 

Well, the answer to that is it works in many ways. There is a wide range of possibilities when it comes to mass, or bulk texting. Additionally, various organizations use mass texting in different capacities.

 

The Basics Behind Mass Texting

There are a few basic principles that come into play regarding the design and utilization of mass texting as a marketing strategy or business tool. In fact, there are three main ingredients that every mass-texting-strategy must include.

 

1. A company code
2. A database
3. An SMS provider software

 

What Are Company Codes?

The first of these is pretty simple. A company code is essentially the number from which these bulk messages will come from. However, there are three different types of codes from which organizations can choose. Short codes, long codes, and toll-free codes.

 

A short code is a 6 digit number assigned to the company and typically only operates in its country of origin. Additionally, short codes are often shared by multiple companies. The upside to them is that they work well for marketing messages and boast the highest message delivery rate per second of all the code-options.

 

A long code acts as a traditional 10 digit phone number, and offers companies their own unique number. This is a major benefit, as is their international compatibility. Though their downfall is that they offer the slowest message delivery rate. Toll-free long-codes are 800 numbers and offer the same international compatibility as long-codes, with a slightly boosted delivery rate.

 

The Database

The database is a pretty straightforward concept. The user-phone numbers to which the organization will eventually be delivering messages need to come from somewhere. Most often, these databases are built internally through the collection of consumer-data as the company grows. When the mass texting strategy is ready to launch, these internal databases will also prove valuable in creating specific texting campaigns down the road.

 

SMS Provider Software for Mass Texting

SMS provider software is essential for a functional mass texting strategy. Without it, there’s no way for the messages your stud-of-a-communications-team composes to reach their intended consumers.

 

Most SMS provider softwares will come with a web-portal, dashboard, or some form of central hub. This central hub acts as the intersection for every mass text interaction that transpires. The brand establishing their mass texting program secures a company code, imports their database of user phone numbers to the SMS dashboard through an application programming interface (API), and the mass texting strategy is ready to launch.

 

Creating Mass Text Campaigns

There are a lot of different ways to utilize mass texting. One of the most popular to sprout in the digital marketplace is the mass texting campaign. There are many ways to set this up, and each organization may have a different approach. However, there are things that all mass texting campaigns have in common.

 

The first is copy-design. No matter if you’re marketing, announcing, or reminding, copy-design is vital to the success of a mass texting campaign. This is where hiring the right team of copywriters, marketers, and content creators comes in handy.

 

The second thing that mass texting campaigns have in common is market segmentation. There are very rare cases that warrant the same message being delivered to every consumer in the internal database. Rather, it makes sense that certain campaigns would only be delivered to consumers who have made a purchase in the last 12 months, first time consumers, or even consumers on the verge of leaving.

 

The more dialed in these marketing campaigns are to their respective audience, the more successful they become. More sophisticated SMS dashboards offer additional features that will elevate mass texting strategies even further. For example, some have the capability to weed out duplicate or inactive numbers included in the database, manage responses from recipients, and even personalize the messages based on variable fields included in the copy such as first name, the date of a purchase, or something else.

 

A Quick Recap on Mass Texting

The possibilities with mass texting extend far beyond digital marketing. National alerts often come in the form of an SMS, as do reports of missing people, and so much more. With consumer access higher than it’s ever been, mass texting strategies continue to prove their value time and time again.