360i Report on SMS (Text Messaging)

SMS was a mobile marketing and communications channel long before anyone ever heard of an iPhone, and usage continues to grow even as sophisticated smartphones swarm the market. In this third POV of our summer-long mobile series, we dive into SMS marketing and outline several best practices for brands looking to engage consumers via text.

360i POV on SMS (Text Messaging)

>>Download 360i’s report on Mobile Search (PDF).

Key Takeaways

• SMS usage is ubiquitous. Text messaging is by far the most popular mobile activity after talking, and it’s one of the most proven mobile marketing channels. It’s also one of the most universal, as SMS is available on nearly every device – from feature phones to smartphones.
• There are several ways to engage in SMS marketing. Some options for marketers include branded shortcodes, shared shortcodes and in-text advertising. Through SMS marketers can deliver a variety of content such as information, coupons, links or multimedia.
• Some best practices for marketers to keep in mind include staying relevant, presenting a strong call to action, offering value and integrating SMS with other media.

What are the goals of your marketing program? If they can be achieved through reach, offline integration, and ongoing communication with consumers, SMS should be strongly considered. On its own, it’s not the flashiest form of marketing and it doesn’t deliver the richest creative experience, but it can tie together a wide variety of marketing channels and create a richer consumer experience in the process.

Read the blog and follow us on Twitter all summer to learn how you can make the most of the increasingly mobile-centric marketing future.