Brands should use a variety of media platforms to promote their SMS mobile marketing campaigns, it has been claimed.
Writing for cio.com, Nathan Segal pointed out that companies can advertise their shortcode SMS numbers on outdoor posters, radio shows, in-store displays and signage at trade shows.
By promoting the campaign in a range of ways, advertisers should be able to get a larger and more varied selection of subscribers. However, Mr Segal noted that people need to have a reason to get in contact, whether it is to enter a competition or find out more about a product.
He said: ‘The SMS text message character limit makes it challenging to create a message that brings in more customers or induces people to perform a certain task – but, like anything, you’ll get better with practice.’
In addition to creating an engaging message, it is also important that marketers respect consumers’ right to cancel their subscription, so it should be obvious how to stop SMS promotions coming through and/or contact the company. If a charge is applied for each message sent, then this should also be made clear.
One of the strengths associated with SMS marketing is that such a large percentage of the public use mobile phones for text messages. Timesunion.com recently cited a statistic from the Pew Research Center that claimed over 72 per cent of adults use texts, which shows that it is not just technology-savvy teens who utilise the medium.