Best Practices for SMS Marketing
- Capture clear opt-ins and set expectations on message type & frequency.
- Keep messages short, value-forward, and personalized.
- Send at local-friendly hours with quiet-time protections.
- Segment audiences; use A/B tests on offer, copy and timing.
- Always include brand/signature and opt-out hints (e.g., “Reply STOP”).
1) Compliance & consent
Make opt-in explicit (web forms, checkboxes, double opt-in for sensitive flows). Store consent timestamp, source, and policy version. Honor STOP/HELP keywords instantly and propagate suppressions to all tools.
2) Message crafting
- Clarity: Lead with value. Example: “Your order #1234 ships today. Track: {link}”.
- Personalization: Use name, last purchase, or location when relevant.
- CTA: 1 clear action; avoid link overload.
3) Timing & frequency
Respect local time zones. Common promotional windows: 10:00–20:00 local; transactional is anytime but throttle duplicates. Use frequency caps (e.g., max 4 promos/month/user).
4) Segmentation & testing
Group by lifecycle stage, engagement, product category and past purchases. Test subject equivalents (first line), offers, and timing. Roll winners gradually.
5) Metrics that matter
- Delivery rate, click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, opt-out rate.
- Revenue per message (RPM) for promos; time-to-first-response for support.
6) Templates you can reuse
- OTP: “{Brand}: {code} is your verification code. It expires in 10 min. Don’t share it.”
- Back-in-stock: “{Name}, your {item} is back! Grab it now: {shortlink}”
- Appointment: “Reminder: {date} {time} with {provider}. Reply 1 to confirm, 2 to reschedule.”
Bonus
Free checklist (PDF): SMS campaign prep → launch → optimize. Export this page as PDF from your browser, or ask us for the designed version.