The Road to SMS Marketing: Boost Engagement With Time-Sensitive Messaging

By Mary Kearl Sep 18, 2020

SMS marketing campaigns deliver impressive open rates. In fact, nearly every text message that brands send gets opened. And when companies collect customer preferences and use this to power segmentation and personalization, text campaigns can offer strong engagement rates as well.

To encourage dependable engagement on an ongoing basis across segments, there's one type of campaign brands need: Time-sensitive messaging. Here are the three steps to take to get started.

Step 1: Send Time-Sensitive SMS Campaigns to the Right Customer Segments

Time-sensitive campaigns—such as announcements about new products, services, or content—offer a great opportunity to connect with your customers and foster regular activity. When the new products, services, or content are relevant to a given individual's preferences, interests, and behaviors, that is.

Not everything is newsworthy to everyone, but the right announcement will certainly generate buzz when delivered to the right audience. The key is to use segmentation to send updates to the precise cohorts of SMS subscribers who will be most interested in what it is you have to announce.

If you know someone loves classic rock, but hits skip every time today's pop hits come on, then it might actually hurt your efforts to send that individual an update about an upcoming pop album release. Pop fans, especially those who are subscribers of a given artist's station, on the other hand, will be thrilled to be among the first to know about this kind of information.

Step 2: Use Deep Links to Guide the SMS Campaign Recipient Customer Journey

Deep links can further engagement by helping text subscribers navigate directly to the relevant section or page of your app, supporting a more seamless, impactful experience.

The easier you make it for customers to take action—such as watch a breaking news story or vote in a soon-to-be-expiring poll—the more likely they will actually take that action.

Step 3: Go from SMS to RSVP "Yes"

Looking to drive people to take part in time-sensitive sales, attend upcoming events, or check out a new release? You can enrich the targeted SMS campaigns you send with one simple integration: Digital calendar solutions.

The easier you make it for customers to take action—such as watch a breaking news story or vote in a soon-to-be-expiring poll—the more likely they will actually take that action.

Step 3: Go from SMS to RSVP "Yes"

More on SMS

Mary Kearl

Mary Kearl is a writer and digital strategist, who has led email, social media, and content marketing for several brands. She has helped launch six mobile apps and one niche social network and is always up for a good Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime binge recommendation or travel tip