• SMS marketing: getting started with customer SMS campaigns? The basics for a successful start
• SMS sending: The basics of SMS marketing – measuring the success of your customer campaigns

Our 3rd and final article in our SMS marketing basics series will cover, among other things, best practices and how to choose keywords for your campaign message.

Choosing a keyword for your campaign

Building your database starts with choosing a keyword that users will text to your short code to subscribe to your list. Simplicity is a major asset, as your customers will find it easier to remember a keyword that is easy to spell, punchy, and memorable. Avoid special characters or confusing ones. For example, a lowercase "l" can easily be mistaken for an uppercase "I" or the number 1 in certain fonts. Keep it short. Single-word keywords are the most effective for your messages. For every campaign, avoid homonyms—those tricky words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. They might work for a web campaign, but in a call to action broadcast on the radio, for example, you risk causing a lot of confusion for your users.

Promote your campaign

Advertising your keyword is very simple. Here are some examples of effective messaging: {{MOTCLE}} to {{SHORT CODE}} for {{call to action}}, DANCE to 839863 for more info and the upcoming event schedule for the dance school, CAFE to 75309 to receive service or exclusive offers from CAFE DES DEUX FRERES via SMS. Text CUISINE to 75309 for an instant 20% discount on your René Bennette order and to receive our future offers.

Other relevant uses for text messaging

• Freight and shipping
• Social media
• Email
• Business cards
• Restaurant menus
• Booking confirmations
• Direct mail
• Receipts

Just like with an email subscriber list, there are an unlimited number of places and spaces where you can promote a call to action to increase the number of subscribers to your mobile text messaging list.

One-off or recurring campaign?

Thesending SMS campaigns setups in the form of lotteries, surveys, and polls are generally considered one-off communications. Users who send an SMS to your company as part of these campaigns are not considered subscribed to your campaigns unless you explicitly ask them to opt in to your marketing list. Unless this criterion is met, you have not obtained their permission to communicate with them via text message on an ongoing basis. If you want to add mobile phone numbers to a recurring marketing list, you must first send an SMS including appropriate opt-in language, and/or ask your subscribers to confirm (double opt-in process) by replying to your message from their mobile phone.

The MMA – Mobile Marketing Association France

The MMA is a non-profit organization responsible for establishing standards and best practices for mobile marketing. The MMA works in conjunction with the CTIA to reinforce these standards. A violation of the rules generally results in a warning, as well as an injunction to modify the aspects of the campaign that do not comply with the rules. Continued violations may result in the suspension of your campaign or the revocation of your short code. In addition to these two essential institutions in the marketing sector, governments are working to create and strengthen laws to regulate the content and requirements for text message marketing.

How to comply with SMS best practices

Regardless of where you promote your SMS keyword, you must follow industry best practices. Your call-to-action message must include a description of the program (e.g., "Table Tennis Fan Club"), as well as the phrase, the expected message frequency, and finally, opt-out and help options. For example: Text COOKING to 75309 for an immediate 20% discount on your René Bennet order and to receive our future offers. 3-4 SMS/month. Text HELP or STOP for info or to unsubscribe. When collecting contact numbers, use standard SMS best practice language in your keyword promotion message and in your welcome message. Encourage users to use the opt-in option of texting your keyword to join your campaign, or opt for an online collection system that automatically sends a confirmation SMS to the user (double opt-in system). Want to start your first SMS campaign? The SMS sending platform from Octopush allows you to send your messages in just a few clicks. Create an account and take advantage of our 5 free SMS to test each service on the application.