SMS in Campaigns allows you to reach your customers quickly and effectively even when access to email and the internet is limited, so your clients will get your promotions.
Contents
Before You Begin
You need to have your contact's phone number in an international format: +11231234567 (+ country-code area-code phone number)
You need to have contacts subscribed to the SMS channel. To send SMS messages to US customers, you must collect TCPA consent and opt-in records.
You do not have to use your phone number to send SMS campaigns via Omnisend.
SMS channel is included in the Free and Standard plan ($1 worth of SMS credits) and Pro plan; you can also purchase SMS credits as a subscription service (on the paid plans).
Add a link to your store to track the click rates for your SMS campaigns. Note that we shorten your URLs on SMS; this article explains how and why.
Setup Process
Step 1. To send an SMS campaign, go to Campaigns → New campaign → SMS Campaign → Create SMS.
Step 2. Once you click Create SMS, you will be brought to the SMS Campaign editor, where you set the message, add the campaign name, sender's name, the text of your SMS, and opt-out instructions.
Step 3. We are adding two options for the customers to unsubscribe from your SMS marketing: Reply Stop to unsubscribe for US/CA and Unsubscribe link for all non-US customers.
Add an unsubscribe link to the SMS
Even though adding the Unsubscribe link is optional, we highly encourage you to add it to your SMS campaign's content. SMS marketing is more sensitive compared to Email marketing. The customer can't choose when he wants to check the message, and it is almost impossible to ignore it. To avoid receiving spam reports or customer complaints, you should allow them to unsubscribe from your marketing.
When it comes to the SMS messages sent to the US/CA customers, adding the Unsubscribe option to the marketing SMS is mandatory. When a customer replies with STOP keywords, Omnisend should respond and update your opt-in list. Therefore, we allow you to include different opt-out instructions for US/CA and non-US/CA customers. Check this article for more information on TCPA-compliant marketing.
Please note keyword replies can be used only for US/CA customers. Therefore, we advise adding a "reply STOP to opt-out" text for the US/CA subscribers and an Unsubscribe link for the rest of the recipients from different countries.
In the Preview section, you will see how both messages will look.
Important! Unsubscribing from the SMS message will ONLY unsubscribe the customers from the SMS channel; they will still receive the email campaigns if they don't unsubscribe via the Unsubscribe link in the email.
The table below defines which SMS types can be sent to different contacts in your Audience. Please be aware that according to CTIA regulations, transitional messages like Order, Shipping, and Cancellation Confirmations are not and will not be delivered to the US market. Therefore, these messages can only be sent to subscribed contacts in your Audience.
Step 4. If you have enough credits, you will have the option to send a test SMS. You can send a test SMS to any mobile phone number. Test SMS is priced like a regular SMS message; check SMS pricing here.
You will need to refill if you need more SMS credits. All the customers on the Pro plan will get SMS credits equivalent to the monthly subscription plan payment. These credits can also be ordered as an additional service within your Free, Standard, or Pro subscription plan. The billing tiers for the SMS credits subscription start from $20.
Find more information on SMS pricing in this article.
Important note: SMS credits should not be mixed with your monthly email credits limit.
Step 6. Once you have the required number of ad credits and are happy with the message, click the Next step to select the recipients. You can send it to all SMS subscribers or subscribers of a particular segment. Also, you can exclude some segments, for example, a segment of contacts that haven't opened a couple of previous SMS campaigns.
Step 7. After selecting your recipients, you will get the price estimation for the total SMS campaign.
If you need to send SMS messages to US/CA numbers, you will see the price for all non-US/CA and US/CA customers calculated separately on the Price Estimation stage of the SMS campaign. The final amount will include the cost of the SMS messages sent to non-US/CA customers to US/CA customers.
Tip 💡Exclude countries you have no interest in sending SMS to, and reduce the total price for the campaign using the toggles next to each country line.
Find more information on SMS pricing for US/CA customers here.
Step 8. Review your SMS campaign and send it out immediately, or schedule it for later.
You are all set! In the reports, as for any campaign sent, you will have the statistics of your SMS campaign.
Reports
Reports for SMS campaigns contain:
SMS Sent. Subscribers that were in the chosen segments.
Revenue. If your customer placed an order after clicking on a link in SMS, you would see the tracked sales.
Click rate. If your message had any link, you would see how many recipients clicked on it.
Unsubscribe rate. The number of unsubscribed customers out of those that had this option.
Campaign cost. The total price for this SMS campaign.
Important note! Open rates cannot be tracked in SMS campaigns. Ensure you include a clickable link in your SMS messages to see how much action was initiated. Adding a link will let you know the click rates and measure client engagement via the SMS channel.
Combining Email with SMS
Before we delve into the practical steps, let's understand why combining SMS and Email channels in your marketing is essential:
Expanded Reach: While email is a potent tool, not everyone checks their inbox regularly. Emails can end up in spam folders or promotions tabs, but SMS provides an additional channel to reach your audience, increasing your chances of getting noticed.
Immediate Communication: Unlike emails that may go unread for hours or days, SMS messages are usually read within minutes of receipt. This immediacy is particularly valuable for time-sensitive promotions or urgent updates requiring swift responses.
Respectful Engagement: Repeatedly bombarding your customers with emails can lead to frustration and unsubscribing. By incorporating SMS, you demonstrate your respect for their inbox, maintaining a positive brand image and keeping your subscribers engaged.
Setting up Email & SMS Campaign
Now, let's dive into the practical steps to set up an Email & SMS campaign.
Step 1: Campaign Setup
Navigate to the "Campaigns" tab in your marketing platform.
Click on "Create Email & SMS Campaign" or select "New Campaign" and choose "Email & SMS Campaign."
Fill in all the email settings details, such as subject line, sender name, email address, internal campaign name, language, and other settings.
Once completed, click "Next step."
Step 2: Email Template Selection
In this step, choose a template for your email campaign.
Click "Use Template" to select one that suits your campaign.
Create your email using the user-friendly email builder and click "Save and choose recipients" when ready.
Step 3: Audience Selection
Select the specific segments or subscriber groups to whom you want to send both the email and SMS.
You have two options: send an email only or Email & SMS.
Click "Create SMS" to craft your SMS content, including the sender name and message.
Step 4: SMS Campaign Creation
Fill out the necessary settings and click "Next step" to calculate the price for the SMS.
Step 5: Confirmation and Sending
In the final step, review all campaign details, including recipient information and estimated pricing.
Decide whether to send your email immediately or schedule it for later.
Decide your SMS sending rules, either sending immediately to all or, based on engagement, choosing to reach those who didn't open or click on your email within a specific time.
Choose to delay your SMS by selecting the desired number of hours or sending it immediately, and opt to target recipients who didn't open or click on your email.
Once satisfied, click "Send now" to finalize the campaign.
Incorporating SMS into your marketing campaigns is a savvy strategy to enhance engagement and reach a broader audience. It uses multiple communication channels, offers immediate contact, and underscores your commitment to respecting your subscribers' preferences.
FAQ
How do I add emojis to my SMS campaign?
You can find emojis here. Then copy and paste it into your SMS campaign. However, remember that we don't recommend adding emojis to your SMS.
Something needs to be fixed?
Please have a look at our Troubleshooting SMS channel article.
If you have more questions or need assistance, do not hesitate to contact our Support Team, available 24/7 and can be reached via In-app chat or email at [email protected].
