How to create a text message campaign
Text message and email marketing work better together. Use both channels to create a more comprehensive and effective marketing strategy. Keep in mind that text message marketing requires explicit opt-in consent from recipients and your business must comply with local regulations.
Text messages in Klaviyo have different formats. That said, what exactly is an SMS, and how does it differ from an MMS? Let's define the 2:
- SMS: Stands for short messaging services; meaning, you only send text, symbols, and emojis in your message.
- MMS: Stands for multimedia messaging services; meaning, the message can include the same content as SMS, as well as include images and GIFs.
In the following video, you will learn step-by-step instructions on setting up an effective text message campaign in Klaviyo.
Identify types of text message communications
Did you know you can use text messaging to start a conversation with your subscribers? An SMS automation is key to creating that back-and-forth engagement. It also allows you to connect with your subscribers in a conversational manner that builds trust. Learn how to use text messaging to communicate and build relationships with your subscribers.
One way text message marketing
You can send a text message promoting a new product and encourage subscribers to click on the link that provides tips on how to best use the product. Other common examples include sharing information directly to your subscribers' phones to promote exclusive sales, company announcements, or events.
3 text message content best practices in mind:
- Add personalization to every message.
- Offer immediate value to your customers.
- Send urgent, time-sensitive content.
SMS automations
Use text messaging to start a conversation and set yourself apart from other marketers who only use one-off text message campaigns. With SMS automations, you can connect with your subscribers with engaging back-and-forth communication in formats like:
- Surveys to gather customer feedback.
- Providing personalized buying guides.
- Running quizzes to collect more profile properties.
Note: Keep in mind only owners, admins, and managers can use SMS automations. SMS automations are also not available for every sending number. Read through our getting started guide for SMS automations to learn more.
Follow text message campaign best practices
You learned how to create a text message campaign and identified the 2 types of text message communications. Now, learn key text message design strategies to help you improve how you communicate with your subscribers via text messages. In each of the dropdowns, you'll see how Beantown Coffee, a fictional coffee brand, applies each best practice to its text message campaign strategy.
Write short and sweet copy
Put yourself in the recipient's shoes. If you receive a long text message, how likely are you to read it?
Let’s be honest, you will most likely exit the message before you read a long paragraph. This explains why shorter messages result in higher click rates and perform better. While businesses need to get their messages across, people want direct and actionable content. The difference between text message and email is that texts are short, direct, and actionable.
In Klaviyo, you have a shorter character limit for text messages than you do for emails, so make every word count:
- Use conversational language.
- Apply a friendly and playful approach.
- Stay true to your brand’s tone and voice.
- Stick to one offer, campaign, or announcement.
- Provide relevant discounts or promotions.
- Personalize your message with profile properties.
Beantown is consistent with their brand voice on all their channels. When they create a text message, they make an effort to sound more human. Beantown found customers enjoy fun and witty text messages that sound like they come from real people.
Personalize your text message content
Before you create your copy, consider how you can personalize your message. This often comes from selecting Add personalization to insert properties about your text message recipient directly into your message.
To start, you should use that option to fill in the first name automatically. That said, true text message personalization goes beyond the basics.
For instance, you can:
- Add relevant images and GIFs. You can choose 1 image to represent an entire collection or create a GIF that scrolls through multiple product images.
- Target key audience segments. This will allow you to craft messages that are tailored to each segment, making them more likely to be successful.
- Add more specific personalization tags using profile properties collected from subscribers (e.g., gender, flavor or style preferences, location, etc.)
For example, Beantown previously collected their subscribers' favorite colors in a quiz on their website. Now, they're about to launch a new collection of merchandise and send a text message encouraging shoppers to buy a mug in their favorite color. They select Add personalization to insert someone's favorite color directly into their message.
Add 1 actionable CTA link
Every text message should have a link for the recipient to complete an action, such as shopping on your website. Think strategically about the link you decide to share since SMS allows only 1 CTA. For instance, you can direct subscribers to a product landing page, new arrivals, or best-sellers.
In the example below, Beantown creates a segment of customers who purchased hazelnut coffee in the last 90 days. Next, they send a special 20% discount during Black Friday to encourage customers to purchase their favorite coffee flavor.
Create engaging content
Rotate the content you send from time to time. Remember, customers can scroll up and see all the other text messages from you. It can get boring for customers to see the same sales message repeatedly. Text messaging helps you nurture relationships, so be fun, stay relatable, and keep it fresh.
Get creative by spreading out your promotional messages and providing additional value. For instance, you may:
- Provide tips, tricks, or other relevant content.
- Send customer testimonials.
- Include product reviews.
- Share fun pictures or GIFs.
Beantown changes up their SMS marketing to make texting into a game. For example, they can send a text message saying “Enter to win a gift! Click on the link to answer 5 questions about our brand." They redirect customers to a landing page to play or instruct them to reply via text. People love games and they love winning. Even if they miss out on the first game, subscribers will keep an eye out for new games from your brand.
Don't stop here! After completing this certificate, return to our complete collection of SMS marketing best practices. Bookmark this link to save for future use.