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keywords Tag

News, tips & advice from FastSMS

In SMS messaging keywords are used to qualify an inbound message sent either to a Virtual Reply Number or a Shortcode.

Firstly a keyword is required to identify the recipient of a message on a shared shortcode. To have exclusive use of a shortcode, e.g. 87007 is expensive, several hundred pounds per month. Consequently most users opt to share a shortcode with use of a keyword that uniquely identifies them. So if your keyword is FRED then texts to 87007 would be formatted as “FRED + message body”.

With Virtual Mobile Numbers this is usually different. VMNs don’t cost a lot so there is no pressure to share. In this case keywords can be used to prompt a reply. For example the keyword might be a product code and the system would respond to that code with a price and/or stock availability. Equally a keyword texted in which relates to a property code might cause the system to respond with sales details of the property.

Keywords are a big deal in SMS marketing. They’re more important than ever, whether you use a shortcode or a virtual mobile number (VMN) if you’re planning on using two-way messaging. Here's what you need to know to help you choose the right keyword for your SMS marketing campaign.

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Over 92% of people in the UK have mobile phones. SMS marketing is one of the best ways to reach out to them in a personal way. But for your marketing to be a real success, you need to get replies. Using a shortcode with keywords offers many benefits for your marketing. Let's take a look at the top three.

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You worked hard to get those customers on your SMS marketing list. But now they are unsubscribing like crazy, or maybe just no longer responding to your messages. What happened? Maybe you’ve committed one of the following common, but easy to fix, errors that can completely drive your customers away.

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If you’re using SMS campaigns as part of your strategy to drive sales, sign ups, fund raise, or any goal, you’ll need to know if it’s working. You may be familiar with email tracking or other forms of marketing metrics but how do you measure the effectiveness of SMS campaigns? Here are five different ideas for you to try.

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Text message marketing works because it is short, quick, personal, and immediate. You don't want to annoy the people you're reaching out to. If you're running an opt-in campaign, or a contest, keep the process to as few steps as possible.

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