Everything you need to know about SMS short codes

Maybe you have heard of SMS Short Codes or perhaps this is a completely foreign term for you. Not to worry, we will tell you everything you need to know about it.  What is a SMS Short Code? Brands use shortcodes to get customers to opt in for their SMS Marketing campaigns. These codes naturally differ from country to country, but usually consists of 5 or 6 digits (e.g 34561). The mobile user has to type a message on his/ her phone, then send it to the particular number to elicit a desired response. What do consumers say in their message? SMS Short Codes are usually accompanied by a keyword. The reason for this is because a business can have more than one code, or they might be sharing this code with another business. The keyword helps the service provider to effectively differentiate between campaigns. A keyword can be something like the word “competition” or the brand’s name. But, a mobile user isn’t limited to text alone. They can also send images and videos to the number.  Dedicated versus shared codes As we have mentioned previously, a business might share a code with another business, or they have the code all to themselves. (The latter is a dedicated shortcode.) Both have advantages and disadvantages, especially in terms of cost, and it will depend on your brand’s needs which one you choose. How do consumers get hold of the code? Brands usually advertise their code(s) online, in store, television, billboards, printed advertisements etc. It is up to you how you want to convey this info to your customers.  Will I...

5 uses for SMS Shortcodes

What can you do with SMS Shortcodes? Pretty much anything! Let’s take a look at five practical uses that are suitable for just about any type of business. Competitions Who wants to fill out a competition form by hand and then drop it into a box that looks suspiciously like the handiwork of pre-schooler? It might work at an informal event, but it is definitely not suited for a professional business. Entering a competition via mobile simply makes your company look more legit. Making donations If you are hosting a charity event or taking donations for a worthy cause, you want to make it as easy as possible for participants to commit. SMS Shortcodes can make this an instant process. After all, you want people to commit on the spot while they are “feeling” your message – not later when they are at home and have forgotten all about it. Getting information Customers don’t want to jump through hoops to get the answer to a simple question. Let them text their questions using a Shortcode. This will give the consultant ample time to get a satisfying answer for the customer and then text or phone them back.  Less time wasted, more efficient customer service! This can also work for recruiting new clients. Instead of calling them up and intruding on their privacy, you can simply text to ask if they are interested and they can reply back using your shortcode. Less money wasted! Instant feedback Conducting marketing surveys can be quite the chore – not only for the marketer, but the customer as well. Consumers don’t want to answer...

5 Reasons why you shouldn’t share ownership of SMS Short Codes

When purchasing a SMS Short Code, you usually have a choice between a dedicated and a shared code. Rather opt for a dedicated one that is exclusive to your business. Here is why. Brand recognition If you use the same code for all your marketing campaigns, people will start to associate the code with your brand. Association also makes it easier to remember. Should another company make use of the same code, they can leech off your exposure or even damage your brand. Control If the code is yours alone, you have full control over what you do with it or what you use it for. You can also keep an eye on your activities to make sure you stick to the consumer Code of Conduct. You won’t have to worry that another company will use it for “evil” – resulting in the code getting shut down. Keyword exclusivity Having sole use of an SMS Short Code also means you have ownership of all the keywords you use along with it. Why is this beneficial? Because it enables you to use general keywords like “special”, “promo”, “prize” etc. Instead of something like “Alex Cafe special”. Shorter keywords = easier to remember. The data is yours You will have full control and ownership of the data and personal info that your customers send to you. You also shouldn’t have any problems to look up the conversation history. It might prove more difficult to obtain this info if the database doesn’t belong to you alone. Better security Dedicated SMS Short Codes are a must if your industry is security sensitive e.g....

How SMS shortcodes work

Have you ever requested a service or entered into a competition by sending a text to a special shortened number? Then you have made use of a SMS shortcode. But what exactly is originally gained popularity due to television shows that allowed viewers to vote for their favourite singer/ contestant or to make a donation. It quickly caught on in other industries as companies realised that it is a cheap, speedy, reactive and productive way to target consumers. Generally, businesses can get access to dedicated or shared short codes. Every code can also have a specific set of keywords assigned to it. Dedicated codes imply that the particular business has ownership over all keywords associated with the short code number. With a shared short code all people/businesses using the same short code are given their own keyword. The keyword is what differentiates each user of the short code and determines who will receive messages sent to the short number. According to smsshortcode.com, very few businesses own their own dedicated short code due to the requirements, time, and expense it takes to provision one. “In most cases a mobile marketing provider will own the dedicated short code and sell packages that include use of the short code, a keyword, and a specified number of messages.” Once a company obtains one of these codes, they can invite consumers to send SMS as well as MMS messages to the specified number. The message could look something like this: “Text the word ‘hamper’ to 12345 and you could win one of our Easter Hamper giveaways.” The company receives the messages along with the...