Everyone (or, nearly everybody) has a smartphone at this time. In a current report from bankmycell, they discovered that, as of July 2022, 6.65 billion folks world wide have a smartphone. That’s 83% of the world’s inhabitants. This is why entrepreneurs are adapting their methods to incorporate cellular advertising and marketing—it’s a widespread channel that may join manufacturers on to the patron.
A chunk of the cellular advertising and marketing puzzle, nonetheless, that’s changing into extra current in model methods is SMS advertising and marketing. That is, utilizing textual content messages to ship advertising and marketing communications on to customers’ telephones.
In the primary a part of our collection we lined the fundamentals of opting out and in of a model’s textual content messages. Now, we need to discover the primary layer of individualization: SMS key phrases.
What is an SMS Keyword?
Think about how folks use key phrases to look the net. They go to Google, kind in a phrase or phrase they’re trying to find, and are then given outcomes based mostly on that key phrase. It’s the same course of for SMS key phrases.
Basically, SMS key phrases are a manner for customers to inform manufacturers which content material they discover probably the most attention-grabbing and related. So, as a substitute of manufacturers sending each textual content message to each buyer about each matter, they’ll use key phrases to phase which prospects get which messages.
Take a have a look at this SMS message from The Nudge, a digital planner. They may ship each buyer updates about all varieties of cuisines, however what if a buyer doesn’t like sure varieties of meals? What in the event that they’re vegan?
The Nudge makes use of SMS key phrases to determine which cuisines their prospects are excited by.
By creating key phrases like “BURGERS” or “VEGAN” and asking prospects to reply again with the key phrase they’re excited by, The Nudge can slim down which messages to ship going ahead. This not solely creates a greater general expertise for every buyer, but it surely promotes engagement as a result of the messages are related to every person.
Why Should I Use SMS Keywords?
Keywords are a gateway to individualized person experiences not solely by cellular channels, however all advertising and marketing channels.
Through texting, SMS key phrases provide you with entry to buyer preferences. Instead of hoping a buyer finds your messages related, you already know for a undeniable fact that they’re within the data you’re sending. Collecting zero-party information, immediately from the client, is a surefire solution to ship on expectations.
Cross-Channel Customization
But, take it a step additional and also you’ll be capable to apply these preferences to a number of advertising and marketing channels. With a advertising and marketing platform that centralizes buyer information, SMS key phrases may be tied to a person profile. Then, any advertising and marketing communications, despatched by any advertising and marketing channel, can align with the subject the person has expressed curiosity in.
Can’t you get this desire data by way of email? You completely can. But, SMS advertising and marketing could also be extra environment friendly. According to ManyChat, “The average open rate for an SMS campaign is as high as 98% while email rings in at just 20%.”
So, if a buyer tells The Nudge, by textual content, that they’re solely excited by DUMPLINGS, they need to be capable to connect that desire to the person’s profile and ship dumpling suggestions by email, in-app messaging, push notifications, unsolicited mail, and, after all SMS. The added bonus? These can all be automated.
SMS Keywords for Automation
One large advantage of SMS key phrases we haven’t but touched on is the truth that, even whereas creating individualized conversations for every buyer, they permit for automation. A member of your advertising and marketing crew doesn’t should manually reply to every textual content from each buyer—phewf.
By making a set variety of key phrases your prospects can select from, you may automate the following steps within the buyer journey. The Nudge has seven complete key phrases to select from: “BURGERS,” “DUMPLINGS,” “SANDWICHES,” “VEGAN,” “TACOS,” “WINGS,” and “THAI.” If a buyer sends again “WINGS,” they’ll get robotically added to the wings journey and obtain triggered textual content messages solely associated to this delicacies.
This automated journey will also be cross-channel. Once customers are added to a selected journey, you may set off messages to ship by numerous advertising and marketing channels. You can have emails, unsolicited mail, and push notifications all associated to at least one SMS key phrase. That key phrase provides prospects entry to an individualized journey.
The key right here is providing key phrases which can be particular sufficient to align with every prospects’ preferences whereas additionally being broad sufficient to seize everybody who could also be . If you do have automated journeys arrange, it’s crucial that they resonate together with your audiences.
Also, ensure your key phrases are intuitive and straightforward to recollect, so prospects can reply at any time. With SMS advertising and marketing, the strains of communication are all the time open.
Starting a Conversation with Customers
SMS key phrases provide the alternative to start out a two-way dialog together with your prospects. Keywords provide the probability to get extra granular in your messaging and hear what your prospects choose by an open dialogue with them.
SMS advertising and marketing, plus using SMS key phrases, gives an avenue to gather useful zero-party buyer information that may be activated with the fitting martech platform, in the end individualizing every buyer expertise. As a part of an orchestrated cross-channel method, this elevates the patron expertise with model communications to match their particular pursuits, motives, and behaviors. When prospects reply with a key phrase it’s a chance to study them and tweak their expertise in real-time as they proceed by their journey.
A seamless cross-channel buyer expertise performs to every channel’s strengths. Because of its individualization capabilities, SMS advertising and marketing is gaining traction and changing into a extremely useful advertising and marketing channel. Don’t miss out on the advantages.
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