By now, you’ve seemingly began seeing extra textual content messages from manufacturers. In 2021, 42% of business owners texted their clients, whereas in 2022, that quantity grew to 55%. Brands are utilizing texting extra and extra as a approach to attain clients as a result of, nicely, it typically works. As Marketing Dive identified when the efficacy of cell promoting, “the average successfulness of individual SMS/MMS campaigns was approximately 27 times higher than in the case of Internet banner campaigns.”
This brings up a superb level. What you won’t know instantly is that textual content messages can really be damaged up into two classes: SMS and MMS. Let’s do a fast introduction into these two messaging varieties and the way you may use them in a different way.
What is SMS?
SMS, or Short Message Service, is the extra generally recognized time period of the two. These are easy messages coming in at underneath 160 characters and that includes solely textual content. SMS messages are efficient for just a few causes, however entrepreneurs love them as a result of they’re reasonably priced and don’t require an web connection to ship or obtain—so, as a model, your probabilities of reaching the buyer are a lot greater.
Grubhub, the meals supply app, permits drivers to ship quick and candy transactional SMS messages to tell clients about their orders.
What is MMS?
MMS, or Multimedia Message Service, are like fancy SMS messages. These are the textual content messages you obtain from manufacturers that embrace media like hyperlinks, pictures, movies, or audio. Also, these are the messages that exceed 160 characters—as much as 1,600 in truth in accordance with our mates at Telnyx.
Unlike SMS, MMS requires web or a robust mobile service to be despatched and acquired, which is smart as media recordsdata are a lot larger than textual content recordsdata. MMS messages additionally are usually barely dearer than SMS.
United Airlines sends prolonged, detailed MMS messages to vacationers to tell them of flight standing.
Common Use Cases for SMS and MMS
With opt-in rates for SMS marketing also increasing, it’s worthwhile to know the alternative ways you’ll be able to incorporate SMS and MMS into your cross-channel advertising methods.
Let’s begin with SMS. Due to character limitations, SMS use instances are usually extra transactional in nature (like the Grubhub instance).
From our clients we’ve seen these to be the commonest:
- Event reminders (like appointments)
- Order confirmations
- Updates for issues like supply
- Two-factor authentications
- Customer satisfaction surveys
This final one is the place we see room for development from SMS use in the instant future. As third-party cookies die out, amassing zero-party knowledge like a buyer’s satisfaction or preferences shall be essential to enhancing the person expertise.
Now for MMS. Much like social media algorithms that prefer multimedia, there appears to be an inherent draw of a picture or video that textual content can’t fairly replicate. Consequently, the use instances for MMS have a tendency to maneuver past extra transactional communications.
These embrace:
- New product bulletins
- Video walkthroughs
- Customer help screenshots
- Promotions
- Event invitations
- Abandoned cart notifications
Or, in some instances, simply to amp up pleasure. Those enjoyable, gif-laden texts you get from manufacturers? MMS.
The Nudge, a planning app, provides enjoyable gifs and imagery to the MMS messages to begin the message on a enjoyable be aware.
When you take a look at it plainly, SMS and MMS are very related and can be utilized in generally interchangeable methods.
SMS vs. MMS for Your Brand
The pure query turns into: “Do I use MMS or SMS for my brand?”
Like most normal advertising questions, the reply is “it depends.” But there are just a few methods you’ll be able to determine what works to your model.
First is your model tone and fashion. Do you retain issues gentle and enjoyable? MMS could be higher suited as your major texting choice. If your model is extra formal, easy SMS messages could be extra your pace.
Second is your product and business. Does your model promote a product that appears good in pictures or wants an explainer video? MMS. Are you in an business that covers extra severe subjects like psychological well being? An SMS could be higher suited.
This is to not say that MMS all the time must be enjoyable and playful. MMS messages might be informative and academic as nicely. It’s all how you utilize it, however inside the parameters of your individual model. We encourage you to experiment with each—when you have the price range—and see if engagement charges change!
And, if you end up curious to be taught extra, attain out or try this information to be taught extra about cell advertising general!