Today, more than 40% of all eCommerce sales take place from a smartphone or other mobile device. If you want to reach as many potential customers as possible, your marketing efforts must take mobile shopping into account. SMS software gives you the opportunity to develop and perform mobile marketing campaigns through SMS, which is a short message service. You’ll be able to more effectively build brand loyalty with personalized messages. In this guide, you’ll discover how to choose the best SMS software.
Discovering the Best SMS Software
SMS is a type of text messaging solution that’s the ideal marketing channel when you want to reach consumers who do their shopping on mobile devices. Because of how popular SMS marketing has become, there are many types of SMS marketing software at your disposal. Before you begin your search for the best SMS software, you should know what to look for and how to compare different pieces of software.
Most Important Features to Look For
There are many features that should be included in this type of marketing software. The right software should give you all the features you need to develop a strong SMS marketing campaign. For instance, the types of website tools you should be on the lookout for include:
- Embedded forms
- Sign-up pages
- Checkout opt-in
- Website pop-ups
- Footer widgets
- Floating buttons
You can use mobile-embedded forms as landing pages that users can reach when they click on the link in a text message you send. The software you choose should make it easier to build embedded forms without having coding or design knowledge.
A few of the eCommerce tools that SMS software should give you include QR codes, point-of-sale functionality, and text-to-subscribe. While it’s essential that these tools are available in the software you select, they must also be customizable and compliant.
Keep an eye out for less common features that help a piece of software stand out. For instance, some SMS software solutions offer ready-to-launch templates that will help you create the perfect marketing materials. While templates are useful, you may want to choose software that delivers full customization that makes it easier for you to personalize the marketing materials you send out. The many types of subscriber engagement feature SMS software should have include:
- Text-to-win contests
- Text surveys
- Promo codes
- Mobile coupons
- Loyalty rewards
- Mass text messaging
- One-on-one texting
Importance of Advanced Automation Functionality
One service that your choice of software must have is automation, which can be used in many ways. For instance, this software may allow you to implement triggered SMS flows. When using an SMS flow builder, you can trigger these messages based on custom conditions and real-time events that will help you boost conversion rates.
As an example, certain messages can automatically be sent on a customer’s birthday or when a potential customer leaves their cart. By making sure that these messages are sent automatically, you should be able to capture the user’s attention. If a marketing platform you’re thinking of joining doesn’t provide this functionality, look elsewhere.
Another form of automated SMS that you might be interested in is conversational SMS, which ensures that customers are engaged in conversation on a regular basis. Triggered SMS flows can turn into Q&A sessions with customers that allow you to help them buy a product or resolve an issue. The answers customers provide will also assist you in gathering important information and making connections. Avoid software solutions that only offer one-way messaging.
Look for Robust Tracking and Analytics
The SMS software you decide to use should provide comprehensive tracking and analytics services as well. You need to know if your marketing campaigns are effective and which areas need improvement. The main analytics features that this software should have the following:
- Subscriber collection insights
- Extensive analytics dashboards
- Downloadable reports
- Attribution model
- A/B testing functionality
The right SMS software will help you improve customer loyalty, boost ROI, and engage mobile consumers. This buying guide should help you narrow your options and find the best software platform for your business and brand.
