Last Reviewed: November 15th, 2024

Best SMS Marketing Software Of 2024

What is SMS Marketing Software?

SMS Marketing Software is an efficient tool designed to drive marketing communication directly to the mobile devices of customers. By doing so, it resolves the problem of low engagement rates associated with traditional marketing channels. It's essential in today's mobile-centric market, offering benefits such as high open rates, immediate engagement, and personalized messaging. Core functionalities include text message scheduling, automation of responses, and real-time reporting. An emerging trend is the integration of AI to tailor messages according to customer behavior. Industries requiring instant communication like hospitality, e-commerce, and events benefit enormously. However, the effectiveness heavily relies on maintaining an up-to-date contact list and adhering to compliance laws to avoid spamming. In conclusion, SMS Marketing Software is an indispensable ally in a business's digital marketing arsenal, delivering potent, personalized, and prompt communication directly in the hands of the target audience.

What Are The Key Benefits of SMS Marketing Software?

  • Drives Direct Communication
  • Resolves Low Engagement
  • Delivers High Open Rates
  • Ensures Immediate Engagement
  • Facilitates Personalized Messaging
  • Effective Message Scheduling
  • Automates Responses
  • Provides Real-time Reporting
  • Encourages Prompt Communication
  • Boosts Customer Interaction
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SelectHub Award Winners - Array

Our Research Analysts evaluated 108 solutions and determined the following solutions are the best SMS Marketing Software overall:

Overall

Trumpia  Award
Start Price
$39
Monthly
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Pros & Cons

  • Easy Setup: Trumpia is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface and straightforward setup process, allowing businesses to quickly start sending messages without a steep learning curve.
  • Powerful Automation: The platform shines with its automation capabilities, enabling businesses to automate workflows, send drip campaigns based on behavior triggers, and streamline communication.
  • Solid Integrations: Trumpia seamlessly integrates with popular business tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zapier, allowing for efficient data synchronization and streamlined operations.
  • Effective Customer Engagement: Users praise Trumpia for its effectiveness in improving customer engagement through personalized messaging, targeted campaigns, and features like SMS surveys for gathering feedback.
  • Pricing for Scalability: While the starting price point is attractive, scaling up to access advanced features can become expensive, especially for smaller businesses with limited budgets.

Key Features

  • Multi-Channel Messaging: Send messages via SMS, email, and social media from a single platform, ensuring comprehensive reach.
  • Automation Workflows: Create complex automated campaigns with triggers and actions to streamline communication processes.
  • Dynamic Targeting: Use advanced segmentation tools to target specific audience groups based on behavior and preferences.
  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time conversations with customers, allowing for interactive communication and feedback.
  • Mobile Keywords: Utilize keywords to allow customers to easily opt-in to campaigns or request information via text.
  • Data Capture Forms: Design custom forms to collect valuable customer data directly through SMS or web links.
  • API Integration: Seamlessly integrate Trumpia with existing CRM and other business systems for enhanced functionality.
  • Drip Campaigns: Schedule a series of messages to be sent over time, nurturing leads and maintaining customer engagement.
  • Compliance Tools: Built-in features to help ensure campaigns adhere to regulations like TCPA and GDPR, protecting both business and customer.
  • Analytics and Reporting: Access detailed reports and analytics to measure campaign performance and optimize future strategies.
  • Survey and Voting: Conduct surveys and polls via SMS to gather customer opinions and insights efficiently.
  • Text-to-Screen: Display live text messages on screens during events, encouraging audience interaction and participation.
  • Mobile Coupons: Create and distribute digital coupons to drive sales and customer loyalty through mobile devices.
  • Message Personalization: Customize messages with dynamic fields to address recipients by name or other personal details.
  • Campaign Templates: Utilize pre-designed templates for quick and easy campaign setup, saving time and effort.
  • Opt-Out Management: Automatically handle opt-out requests to maintain a clean and compliant contact list.
  • Geo-Targeting: Send location-based messages to reach customers in specific geographic areas for targeted promotions.
  • Short Codes and Long Codes: Choose between short codes for mass messaging or long codes for personalized interactions.
  • Keyword Management: Easily manage and track multiple keywords for different campaigns to maximize engagement.
  • Customizable Alerts: Set up alerts for specific events or thresholds to stay informed about campaign performance in real-time.
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Why We Picked Attentive

Are you texting all the right ways to reach your target audience? Attentive is widely lauded for its user-friendly interface and robust features, making it a breeze for businesses to implement SMS marketing campaigns. Users rave about the seamless onboarding process and top-notch customer support, which even includes white-glove service. A standout feature is Attentive's integration with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, allowing businesses to effortlessly sync data and personalize their messaging. This integration, as one user pointed out, makes it "incredibly beneficial for the retention side of our business." However, some users have expressed concerns about the pricing structure, finding it less transparent compared to email marketing platforms.

A key strength of Attentive lies in its advanced personalization and targeting capabilities, enabling businesses to segment audiences and deliver highly relevant messages. One user praised the platform's "dynamic triggered flows," which automate personalized messages based on customer behavior. Another user highlighted the "easy to navigate" reporting dashboard, providing valuable insights into campaign performance. While Attentive shines in SMS marketing, some users have reported challenges integrating it with other platforms, particularly for email marketing. This limitation can lead to manual reporting and workflow management issues, especially when used alongside platforms like Klaviyo.

Attentive is a perfect choice for businesses seeking to elevate their SMS marketing game, particularly those already comfortable with platforms like Mailchimp. Its intuitive design, coupled with powerful features and stellar customer support, makes it a top contender in the SMS marketing arena. However, businesses should carefully evaluate the pricing structure and integration capabilities to ensure it aligns with their specific needs and budget.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to Use: Many users report the platform is easy to learn, even for beginners, and find the step-by-step instructions for setting up campaigns very helpful.
  • Feature Rich: Attentive offers a wide variety of tools such as pre-built campaign templates and advanced AI features for personalizing messages.
  • Great Support: Users frequently praise the knowledgeable support team for their fast response times and helpful guidance.
  • Strong ROI: Many users report a significant return on investment, attributing increased subscriber growth and engagement to the platform.
  • Cost Prohibitive: Smaller businesses, in particular, may find the platform's pricing to be a barrier to entry.
  • Integration Challenges: Seamless integration with other platforms, especially for email marketing, can be difficult, potentially leading to issues like overlapping attribution.
  • Contractual Rigidity: Some users have expressed concerns about inflexible contract terms and the influence of Attentive's legal team on client interactions.

Key Features

  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time conversations with customers, allowing for personalized interactions and immediate responses.
  • Advanced Segmentation: Target specific customer groups based on behavior, purchase history, and other criteria to deliver more relevant messages.
  • Automated Campaigns: Set up automated workflows for welcome messages, cart abandonment reminders, and post-purchase follow-ups to streamline communication.
  • Compliance Management: Built-in tools to ensure SMS campaigns adhere to regulations such as TCPA and GDPR, protecting both the business and its customers.
  • Rich Media Support: Send MMS messages that include images, videos, and GIFs to create more engaging and visually appealing content.
  • Detailed Analytics: Access comprehensive reports and dashboards to track campaign performance, customer engagement, and ROI.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly connect with popular e-commerce platforms, CRM systems, and other marketing tools to unify your marketing efforts.
  • Personalization: Use customer data to tailor messages with personalized content, such as product recommendations and special offers.
  • Opt-In Management: Efficiently manage subscriber lists and consent to ensure a compliant and engaged audience.
  • Keyword Campaigns: Create keyword-based campaigns to capture leads and drive engagement through specific customer actions.
  • Customizable Templates: Utilize pre-designed templates or create custom ones to maintain brand consistency across all messages.
  • Real-Time Reporting: Monitor campaign performance in real-time to make data-driven decisions and optimize strategies on the fly.
  • Drip Campaigns: Implement drip marketing strategies to nurture leads and guide customers through the sales funnel with timely, relevant messages.
  • Customer Support: Access dedicated support teams and resources to assist with campaign setup, troubleshooting, and optimization.
  • Geo-Targeting: Deliver location-based messages to reach customers with relevant offers and information based on their geographic location.
Start Price
$25
Monthly
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Why We Picked Postscript

Is Postscript.io the best solution for your SMS marketing needs? Postscript.io is a popular SMS marketing platform that has garnered largely positive user reviews, particularly for its robust customer support and seamless integrations. Users rave about the dedicated onboarding specialists and customer success managers who provide top-notch assistance. For instance, one user highlighted the platform's intuitive nature and the quick support provided by the onboarding team. This high level of support is crucial for businesses navigating the complexities of SMS marketing and ensures a smooth experience.

However, some users have pointed out that the segmentation feature could be more robust, specifically citing the limitation of excluding only one list at a time. While this might not be a dealbreaker for all businesses, those with complex segmentation needs might find this aspect somewhat limiting. Despite this minor drawback, Postscript.io's strengths lie in its user-friendly interface, advanced targeting capabilities, and compliance support, making it a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes.

Postscript.io is an excellent choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive and reliable SMS marketing solution, especially those who value strong customer support and seamless integrations with existing tools. Its intuitive platform and advanced features empower businesses to create targeted campaigns, automate workflows, and ultimately drive sales. However, companies with highly complex segmentation requirements might need to consider whether the platform's current limitations align with their specific needs.

Pros & Cons

  • Seamless Platform Integrations: Postscript integrates with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, email marketing services, customer support tools, and shopping cart solutions, allowing businesses to streamline their marketing efforts.
  • Dedicated Customer Success Managers: Postscript provides businesses with dedicated Customer Success Managers who offer personalized support and guidance to optimize their SMS marketing strategies.
  • Compliance Support: Postscript helps businesses stay compliant with industry regulations by providing tools and resources to ensure TCPA and GDPR compliance.
  • Robust Onboarding: Postscript offers a comprehensive onboarding process to help businesses get started with their SMS marketing campaigns quickly and efficiently.
  • High Message Throughput: Postscript's platform is designed to handle high volumes of SMS messages, ensuring timely and reliable delivery.
  • Excellent Customer Support: Postscript provides responsive and helpful customer support through live chat, email, and a comprehensive help library.
  • Feature Gaps: User reviews focus heavily on positive attributes like customer support and integrations but don't delve into the comprehensiveness of its SMS marketing feature set. Potential users should investigate if any niche SMS marketing features they require are missing.

Key Features

  • Segmentation: Create targeted SMS campaigns by segmenting your audience based on behavior, purchase history, and other criteria.
  • Automated Workflows: Set up automated SMS sequences to engage customers at different stages of their journey, from welcome messages to post-purchase follow-ups.
  • Two-Way Messaging: Enable real-time conversations with customers, allowing them to reply to your messages and engage directly with your brand.
  • Compliance Tools: Built-in compliance features ensure your SMS campaigns adhere to regulations like TCPA and GDPR, reducing legal risks.
  • Analytics Dashboard: Access detailed analytics to track the performance of your SMS campaigns, including open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce to streamline your marketing efforts.
  • Customizable Templates: Use pre-built SMS templates or create your own to match your brand's voice and style, ensuring consistent messaging.
  • Keyword Campaigns: Set up keyword-triggered campaigns to capture leads and engage customers who text specific keywords to your short code.
  • Personalization: Enhance customer engagement by personalizing messages with dynamic fields such as first name, last name, and purchase details.
  • Opt-In Tools: Utilize various opt-in methods like web forms, pop-ups, and social media to grow your SMS subscriber list effectively.
  • Drip Campaigns: Design drip campaigns to send a series of timed messages, nurturing leads and guiding them through the sales funnel.
  • Abandoned Cart Reminders: Automatically send reminders to customers who have left items in their shopping cart, encouraging them to complete their purchase.
  • Customer Support: Access dedicated support through multiple channels, including email, chat, and phone, to resolve any issues promptly.
  • ROI Tracking: Measure the return on investment of your SMS campaigns by tracking revenue generated from each message sent.
  • Multimedia Messaging: Send rich media messages, including images, GIFs, and videos, to create more engaging and visually appealing campaigns.
  • API Access: Utilize Postscript.io's API to build custom integrations and extend the functionality of your SMS marketing efforts.
  • Campaign Scheduling: Plan and schedule your SMS campaigns in advance, ensuring timely delivery and maximizing impact.
  • List Management: Efficiently manage your subscriber lists with tools for importing, exporting, and segmenting contacts.
  • Real-Time Reporting: Gain insights into campaign performance with real-time reporting, allowing for quick adjustments and optimizations.
  • Scalability: Scale your SMS marketing efforts as your business grows, with features designed to support both small and large enterprises.
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Why We Picked Message Broadcast

Is Message Broadcast all it's hyped up to be? Message Broadcast excels in providing a robust platform for managing customer engagement, particularly for utilities. Users consistently praise its ability to streamline communication workflows, especially for critical notifications like outages and payments. This strength is crucial for utilities, as timely and accurate communication is paramount in emergency situations and for maintaining customer satisfaction. However, some users have expressed that while the software shines in its core functionality, its customer support could be more responsive.

What truly sets Message Broadcast apart is its laser focus on the utility sector. This specialization allows them to offer tailored solutions that cater to the specific needs of this industry, such as integrating with existing utility infrastructure and adhering to industry regulations. This makes it an ideal choice for utility companies looking to enhance customer engagement and streamline their communication processes.

Pros & Cons

  • Reduced Call Volume: Message Broadcast helps decrease call center volume by enabling customers to resolve issues through preferred channels like text, email, and chat.
  • Proactive Outage Communication: The platform allows utilities to proactively notify customers about power outages, providing updates on restoration times and minimizing customer anxiety.
  • Personalized Messaging: Message Broadcast leverages data analytics to deliver tailored information to customers, such as updates on their solar panel energy generation or energy-saving tips.
  • Niche Focus Limits Appeal: While Message Broadcast's specialization in the utility sector demonstrates expertise, it might not cater to the diverse needs of businesses in other industries seeking a more versatile customer engagement platform.

Key Features

  • Omnichannel Communication: Seamlessly engage with customers across multiple platforms such as SMS, email, voice, and social media, ensuring consistent messaging.
  • Personalization Engine: Tailor messages to individual customer preferences and behaviors, enhancing engagement through relevant content.
  • Automated Workflows: Streamline customer interactions with pre-defined workflows that trigger actions based on customer responses or events.
  • Real-Time Analytics: Gain insights into campaign performance with live data tracking, allowing for immediate adjustments and optimization.
  • Scalable Infrastructure: Handle large volumes of messages without compromising speed or reliability, suitable for businesses of all sizes.
  • Compliance Management: Ensure adherence to industry regulations such as GDPR and TCPA with built-in compliance tools and guidelines.
  • Integration Capabilities: Connect with existing CRM and ERP systems through robust APIs, facilitating seamless data flow and process automation.
  • Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Enhance customer service with customizable IVR systems that guide callers through self-service options.
  • Campaign Management Dashboard: Centralize control of all customer engagement activities with an intuitive interface for monitoring and managing campaigns.
  • Segmentation Tools: Divide your audience into targeted groups based on demographics, behavior, or preferences to deliver more effective messaging.
  • Feedback Collection: Gather customer feedback through surveys and polls integrated into communication channels, providing valuable insights for improvement.
  • Security Features: Protect customer data with advanced encryption and secure access protocols, ensuring privacy and trust.
  • Multilingual Support: Communicate with a global audience by delivering messages in multiple languages, catering to diverse customer bases.
  • AI-Powered Insights: Leverage artificial intelligence to predict customer behavior and optimize engagement strategies based on data-driven insights.
  • Customizable Templates: Use pre-designed templates for quick message creation, or customize them to align with your brand's voice and style.
  • 24/7 Customer Support: Access dedicated support services at any time to resolve issues and ensure smooth operation of your engagement campaigns.
Start Price
$39
Monthly
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Why We Picked SimpleTexting

Is your marketing strategy simply lacking texting? SimpleTexting is a popular SMS marketing platform that many users, especially small businesses, find incredibly user-friendly. Its intuitive design makes navigating a breeze, even for beginners. Users rave about how it boosts customer engagement by enabling personalized, targeted messages that resonate. The platform's in-depth analytics empower users to track campaign performance and make data-driven decisions. SimpleTexting doesn't skimp on integrations either, offering seamless connections with other business tools, often without extra charges for higher-tier plans. Its versatility shines through various applications, from marketing blitzes and appointment reminders to event notifications, making it a comprehensive solution.

However, some users find the initial setup process a bit bumpy, highlighting a learning curve that could be smoother. The pricing structure, while generally considered competitive, might give sticker shock to freelancers or very small businesses due to significant price jumps between tiers. While customer service generally receives positive feedback, a few users have expressed a desire for swifter response times. Overall, SimpleTexting proves to be a powerful ally for businesses looking to harness the power of SMS marketing to engage customers and streamline communication.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly: SimpleTexting is designed with an intuitive interface, making it easy for businesses to navigate and execute SMS campaigns, even without prior experience.
  • Targeted Campaigns: The platform offers robust segmentation tools, allowing businesses to divide their audience based on demographics, behavior, or purchase history, enabling highly targeted messaging.
  • Performance Tracking: SimpleTexting provides insightful analytics that allow businesses to track key metrics such as message delivery rates, open rates, and click-through rates, providing valuable insights into campaign effectiveness.
  • Flexible Pricing: With plans starting at $39 per month, SimpleTexting offers flexible pricing options to accommodate businesses of all sizes, from small startups to larger enterprises.
  • Steep Learning Curve: While generally considered user-friendly, some users find the initial setup and learning process to be more challenging than anticipated, potentially delaying campaign launches.
  • Costly for Small Businesses: Pricing plans, while offering various features, can be expensive for freelancers or small businesses with limited budgets, especially with the significant price jumps between tiers.
  • Customer Service Concerns: Although many users praise SimpleTexting's customer service, some have reported inconsistencies, including slower response times and difficulties receiving timely resolutions for technical issues.

Key Features

  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time conversations with customers, allowing for immediate responses and personalized interactions.
  • Scheduled Texts: Plan and automate your SMS campaigns by scheduling messages to be sent at optimal times for your audience.
  • Contact Management: Organize and segment your contact lists with ease, ensuring targeted and relevant messaging.
  • Custom Keywords: Create unique keywords that customers can text to join your list or receive specific information, enhancing engagement.
  • Autoresponders: Set up automatic replies to incoming messages, providing instant feedback or information to your audience.
  • Analytics and Reporting: Access detailed reports on message delivery, open rates, and engagement metrics to refine your strategy.
  • Integrations: Seamlessly connect with popular apps and platforms like Zapier, Mailchimp, and Shopify to streamline your marketing efforts.
  • Text-to-Vote and Polls: Conduct surveys and gather feedback through interactive text-based voting and polling features.
  • Link Tracking: Monitor the performance of links included in your messages to understand customer interest and behavior.
  • Multi-Number Support: Manage multiple phone numbers within a single account, ideal for businesses with various departments or locations.
  • Message Templates: Save time by creating and reusing message templates for frequent communications or campaigns.
  • Compliance Tools: Utilize built-in features to ensure adherence to SMS marketing regulations, such as opt-in management and unsubscribe options.
  • Dedicated Short Codes: Use short codes for high-volume messaging and increased brand recognition, enhancing customer trust.
  • Mobile App: Manage your SMS campaigns on-the-go with a user-friendly mobile application, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.
  • Group Texting: Send messages to large groups without revealing recipients' phone numbers, maintaining privacy and professionalism.
  • Picture Messaging (MMS): Enhance your messages with images, videos, and other multimedia content to capture attention and convey more information.
  • API Access: Integrate SMS capabilities into your existing systems with a robust API, allowing for custom solutions and automation.
  • Customer Support: Access a dedicated support team for assistance with technical issues or strategic advice, ensuring smooth operations.
Start Price
$29
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Why We Picked Textla

Is Textla all it's cracked up to be? Recent user reviews suggest that Textla is a breath of fresh air in the world of SMS marketing, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses. Users rave about its user-friendly interface and straightforward setup, making it a breeze to hit the ground running.

One of Textla's standout strengths is its affordability, especially when compared to competitors like Podium or Attentive. Users appreciate the cost-effectiveness, allowing them to send a high volume of messages without breaking the bank. This affordability doesn't come at the expense of features, as Textla offers a robust suite of tools, including mass SMS marketing, two-way texting, and detailed deliverability tracking. Users highlight the platform's intuitive design and ease of use, allowing them to effortlessly create and manage campaigns.

While some users with limited experience found the initial setup slightly challenging, the consensus is that Textla's intuitive interface and helpful customer support quickly bridge the gap. Overall, Textla emerges as a top contender for businesses seeking a user-friendly, affordable, and feature-rich SMS marketing solution. Its intuitive design, robust features, and responsive customer support make it a perfect fit for businesses looking to elevate their SMS marketing game without the hefty price tag.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: Textla is known for its intuitive design, making it easy for users to navigate and send messages, even without prior experience with similar platforms.
  • Cost-Effective Pricing: Users appreciate the flexible payment system, allowing them to pay only for the texts they use, which is particularly beneficial for businesses with fluctuating messaging needs.
  • Reliable Deliverability: Textla has a strong track record of ensuring messages are delivered to recipients, minimizing issues with undelivered texts and ensuring effective communication.
  • Slow Support Response: While lauded for their helpfulness and expertise, Textla's customer support team has been reported to be slow at times.
  • Infrequent Updates: Textla users desire more frequent updates and new features to ensure the platform remains competitive and innovative.

Key Features

  • Automated Campaigns: Schedule and send SMS messages automatically based on predefined triggers and customer behaviors.
  • Personalization: Customize messages with customer names, purchase history, and other personal details to enhance engagement.
  • Segmentation: Create targeted groups based on demographics, purchase history, and engagement levels for more effective messaging.
  • Two-Way Messaging: Enable real-time conversations with customers, allowing for immediate responses and interaction.
  • Analytics Dashboard: Access detailed reports on campaign performance, including open rates, click-through rates, and conversion metrics.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly connect with CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and other marketing tools to streamline operations.
  • Compliance Management: Ensure adherence to SMS marketing regulations with built-in compliance features such as opt-in management and message frequency controls.
  • Keyword Campaigns: Use specific keywords to trigger automated responses and actions, enhancing customer engagement and data collection.
  • Template Library: Access a variety of pre-designed message templates for different scenarios, saving time on content creation.
  • Drip Campaigns: Set up a series of automated messages to be sent over time, nurturing leads and maintaining customer engagement.
  • Link Tracking: Monitor the performance of URLs included in your messages to understand customer interactions and optimize future campaigns.
  • Custom Shortcodes: Use branded shortcodes for a professional appearance and easier customer recognition.
  • Opt-Out Management: Provide easy opt-out options for customers and automatically update your contact lists to maintain compliance.
  • Multi-Language Support: Send messages in multiple languages to cater to a diverse customer base.
  • API Access: Utilize API endpoints for custom integrations and advanced functionality tailored to your business needs.
Start Price
$250
Monthly
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Why We Picked TextUs

How do you spell "faster sales cycle" in two words? TextUs. Users praise TextUs for its speed and efficiency, allowing for quicker responses than traditional phone calls, which is crucial in today's fast-paced business world. The platform's ability to centralize contact management and conversations is also highlighted, streamlining internal communications and SMS marketing campaigns for greater organization and efficiency. Users particularly appreciate its integration capabilities with popular tools like JobDiva and Greenhouse, simplifying workflows and boosting productivity for recruiters.

However, some users desire more diverse features and more comprehensive customer support. For example, one user expressed frustration with the character limit on text blasts, especially when personalization takes up valuable space. Another user pointed out the lack of multiple inboxes or folders, making organizing messages difficult. These limitations suggest that while TextUs excels in its core functionality, it could benefit from expanding its feature set and support services to cater to a wider range of user needs and preferences.

In conclusion, TextUs is best suited for sales, recruiting, and customer service teams prioritizing speed and efficiency in their communication. Its strengths lie in its fast response times, centralized communication management, and seamless integrations, making it a valuable asset for businesses aiming to accelerate their sales and hiring processes. However, its limited features and customer support might pose challenges for businesses requiring more comprehensive solutions.

Pros & Cons

  • Fast and Efficient: Enables rapid communication and responses, surpassing email in speed.
  • Seamless Integrations: Connects with popular ATS and CRM platforms like JobDiva and HubSpot, streamlining workflows.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Offers an intuitive design that's easy to navigate, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
  • Customizable Solutions: Provides options for white-labeling and tailoring the platform to specific business needs.
  • Limited Texting Features: Users have expressed frustration with the texting functionality being somewhat restricted, lacking some advanced features they need.
  • Software Glitches: Occasional software glitches have been reported, which can disrupt workflows and cause frustration for users.
  • Slow Loading Times: Some users have reported experiencing slow loading times within the platform, impacting their productivity and user experience.
  • Number-Related Issues: There have been mentions of problems related to phone numbers, potentially affecting message delivery or user setup.

Key Features

  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time conversations with customers, allowing for immediate responses and interactive communication.
  • Message Templates: Create and save frequently used messages to streamline communication and ensure consistency across your team.
  • Group Messaging: Send messages to multiple recipients at once, making it easy to coordinate with teams or reach out to large customer segments.
  • Scheduled Messages: Plan and schedule messages to be sent at a later time, ensuring timely communication without manual intervention.
  • Analytics Dashboard: Access detailed metrics on message delivery, response rates, and engagement to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
  • CRM Integration: Seamlessly integrate with popular CRM systems like Salesforce, allowing for synchronized data and streamlined workflows.
  • Customizable Signatures: Add personalized signatures to your messages, enhancing professionalism and brand consistency.
  • Opt-Out Management: Automatically handle opt-out requests to ensure compliance with communication regulations and maintain customer trust.
  • Message Archiving: Store and retrieve past conversations easily, providing a comprehensive communication history for reference.
  • Mobile App: Access TextUs on the go with a mobile app, ensuring you can manage communications from anywhere.
  • Click-to-Text: Enable website visitors to initiate text conversations directly from your site, enhancing customer engagement and support.
  • Custom Fields: Use custom fields to personalize messages with specific customer information, making interactions more relevant and impactful.
  • Team Collaboration: Share conversations and collaborate with team members within the platform, ensuring cohesive and coordinated communication efforts.
  • Message Prioritization: Highlight and prioritize important messages to ensure critical communications are addressed promptly.
  • Compliance Tools: Utilize built-in tools to ensure your messaging practices adhere to industry regulations and standards.
Start Price
$29
Monthly
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Why We Picked SlickText

Is SlickText the slickest choice for SMS marketing? Recent user reviews paint a largely positive picture, highlighting its user-friendliness and top-notch customer service as key strengths. Users, especially those new to SMS marketing, rave about the platform's intuitive design, with one review mentioning mastering the features in under 15 minutes. SlickText's step-by-step tutorials and responsive customer support via live chat contribute to its ease of use, making it a favorite even for tech-averse individuals. This focus on user experience differentiates SlickText from competitors, which are often perceived as clunky or complicated.

However, some criticisms do surface. A recurring concern is the desire for more characters per message, limiting the creativity and information content of marketing campaigns. Additionally, while generally praised for its value, some users suggest more affordable plans tailored for smaller businesses or those with lower message volume needs. These limitations, while not deal-breakers for most, highlight areas for potential improvement.

Overall, SlickText emerges as a strong contender in the SMS marketing arena, particularly well-suited for businesses seeking a user-friendly platform with excellent customer support. Its intuitive design and comprehensive features make it ideal for both beginners and experienced marketers. However, those requiring high character limits or operating on a tight budget might need to weigh their options carefully.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy Campaign Creation: SlickText's intuitive design and features, such as step-by-step tutorials, make setting up marketing campaigns simple, even for beginners.
  • Effective List Segmentation: Users can segment contacts into different groups, making it easier to target specific audiences with relevant messages.
  • Automated Drip Campaigns: SlickText allows for the creation of automated drip campaigns, saving businesses time while maintaining consistent customer engagement.
  • Useful Communication Tools: Beyond marketing, SlickText is beneficial for emergency communications, sending reminders, and conducting pulse surveys or polls.
  • Valuable Insights and Tracking: The platform offers tracking tools that provide insights into campaign performance, allowing for data-driven adjustments and improvements.
  • Message Limits: Standard SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, which might not be sufficient for businesses with detailed marketing content.

Key Features

  • Keyword Management: Create and manage unique keywords to segment your audience effectively.
  • Autoresponders: Set up automated responses to engage subscribers immediately after they join your list.
  • Text-to-Join: Allow users to join your SMS list by texting a keyword to a short code, simplifying the opt-in process.
  • Custom Fields: Collect and store additional subscriber information for personalized messaging.
  • Drip Campaigns: Schedule a series of automated messages to nurture leads over time.
  • Message Templates: Save time by creating reusable templates for frequently sent messages.
  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time conversations with your subscribers through SMS.
  • Link Tracking: Monitor the performance of your campaigns by tracking clicks on links within your messages.
  • Analytics Dashboard: Access detailed reports and insights to measure the effectiveness of your SMS campaigns.
  • Mobile Coupons: Create and distribute digital coupons to drive sales and customer engagement.
  • Text-to-Vote: Conduct polls and surveys via SMS to gather valuable feedback from your audience.
  • API Integration: Seamlessly integrate SlickText with other software and applications to streamline your marketing efforts.
  • Compliance Tools: Ensure your SMS campaigns adhere to legal requirements with built-in compliance features.
  • Contact Management: Organize and segment your subscriber list for targeted messaging.
  • Scheduled Messaging: Plan and schedule messages to be sent at optimal times for maximum impact.
  • Group Texting: Send messages to specific groups within your subscriber list for more focused communication.
  • Opt-Out Management: Automatically handle unsubscribe requests to maintain a clean and compliant list.
  • Customizable Sign-Up Forms: Design and embed sign-up forms on your website to grow your SMS list.
  • Multi-User Access: Allow multiple team members to access and manage your SMS campaigns with different permission levels.
  • Dedicated Short Codes: Use a unique short code for your brand to enhance recognition and trust.
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Why We Picked Textmagic

Is Textmagic truly text magic, or just another messaging app? User reviews from the past year reveal a mixed bag. While Textmagic is generally praised for its user-friendliness and affordability, particularly by small businesses, some users have reported significant drawbacks.

Textmagic shines in its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Users highlight the platform's intuitive design, making it easy to send bulk SMS, automate campaigns, and manage contacts, even without prior experience. The pay-as-you-go pricing model is particularly appealing to smaller businesses or those new to SMS marketing, as it eliminates the burden of monthly subscriptions. For instance, one user lauded the ability to create and launch a campaign in under two minutes.

However, Textmagic's simplicity comes at a cost. Several users have reported experiencing recurring message delivery delays, which is a major concern for time-sensitive communications. Additionally, customer support has been criticized as unresponsive and unhelpful in addressing these issues. One user, a long-time customer, expressed frustration with the lack of communication and follow-up regarding ongoing service disruptions. This suggests that while Textmagic excels in basic functionality, it may fall short in reliability and customer service, potentially hindering its suitability for businesses with mission-critical SMS needs.

Overall, Textmagic is best suited for small businesses or individuals seeking a budget-friendly and easy-to-use SMS marketing platform for basic campaigns and communications. However, businesses with high-volume messaging needs or those requiring dependable, time-sensitive delivery might find Textmagic's limitations and customer service a significant drawback.

Pros & Cons

  • Simple Pricing: TextMagic utilizes a straightforward pay-as-you-go pricing model, making it a practical choice for businesses of all sizes, especially those with infrequent SMS needs.
  • User-Friendly Interface: The platform boasts a simple and versatile user interface that is easy to learn, allowing users to quickly adapt and navigate its features.
  • Real-Time Cost Monitoring: Users can keep track of their spending in real time, providing transparency and control over their SMS marketing budget.
  • Personalized Campaigns: TextMagic enables businesses to personalize their SMS campaigns, allowing for more targeted and engaging communication with their audience.
  • Delivery Delays: Some users have experienced occasional delays in message delivery, which can be problematic for time-sensitive campaigns.
  • Limited Opt-Out Flexibility: The platform lacks robust options for subscribers to opt out on specific days, potentially leading to customer frustration.
  • Support Inconsistencies: While generally considered adequate, customer support has been reported as less comprehensive compared to some competitors, potentially impacting issue resolution times.

Key Features

  • Two-Way SMS Chat: Engage in real-time conversations with customers directly from your computer, enhancing customer service and support.
  • Bulk SMS Messaging: Send thousands of text messages simultaneously, ideal for marketing campaigns and large-scale notifications.
  • SMS Scheduling: Plan and schedule messages to be sent at a future date and time, ensuring timely communication without manual intervention.
  • Customizable Templates: Create and save message templates for quick and consistent communication, reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.
  • Contact Management: Organize and manage your contacts with ease, including importing contacts from CSV files and segmenting them into groups.
  • Delivery Reporting: Access detailed delivery reports to track the status of your messages, including delivery confirmations and failure reasons.
  • API Integration: Integrate Textmagic with your existing systems using their robust API, enabling automated SMS sending and receiving.
  • Mobile App: Manage your SMS campaigns on the go with the Textmagic mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices.
  • Custom Sender IDs: Personalize your messages by using custom sender IDs, making your communications more recognizable and professional.
  • SMS Surveys: Collect feedback and data from your audience through interactive SMS surveys, enhancing customer insights and engagement.
  • Opt-Out Management: Automatically handle opt-out requests to ensure compliance with regulations and maintain a clean contact list.
  • Multi-Language Support: Communicate with a global audience by sending messages in multiple languages, catering to diverse customer bases.
  • Keyword-Based Auto-Responders: Set up automated responses based on specific keywords, streamlining customer interactions and information dissemination.
  • Secure Messaging: Ensure the privacy and security of your communications with encrypted messaging and secure data storage.
  • Detailed Analytics: Gain insights into your SMS campaigns with comprehensive analytics, including open rates, click-through rates, and engagement metrics.
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Why We Picked Heymarket

Is Heymarket all that and a bag of chips when it comes to business texting? User reviews from the past year paint a somewhat mixed picture, like a farmers market where some stalls are bursting with fresh produce while others leave you wanting more. Heymarket shines brightest in its user-friendliness and integration capabilities. Users rave about how easy it is to send personalized messages, even for those who aren't tech-savvy, comparing it to texting friends and family. Its seamless integration with popular CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot is also a major plus, allowing businesses to manage their customer interactions efficiently. However, like an overcrowded market stall, Heymarket's pricing and feature limitations leave some users feeling shortchanged. Several reviewers point out the high cost, especially for growing teams, and the limited user count per plan as significant drawbacks. While Heymarket excels at basic texting, some users find its lack of advanced features like real-time message delivery tracking and automated campaigns a deal-breaker, especially compared to competitors offering more bang for your buck.

Overall, Heymarket is best suited for small businesses or teams who prioritize ease of use and CRM integration for basic texting needs and aren't as concerned about advanced features or budget constraints. It's like a charming local market – perfect for a quick grocery run, but you might need to look elsewhere for specialty items or bulk discounts.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to Use: Users praise Heymarket for its intuitive design and user-friendly interface, making it simple for teams to adapt and start texting immediately.
  • Effective for Customer Service: Heymarket enables businesses to answer customer questions promptly via text, eliminating phone tag and improving service quality.
  • Great Team Collaboration: Shared inboxes within Heymarket allow teams to collaborate seamlessly on customer messages, ensuring everyone is in the loop and responses are efficient.
  • Useful Templates: The platform's templates, particularly for standardized messaging, help maintain consistency and save time, even with multiple users.
  • Cost: Heymarket's pricing structure, starting at $19 per user per month for the standard plan, can be expensive for some businesses, especially those with a large team or needing more than the basic two users.
  • Limited Features: Some users have reported that Heymarket lacks advanced features, such as automated campaigns, that are offered by competitors. This can be a drawback for businesses that rely on automation to streamline their marketing efforts.
  • Group Texting Issues: Users have experienced difficulties with Heymarket's group texting feature, citing issues with list creation and occasional failures in message delivery. This can be a significant problem for businesses that rely on group messaging to communicate with multiple customers or team members simultaneously.
  • SMS Functionality: While Heymarket supports SMS, there are limitations to its functionality. For instance, the platform lacks real-time delivery and read receipts, making it difficult to track message status and ensure customer engagement.

Key Features

  • Shared Inboxes: Collaborate with your team by managing customer conversations from a single, shared inbox.
  • Message Templates: Save time with pre-written responses that can be quickly customized and sent to customers.
  • Scheduled Messages: Plan and schedule messages to be sent at optimal times, ensuring timely communication.
  • Contact Management: Organize and segment your contacts for targeted messaging and better customer relationship management.
  • Automated Workflows: Streamline repetitive tasks with automation, such as sending follow-up messages or reminders.
  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in real-time, two-way conversations with customers, enhancing interaction and support.
  • Analytics and Reporting: Gain insights into your messaging performance with detailed analytics and reports.
  • Integrations: Connect Heymarket with other business tools like CRM systems, email platforms, and more for seamless operations.
  • Custom Fields: Personalize your messages by adding custom fields to store specific customer information.
  • Mobile App: Stay connected on the go with Heymarket’s mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices.
  • Opt-Out Management: Ensure compliance and respect customer preferences with easy opt-out options.
  • Message Tracking: Monitor message delivery and read receipts to stay informed about customer engagement.
  • Team Assignments: Assign conversations to specific team members for better accountability and follow-up.
  • Rich Media Support: Send and receive images, videos, and other multimedia to enhance your communication.
  • Security and Compliance: Protect your data with robust security measures and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

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All SMS Marketing Software (108 found)

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emfluence

by emfluence Marketing Platform
emfluence
Emfluence is a marketing automation platform designed to streamline and automate marketing campaigns across various channels. It caters to businesses of all sizes, particularly those seeking to optimize lead generation, nurture leads, and drive sales. Emfluence offers a range of features, including email marketing, lead scoring, social media management, and marketing analytics. These features help businesses automate repetitive tasks, personalize their marketing messages, and gain insights into their campaign performance. Some of the key benefits of using Emfluence include increased marketing efficiency, improved lead conversion rates, and enhanced customer engagement. Additionally, users often find Emfluence's intuitive interface and robust reporting features to be valuable assets. Pricing for Emfluence varies depending on the specific features and functionality required. However, generally, it falls within the mid-range pricing spectrum for marketing automation solutions, with plans available on a monthly or annual subscription basis. In comparison to other marketing automation platforms, Emfluence is often praised for its ease of use and affordability. However, some users have noted that its features may not be as comprehensive as some of the more expensive solutions on the market. Pros Easy to use Affordable Intuitive interface Robust reporting Good customer support Cons Limited features Not ideal for large companies Buggy integrations Limited customization Advanced features require learning
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
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Oracle CX Marketing

by Oracle America
Oracle CX Marketing
Oracle CX Marketing (formerly called Oracle Marketing Cloud) is a cloud-based marketing automation platform designed to help businesses manage and personalize customer experiences across multiple touchpoints. It offers tools for campaign management, lead generation, marketing automation, content management, and social media marketing. The platform is ideal for mid-sized and large companies with complex marketing needs and extensive customer databases. Some of the key benefits of Oracle CX Marketing include improved marketing campaign performance, increased lead generation, and enhanced customer engagement. Popular features include email marketing, social media marketing, lead scoring, and customer journey mapping. User experiences suggest the platform is comprehensive and scalable, but can be complex to learn and use. Pricing for Oracle CX Marketing varies based on the specific features and modules required. However, it is generally considered to be on the higher end of the market compared to similar solutions. Pros Scalable for large businesses Comprehensive features Advanced journey mapping Strong lead generation tools Integrates with Oracle products Cons Costly compared to competitors Steep learning curve Limited reporting capabilities May be overkill for small businesses Slow customer support
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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ActiveDEMAND

by JumpDEMAND
ActiveDEMAND
ActiveDEMAND, developed by JumpDEMAND, is a comprehensive marketing automation platform designed to streamline various marketing tasks. It is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses seeking to enhance their marketing efforts through automation, lead tracking, and detailed analytics. One of the significant benefits of ActiveDEMAND is its ability to consolidate multiple marketing functions into a single, user-friendly interface, making it easier for marketers to manage campaigns, analyze performance, and adjust strategies in real-time. Among its popular features are email marketing, social media management, and web analytics, which collectively help businesses target their audience more effectively and measure the impact of their marketing activities. When compared to similar products, users often highlight ActiveDEMAND's flexibility and the depth of its features as key differentiators. Pricing for ActiveDEMAND varies based on the scale of the business's needs, with options ranging from basic packages suitable for smaller operations to more advanced plans that cater to larger marketing teams, billed on a monthly basis. This tiered pricing structure ensures that businesses only pay for the features they need, making ActiveDEMAND a cost-effective choice for companies looking to maximize their marketing automation investment.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
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Dynamics 365 For Marketing

by Microsoft Corporation
Dynamics 365 For Marketing
Dynamics 365 For Marketing empowers businesses to automate repetitive marketing tasks, personalize customer journeys, and gain insights into campaign performance. This cloud-based solution caters to mid-sized and enterprise organizations, particularly those already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Key benefits include streamlined email marketing, lead nurturing through automated workflows, and real-time customer analytics. Popular features encompass landing page creation, social media management, and marketing automation journeys. User experiences highlight ease of integration with existing Microsoft tools, robust reporting capabilities, and a user-friendly interface. However, some users mention initial setup complexity and limitations in email design flexibility. Pricing starts at a mid-range monthly cost per user, with additional tiers offering increased functionality and storage. Consider evaluating your organization's marketing needs and desired level of customization before making a decision. Pros Seamless integration Intuitive interface Robust reporting Personalized journeys Real-time analytics Cons Initial setup complexity Limited email design Learning curve Potential cost Customization constraints
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$500 - $1,000
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Buyer's Guide

SMS Marketing Software Is All About Reaching Your Target Audiences on Their Mobile Devices

SMS Marketing Software BG Intro

Twenty-five years ago, when mobile phones started gaining traction and the internet wasn’t popular, SMS or text messages were the way to communicate. SMS marketing software, a subset of marketing solutions, helps you go back to the basics where your audiences started communicating, their mobile phones.

Even as internet-based messaging channels like Whatsapp and Telegram gain popularity, the merits of SMS marketing live on. Text messages are still relevant and trusted by customers, boasting high open rates with availability on all mobile phones.

Their ubiquity makes them an essential part of the puzzle in every marketer’s kit.

Executive Summary

  • SMS marketing software can be the missing link that completes your omnichannel marketing processes.
  • It sends text messages that basic phones with no internet can receive.
  • A few key features of SMS marketing software are opt-ins and opt-outs, scheduling, automation and bulk messaging.
  • Be sure to ask potential vendors questions about integrations, support and mobile capabilities before buying a subscription.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is SMS Marketing Software?

SMS marketing software is a solution that delivers marketing and transactional communication via text message to prospects and customers alike. Like email marketing software, to successfully deliver a campaign, leads must opt-in to receive text messages from your business.

Unlike social media marketing, where people receive messages and advertisements when they scroll through their social media feeds, SMS marketing is a more direct outreach method.

SMS marketing relays updates, alerts and time-sensitive offers. Marketers are reaching customers where they are, and with mobile devices continually rising in popularity, SMS is the way to go.

However, SMS isn’t a standalone tool. SMS marketing should pair with other modes like email and social media to reach your target audience.

The Basics

Marketing text messages aren’t sent from phone numbers, but from five- to eight-digit combinations of numbers and letters called short codes. Short codes are often shared between senders based on the service provider.

Most countries don’t let businesses change the sender name as it’s as unique as your phone number. A best practice here is to ensure your company name is mentioned in the short code and message.

You can send two types of messages: campaign and transactional.

  • Campaign: Campaign text messages are generally used for prospects at the top of the funnel because they send coupon codes, information about events, updates and more. They are generic bulk messages, which means the same message is sent to many people.
  • Transactional: Transactional messages are messages customers receive after engaging with the business. Order confirmation, shipping info, and delivery information are common transactional messages.

Why Is SMS Marketing Effective?

  • Mobile Phone Popularity: Since the internet isn’t required to receive messages, SMS makes it easy to reach a wide audience.
  • Higher Engagement: Text messages have high open rates and hence, score high on engagement.
  • Omnichannel Marketing Communication: Text messages complete the campaign loop by reaching widespread audiences.
  • Apt for Developing Countries: Businesses operating in developing markets find text messages effective for reaching their target audiences.

What Is It For?

Like any other marketing channel, SMS has several uses. Let’s take a look at how you can use text messaging to increase your revenue and the customer experience.

  • Promotions: Coupons attract customers and marketers while driving them to websites. SMS and email can be the fastest way to reach your customers about promotions or sales.
  • Order Updates: Planning an event has a lot of steps, and the quality of execution depends on when you reach your audience. Text messages inform your audience about general information, cancellations and updates in real time.
    Because text messages have higher open rates than emails, they’re a better and more dependable medium to keep in touch with customers.
  • Reminders: A lot of businesses run on appointment reminders to avoid no-shows or late arrivals.
    In such cases, text message reminders are necessary. You can even automate them to reduce the time your team spends reaching out.
  • Internal Communication: In larger organizations, communicating with employees about emergency updates and office closures is tedious. While emails are the most common form of workplace communication, many employees don’t read office emails outside work.
    Text messages are a good way to ensure employees receive messages on time.

Who Is It For?

Since text messages are supported by even the most basic mobile phones, they are great for the following business types:

  • Ecommerce Storefronts: For eCommerce storefronts, text messages are an excellent way to send real-time shipping updates to customers.
  • Travel agencies: Text messages deliver real-time updates about flight time changes, cancellations, gate changes and more.
  • Service-based Businesses: Service-based businesses need to send text messages to convey important updates.

Best Practices To Execute SMS Marketing Campaigns

  • Opt-ins: In his book, Permission Marketing, Seth Godin explains how businesses should ask for permission before pushing marketing messages to maintain long-term synergistic relationships.
    Like in email marketing where GDPR compliance requires consent to receive messages by a “clear affirmative action.” Your text messages should include opt-out actions such as Stop or Unsubscribe in every SMS.
    This strategy ensures that your messages aren’t annoying or marked as spam while creating a positive impression.
  • Time Them Properly: Since most people open SMSes almost immediately, don’t send them at odd hours. Countries such as France have laws defining when marketing messages can be sent.
  • Add CTAs and Your Company’s Name: Have you received a message that doesn’t mention the company name or what they expect? Because of character limitations, many marketers avoid adding opt-out links, CTAs or even their company name, but they must be included in text messages.

Primary Benefits

The true potential of marketing software shines when you reach your customers and prospects where they are.

Here are some benefits these tools bring to the table:

Benefits of SMS Marketing Software

Increase Prospect and Customer Engagement

Omnichannel messaging is the requirement of the day as prospects and leads use various channels throughout the day and week. Reaching them should be an important part of your marketing efforts.

Combining social media, email and text messages may be the edge that your business requires. Make sure you include opt-outs so your messages aren’t marked as spam. Add CTAs so prospects can reach out to you.

Improve Conversion and Open Rates

Compared to email or phone calls, text messages have high delivery and open rates. For emails, good open rates average at around 21.5%, while SMS open rates can go as high as 99%.

In a recent survey, 47% of millennials and 44% of GenZ liked it when brands contacted them via SMS. As a direct marketing channel, SMS marketing performs higher than most other forms of marketing.

Leverage Customization

Like other marketing channels, text messages can be customized and sent based on prospects, customer demographics and preferences. You may customize them based on location, past purchases, time preferences and more.

To create a positive impression of your brand, the key is to pay attention to what your prospects and customers want.

Key Features & Functionality

Now that you understand what SMS software can do, continue reading for more about features that most popular SMS marketing tools come pre-loaded with.

Bulk Messaging

Bulk messaging is a basic SMS marketing software feature. Also called the one-to-many capability, it sends thousands of messages with the click of a button.

You can use this feature to send polls and promo codes, event reminders, sales and discounts.

Transactional Text Messaging

Most of the messages sent by B2C and B2B2C businesses are transactional messages.

Transactional messages are follow-up communications that send after a customer makes a purchase.

They may be welcome messages, reminders, payment failure notifications, order confirmations and other shipping updates.

Customers prefer text messages over emails or app notifications because they check them more frequently.

Opt-ins and Opt-outs

SMS opt-ins aren’t just about FCC compliance and fines. They help businesses create a positive impression.

This feature lets you collect email and phone numbers with automated follow-ups.

Scheduling

Schedule your promotional messages ahead of time, providing flexibility to decide which subscriber list to message.

Sending mass texts may require you to review your messages a few times to avoid negatively impacting brand perception.

Send time is very important, more so when your business is spread across locations in different time zones.

List Management

Like email marketing software, SMS marketing tools support list management.

Customer interactions start when they join the list. From then on, the list they are a part of changes according to their engagement and responses to SMS campaigns.

It also lets you know which prospects aren’t engaging with your campaign so you can send them re-engagement SMSes.

Analytics

SMS marketing is one of the fastest outreach methods.

Review your SMS marketing campaigns at regular intervals to ensure you’re using the highest-performing options.

SMS marketing software comes equipped with analytics that give you real-time insight into the performance of your campaigns across every customer journey touchpoint.

Automation

Automating campaigns is the biggest advantage of SMS marketing tools. It lets your marketing team schedule campaigns so that your prospects and customers are conveniently engaged at respectful times.

Software Comparison Strategy

Comparing SMS marketing software can be difficult as it may be a part of your CRM or email marketing solution.

Depending on the type of business you have, like B2B, B2C or B2B2C, the SMS marketing campaigns will vary. The biggest problem you’ll face is identifying how your prospects and customers want to be reached.

Also, the geographies that you are targeting will change the scope of how much you use text messages to reach them.

Before deciding on a tool, look beyond standalone SMS marketing software vendors and ask your CRM and email marketing partners to find out if they support SMS marketing tools. Make sure you take the tool for a spin before buying a subscription.

To conduct a software comparison and identify the best tool for your business’s needs, read this article about software evaluation with our Lean Selection Methodology.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Most vendors offer SMS marketing software as a subscription service where they pay per month based on user numbers. Many vendors offer discounts for annual subscriptions.

Factors that influence pricing include, the number of monthly text messages you wish to send, the number of subscribers in your list(s) and other capabilities like automation.

If it’s a standalone subscription, the most common reason for a subscription increase is sending more text messages than you initially purchased.

The Most Popular SMS Marketing Software

Now that you know the capabilities of SMS marketing software, the next step is identifying which vendor and tool best suit your needs.

Our analysts curated some of the most popular SMS software solutions on the market. Check out our picks below!

HubSpot

While HubSpot is a full-fledged CRM and popularly known as one, its SMS integration is called MessageMedia. Some of the features it supports are notifications and reminders, onboarding journeys and NPS surveys to engage audiences.

It lets marketers have one-to-one conversations and segment their lists with HubSpot Smart Lists. It works with all HubSpot pricing plans and requires account permissions.

HubSpot

Use MessageMedia to implement SMS marketing strategies. Source

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is a customer experience automation tool that natively supports SMS marketing and third-party applications like Bulk SMS, WhatsApp and Twilio.

It lets marketers message, email, blog and send newsletters to subscribers. Its other features include sending event reminders, repurchase reminders, sale notifications and automation.

ActiveCampaign

Integrate email with SMS marketing. Source

Pardot

While Pardot by Salesforce is a complete marketing management tool, it also supports SMS marketing via its Marketing Cloud Engagement Studio. It lets marketers schedule and automate text messages.

Based on the SMS provider, you can trigger messages from Mogli, SMS Magic and RingCentral. Some of the tool’s features include sending messages, removing prospects and automating text messages. It also provides templates for better engagement.

Install Mogli in Pardot Task SMS. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask

Before selecting SMS marketing software, ask yourself and your team these guiding questions:

  • How many subscribers do you have on your list?
  • How many users/teams will use the software?
  • Which type of messages (campaign or transactional) do you want to send?
  • How fast are you scaling?
  • Does the team have the technical capabilities to plan and execute an SMS marketing campaign?

SMS Marketing Software Key Questions To Ask

Once you review the questions above, ask potential vendors about the following to learn more about them and their software:

  • Can you integrate the tool with other software in your marketing stack?
  • Does it offer a mobile app?
  • If you add users to the existing subscription, how much will it cost?
  • Does the subscription include employee training?
  • What kind of support does it offer?

Next Steps

SMS marketing software can improve the ROI of your marketing efforts. If you’re ready to get started, integrating with third-party tools like Zapier and Salesforce can be a game-changer for automating your SMS marketing and delivering personalized experiences.

Some CRM and email marketing platforms like Klaviyo, Keap, and HubSpot also include SMS marketing modules. Make sure you negotiate with your software vendor and include it in your marketing efforts.

Still feeling overwhelmed in your product search? Get started today with our comparison report to gain insight into top software leaders.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Shweta Joshi is a Market Analyst at SelectHub. She writes content for Warehouse Management, Distribution and CRM. In her free time, she pursues her myriad interests in reading, writing, sketching, traveling, learning about new languages, cultures and cuisines, and occasionally playing the uke completely out of tune.
Technical Research By Joan Akash
Senior Analyst
Joan Akash, a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with a specialization in Marketing. Her expertise as a researcher and reviewer spans diverse software categories, including Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Live Chat, and Help Desk. Beyond her professional pursuits, Joan is spiritually driven, with a passion for teaching children and a penchant for reading biblical blogs and crafting poetry.
Technical Review By Manan Roy
Principal Analyst
Manan is a native of Tezpur, Assam (India), who currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal (India). At SelectHub, he works on categories like CRM, HR, PPM, BI, and EHR. He has a Bachelor of Technology in CSE from The Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Master of Technology from The Institute of Engineering and Management IT, and an MBA in Finance from St. Xavier's College. He's published two research papers, one in a conference and the other in a journal, during his Master of Technology.
Edited By Hunter Lowe
Content Editor
Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor, Writer and Market Analyst at SelectHub. His team covers categories that range from ERP and business intelligence to transportation and supply chain management. Hunter is an avid reader and Dungeons and Dragons addict who studied English and Creative Writing through college. In his free time, you'll likely find him devising new dungeons for his players to explore, checking out the latest video games, writing his next horror story or running around with his daughter.
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.