SMS campaigns 101: What to know before starting

Reading Time: 10 minutes

SMS campaigns are a powerful way to connect directly with your audience, delivering your message where it’s most likely to be seen. Unlike crowded email inboxes or oversaturated social feeds, SMS offers a direct and highly visible channel for communication.

With their simplicity and concise format, SMS messages are perfect for time-sensitive offers, reminders, or updates. They create a sense of urgency that inspires quick action — something many marketers strive to achieve.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to launch a successful SMS campaign. From writing impactful messages to building an effective marketing flow, we’ve got you covered with tips and best practices.

What is an SMS campaign?

An SMS campaign is a marketing strategy that sends targeted text messages to promote products and services or convey information. It’s cost-effective and allows businesses to reach a broad audience instantly and track the campaign’s success through response rates and conversions.

SMS campaigns have limitations on visuals, with a character count of up to 160. Yet this marketing channel is fast and has proven to be effective.

By segmenting your SMS marketing audience, you can send different messages to different people. Automated text messages that confirm transactions, provide shipping information, and remind about abandoned carts can all be automated. This way, they are sent only to customers who trigger them.

Why use SMS campaigns for your business?

Adding SMS to your marketing arsenal is a strategic move for businesses looking to succeed in today’s competitive market. As consumers increasingly rely on mobile devices for everyday tasks, SMS offers a direct connection to your audience compared to other channels.

Here’s why SMS campaigns should be a top priority for your business:

• Instant delivery: The recipient receives messages almost immediately, making SMS perfect for time-sensitive offers or urgent updates
• Direct engagement: SMS allows you to connect with customers on their mobile phones, where they’re most active
• Improved customer retention: Well-timed SMS updates and promotions keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage repeat business
• Targeted, personalized communication: You can personalize your messages based on customer behavior on SMS to make your communication more relevant
• Cost-effective marketing: Compared to other channels like paid ads and SEO, SMS delivers impressive ROI with minimal investment
• High revenue potential: According to a 2024 report, Omnisend users generated over $33 million in orders through SMS marketing, proving its power to drive sales

Types of SMS campaigns

A successful SMS marketing strategy begins with choosing the right campaign type. Whether you’re announcing a sale or gathering customer feedback, there’s a messaging campaign for every goal. 

Here are common types of SMS marketing campaigns:

• Promotional SMS campaigns: These campaigns are designed to drive sales. You can share exclusive deals, discounts, and offers. A promotional SMS, delivered at the right time, can significantly boost engagement and drive conversions.
• Transactional SMS campaigns: Transactional messaging campaigns provide critical updates like order confirmations, shipping notifications, or payment receipts. These messages enhance customer trust by keeping them informed every step of the way.
• Reminder campaigns: Reminders are perfect for addressing cart abandonment, renewing subscriptions, or alerting customers about expiring offers. A quick SMS reminder puts your business back on their radar while showing them you value their time.
• Customer feedback requests: Feedback campaigns invite customers to share their opinions after a purchase or service interaction. They help businesses gather valuable insights and improve customer satisfaction.
• Welcome SMS campaigns: Welcome messages greet new subscribers or customers. These campaigns create a strong first impression and set the tone for future communication while introducing your brand or services.

How to create an SMS campaign

Here are the essential steps to execute a successful SMS campaign:

1. Get an SMS marketing app
2. Create an SMS campaign
3. Add recipients
4. Estimate price
5. Review and send

Watch this quick one-minute video to learn how to set up an SMS campaign:

1. Get an SMS marketing app

You can’t send an SMS campaign simply by using your mobile phone. To get maximum reach, you have to have advanced SMS marketing tools to help you do so cost-effectively and efficiently. Omnisend offers automated SMS campaigns that integrate with your emails and include sales-per-campaign reporting.

On top of that, Omnisend boasts an impressive rating of 4.7 with almost 6,000 reviews on the Shopify app store, signifying exceptional performance and a high level of customer satisfaction.

In Omnisend, navigate to Campaigns, select New Campaign, and choose Create SMS to initiate the process.

You can easily import your contacts from a file when using Omnisend. To import your contacts from the file, go to the Audience tab, click the Add Contacts button, choose File Import, and select your desired file. Check out this article to learn more about importing contacts.

2. Create an SMS campaign

It’s straightforward to create SMS marketing campaigns, as they’re only text and don’t have any design assets. However, you’ll need to include the following information:

• Campaign name
• Sender information
• Message content
• Personalization
• Recipient list
• Scheduling information
• A CTA (call to action)

Here’s what creating an SMS campaign with Omnisend looks like:

Go ahead and try it for yourself to understand how seamlessly you can create an SMS campaign. These text message templates can be of great help in creating impressive messages.

3. Add recipients

If you already have contacts on your list, they can be added to your campaign easily by selecting the appropriate segments. You can also import users into Omnisend using the steps already mentioned, provided you have their permission to contact them.

The import process involves four steps: uploading files, mapping, organizing, and reviewing.

4. Estimate price

Omnisend’s SMS length calculator will help you estimate the price for your SMS campaigns. As well as price, the calculator lets you see the number of characters in your text message. 

You can paste or write the message directly on the calculator, choose the destination country, and instantly view message details, character count, and pricing. 

Use the preview feature to ensure your message appears correctly on various devices, including iPhone, Android, and feature phones. The calculator simplifies cost estimation, ensuring transparency and effective budget management for your SMS campaigns.

5. Review and send

Before sending your SMS campaigns, take a moment to review all the details. Ensure your message is clear, recipients are accurate, and scheduling aligns with your strategy. Once you’re confident in the campaign’s setup, send and connect with your audience seamlessly.

SMS is a great tool for sending time-sensitive messages, as they’re usually opened quicker than an email if sent at the right time.

Simultaneously, you may also launch Facebook retargeting to the same audience. This way, you’ll get more touchpoints with your customers, and it will be easier to convince them to shop with you — particularly with holiday campaigns.

Best practices for creating effective SMS campaigns

Creating an SMS campaign involves more than just sending messages. Applying best practices transforms a good strategy into a great one. Follow these proven practices to launch successful SMS campaigns:

SMS opt-in and consent

Before launching your first SMS campaign, ensure you receive the customer’s consent. Like email permissions, the law requires that your contacts opt in for promotional content via SMS.

You can collect opt-ins in a few different ways:

• By adding an extra field for phone numbers in your signup forms
• By asking for a customer’s phone number at the checkout
• Using “Text to Join,” where people text a keyword to your number

In compliance with the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), consent must be clear, voluntary, and not conditional on a purchase. Also, include an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe from your messages.

See how Omnisend uses a popup to capture contact details and offer exclusive deals in return:

Personalize your messages

A well-crafted, personalized SMS communicates to customers that you value and appreciate their needs and preferences. Adding a personal touch, like addressing them by name, referencing past purchases, or highlighting their preferences, makes the reader feel more connected to your brand. 

This approach builds trust and boosts engagement. People are far more likely to respond to messages that feel relevant to them.

For example, instead of sending a generic message like “Stock is updated. Shop now: (Link),” consider a personalized alternative like “Hi (Customer Name), your favorite sneakers are back in stock! Enjoy a 10% discount: (Link).”

See the difference?

The personalized message makes the customer feel recognized and appreciated, while the generic one comes off as impersonal.

Personalized messages do more than deliver information — they build relationships. These meaningful connections are what turn one-time customers into loyal ones.

Use clear and compelling CTAs

A great SMS grabs attention, but a strong CTA drives results.

Ensure your CTA is direct, easy to understand, and aligns with your goal. Communicate the actions you want customers to take, such as clicking a link, claiming a discount, or confirming an appointment. 

For example, a phrase like “Shop the sale before it ends: (Link)” creates urgency and clarifies what actions to take. Compare this to vague instructions like “Check out our website,” which lack context or motivation.

For even better results, pair your CTA with a benefit or incentive. Highlight the value of taking action with messages such as “Use code SAVE20 at checkout to get 20% off your order today: (Link)” or “Buy 1, Get 1 Free — Offer ends tonight: (Link).”

By emphasizing the benefits, you make it harder for your audience to resist. Clear, compelling CTAs encourage them to act quickly.

For example, Oh Beauty’s SMS combines all of these best practices to encourage customers to act immediately:

Time your messages thoughtfully

Timing can make or break the success of your SMS campaigns. Even the most engaging message can fall flat if it isn’t well-timed.

To maximize engagement, schedule your texts for mid-morning or early evening, when people are most likely to be receptive. These are moments when most individuals have settled into their routine and are more likely to check their phones.

Avoid sending messages too early, too late, or during holidays unless they’re critical. Nobody likes their dinner interrupted or their peace disturbed by non-urgent texts.

If you’re unsure when your audience is most active, test different times and review the engagement data. Top SMS campaign management tools can help schedule messages at the best times for each segment of your audience.

Keep it short and focused

When it comes to SMS, less is more. With a character limit and a busy audience, it’s important to keep your messages brief and to the point. 

The goal is to capture attention quickly, so focus on one main idea per message. Trying to cram too much information into one text can confuse your audience or cause them to lose interest.

For instance, instead of saying, “We have an amazing sale on our entire store right now! Get 20% off everything, and don’t forget about our new arrivals section with tons of great deals, too.” Opt for a concise alternative like, “20% off everything — today only! Shop now: (Link).”

Short, focused messages fit within SMS limitations, increasing the chances that your audience will read and engage.

This SMS from CASETiFY is a prime example of a short, engaging message paired with a clear CTA:

Is an SMS campaign template needed?

As SMS campaigns can be only text, the only template you might use is how you write.

Here are five curated text messages that you can take inspiration from:

• Hi! It’s (Brand Name). Your 10% off code is: (Code) Shop now: (Link) Text us at (Phone number) if you have any questions!
• (Brand Name): Our best offer just got even better. Buy a Hardcore Bundle and save an additional 20% on top of the usual 25%. Seriously. Click the link below to access now (Link)
• TWO HOURS LEFT to get 40% off your entire order at (Brand Name)! Use code: (Code) at checkout. Sale ends TONIGHT Dec. 1, 11:59pm EST! (Link)
• (Brand Name) DEALS! Today, all swim is BUY ONE GET ONE FREE! Code: (Code) expires tonight at midnight. (Brand name) will be offering a new deal every Friday in December, so stay tuned! Shop at: (Link) Unsubscribe: (Link)
• (Brand Name): Here are some great gifts for you to give or to keep! All on sale are ready to ship. (Link) Unsubscribe (Link)

How to track SMS campaigns?

To fine-tune your SMS campaign, you can track a number of metrics: 

• SMS sent: Omnisend indicates the total number of messages that were successfully sent to subscribers within the chosen segments
• Click rate: Measures the engagement level of the recipients by calculating the percentage of recipients who clicked on any links in the SMS
• Sales: Identifies the number of customers who clicked on a link within the SMS and completed a purchase
• Unsubscribe rate: Measures the number of customers who opted out of receiving further SMS messages
• Bounce rate: The percentage of SMS messages that were not successfully delivered to recipients due to various reasons

At Omnisend, an SMS campaign report looks like this:

Wrap up

SMS marketing might seem simple, but its impact is powerful when done right. When you master SMS campaigns, you unlock the potential to transform your communication strategy and drive meaningful results.

Every step matters — from choosing the right campaign type to crafting engaging messages and timing them perfectly.

The beauty of SMS lies in its ability to reach your audience right where they are with messages they can’t ignore. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your efforts pay off in better engagement and loyal customers.