5 Best SMS Marketing Platforms for Strategic Text Campaigns

Many businesses overlook the potential of SMS marketing because flashier digital marketing strategies overshadow it.

However, with a remarkable 98% open rate, SMS marketing is a highly effective channel for reaching customers directly and quickly. It might be time to consider the strategic role of SMS in your marketing mix.

Choosing the right SMS marketing platform is important, as not all are designed to meet every business’s unique needs. Selecting a platform that fails to align with your strategy can lead to missed opportunities and underwhelming campaign results. How do you ensure your chosen platform delivers your message effectively and boosts engagement?

In this article, we will mention the five SMS marketing platforms that stand out today and cover which platforms offer the best value, ease of use, and seamless integration with your current marketing tools.

Why Should Businesses Invest in SMS Marketing Platforms?

Staying connected with customers is important, and SMS marketing platforms can help make that connection stronger. Here’s why investing in one is a smart move for your business:

High Open Rates

SMS messages have a high open rate compared to emails. This means your message is more likely to be seen and can lead to more traffic, sales, and customer engagement for businesses.

Direct Communication

SMS marketing lets you communicate directly with your customers. Unlike emails or social media posts, text messages are usually read within minutes. SMS marketing is ideal for sending time-sensitive offers or urgent updates, like flash sales or order notifications.

Personalization and Segmentation

SMS marketing platforms let you send personalized messages based on customer behavior and preferences. You can segment your audience to target specific groups with customized messages, making your marketing efforts more effective.

For example, you can send a discount code to customers who have abandoned their shopping carts or a thank you message to repeat buyers.

Improved Customer Engagement

Keeping customers engaged is important for repeat business. SMS marketing helps you stay in touch with your audience. Sending relevant and timely messages can boost customer engagement and build stronger relationships.

Quick and Easy Implementation

Setting up SMS marketing campaigns is often quicker and easier than other forms of digital marketing. Many platforms offer user-friendly interfaces that allow you to create, schedule, and send messages with just a few clicks. You can start seeing the benefits almost immediately.

Real-Time Results

One of the advantages of SMS marketing is the ability to track results. You can see who opened your message, clicked on your link, and took action. Immediate feedback allows you to adjust your campaigns quickly and optimize your marketing efforts for better results.

5 Best SMS Marketing Platforms

SMS marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes, which offers direct and highly effective communication with customers. The right platform can dramatically upgrade your outreach efforts. 

Here’s a rundown of the top 5 SMS marketing platforms catering to every business’s needs.

1. Textellent

Textellent is a powerful text messaging service crafted for businesses of all sizes. Unlike other SMS marketing services, it offers a ready-to-use platform that requires no development.

With its extensive features, this automated texting solution improves customer communication and simplifies marketing efforts.

Key Features:

• Drip campaigns: Automate messages to keep your audience engaged over time.
• List growth tools: Allow customers to subscribe by texting a keyword.
• Robust scheduling app: Enable customers to book appointments or make reservations easily, including pre and post-appointment campaigns
• Management tools: Filter communications by name, tag, incoming, outgoing, and more.
• Automated reminders: Reduce no-shows with automated reminders.
• Bulk messaging: Simplify sending messages to large groups using shortcodes.
• Two-way communications: With Textellent, you can enjoy seamless two-way communications with free incoming messages.
• MMS supported by media library: Add images and access a collection of text and image templates.
• Ease of integration: Connect seamlessly with other apps through Zapier, direct APIs, etc.
• No-code rules-based engine: Allows for the design of sophisticated text experiences.
• Experience the convenience of text-enabling any land or VOIP lines to accommodate all connection speeds.
• Unlimited tagging: Segment your audience with unlimited tags.
• Automatic replies: Set up auto-responders for sales and customer queries.
• Link shortening and conversion tracking: Easily track the results of campaigns
• Extensive compliance management: Tools that allow you to monitor and ensure compliance across locations in larger organizations

Pricing 

Textellent has various pricing plans based on your industry, the number of messages you need, and the required features. They provide flexible options suitable for small businesses.

2. EZ Texting

EZ Texting is a comprehensive SMS marketing service that helps businesses improve their outreach and communication strategies. It includes several advanced features, such as a link shortener, web sign-up forms, and a native Shutterstock integration.

Pros

• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Variety of design tools and MMS templates
• Supports contact list growth
• Includes a link shortener and web sign-up links
• Native Shutterstock integration for high-quality images

Cons

• Basic reporting features
• Limited CRM integration options
• Few message templates
• Limited compliance management
• No support for end-to-end scheduling management 
• No multi-site text blast capability

Pricing 

EZ Texting plans start at $20 monthly for up to 500 contacts. They also provide a free plan with limited features for those just starting out.

3. TextMagic

TextMagic provides a versatile SMS marketing platform accessible via desktop, browser, and mobile apps. It offers a range of tools designed to facilitate effective SMS marketing campaigns.

Pros

• SMS opt-out management
• Robust SMS campaigns.
• Allows for advanced scheduling of text messages
• Reasonably priced and long trial period

Cons

• Delivery timing can be complicated to manage
• Automation features are limited
• Limited compliance management
• No support for end-to-end scheduling management 
• No rules-based engine to design sophisticated experiences

Pricing 

TextMagic offers a pay-as-you-go solution for two-way texting. They offer a 30-day trial and free credits for testing their service.

4. SlickText

SlickText offers a dynamic SMS marketing platform that enables direct engagement through one-on-one conversations. It also allows subscribers to respond to mass texts using private messaging. 

Pros

• SMS autoresponders
• Facilitates subscriber list growth
• Supports one-on-one texting
• Easy to set-up

Cons

• SMS costs can increase for large subscriber lists
• Character limits may restrict message content
• Very limited compliance management
• No support for end-to-end scheduling management 

Pricing

SlickText pricing starts at $29 per month for up to 500 text messages. They also offer a 14-day free trial that includes up to 50 text messages.

5. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting provides a comprehensive SMS marketing solution with a focus on facilitating broad and targeted communication strategies.

Pros

• Supports two-way messaging
• Enables mass texting
• Offers customer segmentation
• Provides SMS drip campaigns
• Includes MMS marketing

Cons

• Lacks email marketing integration
• Offers limited automation capabilities
• Limited compliance management
• No support for end-to-end scheduling management 
• No rules-based engine to design sophisticated experiences

Pricing

SimpleTexting starts at $39 per month for up to 500 credits and includes a phone number with the plan. They also offer a 14-day free trial that includes 50 free messages.

How to Choose the Right SMS Marketing Platform for Your Business

Choosing the best SMS marketing software or platform can significantly boost your business’s communication and engagement efforts. Here’s a detailed guide to help you make the best choice:

Assess Your Business Needs

First, you need to understand your business needs. Are you planning to send bulk promotional messages, or do you need a tool for personalized, two-way conversations with customers? Or, you might be looking for a platform that can handle appointment reminders order notifications, or all of the above.

Defining your goals and the types of messages you’ll be sending will help you narrow down your options.

Compare Features and Pricing

Once you know what you need, start comparing the features and pricing of different platforms. Look for key functionalities like automation, personalization, segmentation, and integration with other tools (like your CRM or email marketing software). It helps with your communication efforts and can automatically trigger your messages, whether individual or mass messages.

Textellent does all of that. It allows you to schedule texts to be sent at specific times or a specific cadence, set up automatic replies, and create drip campaigns and new customer experiences with its rules-based engine that will send messages based on customer actions.

Make sure the platform fits within your budget and meets all your requirements. It’s important to balance cost with the value provided by the features.

Consider Ease of Use

You don’t want to spend hours figuring out how to use the platform. A great SMS app should have a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.

You should quickly create, manage, and analyze your campaigns without needing technical expertise. A clean, intuitive design saves time and reduces frustration, allowing you to focus on crafting effective messages.

Personalization Options

Personalized messages tend to have higher engagement rates. A great SMS app should allow you to personalize messages with customer names, rep’s name, purchase history, and other custom fields. This makes your communication more relevant and engaging, increasing the chances of a positive response.

Evaluate Customer Support

Reliable customer support can be a lifesaver when you run into issues. Look for platforms that offer robust support options, such as live chat, email, and phone support. Check if they provide helpful resources like tutorials, FAQs, and user guides. 

Good customer support ensures that you can quickly resolve any problems and keep your campaigns running smoothly.

Check for Scalability

Your business will hopefully grow, and your SMS marketing needs will adapt. Choose a platform that can scale with you. 

It should be able to handle increasing message volumes and offer additional features as your marketing efforts expand. Scalability ensures that you won’t outgrow the platform too quickly and need to switch to a new one down the line.

Compliance with Regulations

Regulatory compliance is essential in SMS marketing. A great SMS app should help you comply with laws like TCPA by managing opt-ins and opt-outs. Ensure you have the necessary consent from recipients (particularly for marketing type messages), and provide easy unsubscribe options to keep you legally compliant.

Test the Platform

If possible, take advantage of free trials or demo versions. This hands-on experience will let you see if the platform is a good fit for your business. Test the key features, check the ease of use, and see how well it will integrate with your existing tools. A trial run can reveal any potential deal-breakers before you commit.

Setting Up Your SMS Marketing Campaign

Setting up your SMS marketing campaign can seem overwhelming, but breaking it down into simple steps makes it manageable. Here’s a guide to help you get started:

Creating an SMS Marketing Strategy

First, define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your SMS marketing? Are you looking to increase sales, improve customer engagement, or send reminders and alerts? Clear goals will guide your strategy and help you measure success.

Then, identify your target audience. Knowing who you want to reach helps you craft messages that resonate with them. You can segment your audience based on factors like purchase history, demographics, or engagement levels.

Next, plan your campaign schedule. Decide how often you want to send messages and at what times. Consistency is key, but avoid overwhelming your audience with too many messages.

Building Your Subscriber List

Start building and growing your subscriber list by collecting phone numbers. To gather contact details, use opt-in forms on your website, social media, or at checkout. You can offer incentives like discounts or exclusive content that can also encourage sign-ups.

Ensure you have permission to send marketing-style messages. Make sure subscribers have clearly opted in to receive SMS communications and provide easy options for them to opt out.

Designing and Sending SMS Campaigns

Crafting effective messages is essential. Keep your texts short, clear, and to the point, and use a friendly and conversational tone to make your messages engaging. Include a clear call-to-action so recipients know what to do next.

Personalize your messages whenever possible. You can use customer names and the company and manager’s names, and tailor content based on their preferences or past interactions. Personalized messages are more likely to grab attention and drive action.

You can schedule your messages for optimal times. Use your campaign schedule to send SMS messages when your audience is most likely to read and respond. It’s best to avoid early mornings or late nights unless your business model supports these times.

Automating and Testing Campaigns

Automation can save you time and ensure timely message delivery. Set up automated workflows for welcome messages, reminders, or follow-ups. This keeps your audience engaged without requiring constant manual effort.

Test your campaigns before full deployment. Send test messages to yourself or a small group to check for errors and ensure everything looks good. A/B testing different message variations can help you find what works best.

Analyzing Campaign Performance

Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to see how your messages are performing. Use these insights to refine your strategy and improve future campaigns.

Then, adjust your approach based on performance data. If certain messages perform better than others, analyze why and apply those lessons to future texts. Continuous improvement will help you get the most out of your SMS marketing efforts.

Get More from Your SMS Campaigns with Textellent’s Advanced Solutions!

Looking to boost engagement and keep your customers engaged? Textellent provides powerful SMS marketing tools and features tailored for small businesses with competitive pricing and excellent support.

Upgrade your SMS marketing and strengthen customer relationships. Explore Textellent and discover how our user-friendly features can simplify your marketing strategies and drive real results.

Sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo now!

FAQs About SMS Marketing Platforms

How often should I send SMS marketing messages?

The frequency of your SMS marketing messages depends on your audience and campaign goals. Generally, sending 2-4 messages per month is a best practice. Monitor engagement and feedback to adjust the frequency as needed.

What is the cost of text message marketing?

SMS marketing cost varies depending on the platform and the number of messages sent. Some platforms offer pay-as-you-go pricing, while others have monthly plans. It’s important to compare different pricing models to find one that fits your budget.

How can I avoid opt-outs with my messages?

To avoid having your audience opt-out, ensure they are relevant, personalized, and sent to recipients who have opted in. Include clear opt-out instructions in every message and avoid sending messages too frequently.