{"id":1266,"date":"2022-07-08T09:22:56","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T09:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1266"},"modified":"2024-09-27T15:09:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T15:09:49","slug":"bulk-sms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/bulk-sms\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Bulk SMS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A Complete Guide to Bulk SMS<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n
\"hand<\/figure>\n\n

Bulk SMS<\/strong>\u00a0is one of the most effective communication channels available to marketers.<\/p>\n\n

Despite being over 25 years old and incredibly basic, bulk SMS is likely to remain a major force in customer communications for the foreseeable future.
\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Research from leading market intelligence company Mobile Squared, revealed that:<\/p>\n\n

\n

“SMS will continue its dominance in the A2P, space”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Nick Lane – Mobile Squared (April 2020)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In August 2022, Mobile Squared evaluated the effectiveness of SMS compared to other marketing options and concluded that,\u00a0<\/p>\n

“SMS is still smashing the performance of other channels” and concluded that “there\u2019s no reason to write-off SMS any time soon”.<\/p>\n

It’s quite incredible when you consider that SMS is just 160 plain text characters that been around for decades.<\/p>\n

\"Nick
Nick Lane – Chief Insight officer, Mobile Squared<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

While there\u2019s loads of information available, it all tends to concentrate on one specific aspect.<\/p>\n\n

We thought it would be useful to bring as much of that information about bulk SMS into one place.<\/p>\n\n

This guide is broken down into 15 sections.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
    \n
  1. What is bulk SMS?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. What’s the difference between bulk SMS and an SMS API?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. Which industry sectors send the most bulk SMS campaigns?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  4. Bulk SMS price and features comparison table<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  5. What are the main differences between SMS provider? 5 things to check<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  6. What are the rules and regulations for sending bulk SMS?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  7. Do I have to provide an opt out in my bulk SMS message?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  8. Why is bulk SMS so effective?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  9. 4 things to check before you send your campaign<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  10. The perfect bulk SMS marketing message<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  11. 5 Bulk SMS marketing mistakes to avoid<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  12. Bulk SMS marketing stats<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  13. Bulk SMS marketing templates and examples<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  14. What could replace bulk SMS?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n
  15. Does The SMS Works offer a web-based bulk SMS service?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    1. What is bulk SMS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Bulk SMS is simply a catch-all term to refer to any SMS communication that is sent out to more than just a few people.<\/p>\n\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    Bulk SMS campaigns are usually sent out using web based SMS software as opposed to via an\u00a0SMS AP<\/a><\/strong>I or\u00a0email to SMS service<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

    A user simply logs into their account from where they upload their mobile numbers, compose their message and set the date and time of their campaign.<\/p>\n\n

    SMS credits for sending the campaigns are purchased in bulk from the SMS provider who usually offer discounts for larger blocks of SMS credits.<\/p>\n\n

    Bulk SMS is normally used to refer to SMS marketing texts rather than alerts or notifications. For example, appointment reminders going out to multiple recipients wouldn\u2019t be referred to as a bulk SMS campaign.<\/p>\n\n

    A text offer, sent to the customers of a local pizza restaurant, would definitely come under the term bulk SMS.<\/p>\n\n

    2. What\u2019s the difference between bulk SMS and\u00a0an SMS API or bulk SMS gateway?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n

    Bulk SMS campaigns are normally sent from a dedicated piece of SMS software<\/a><\/strong>, whereas SMS sent via a\u00a0bulk SMS API<\/a>\u00a0are sent via an integration with a separate piece software.<\/p>\n\n

    For example, most of us receive appointment reminders by text for dentist and doctor\u2019s appointments. These are sent automatically by the software at a set time before you visit is due.<\/p>\n\n

    No one has logged into a bulk SMS platform and manually sent the reminders.<\/p>\n\n

    Bulk SMS campaigns are usually sent out for marketing campaigns, texts sent via bulk SMS gateway are typically non-marketing, \u2018transactional\u2019 texts.<\/p>\n\n

    3. Which industry sectors send the most bulk SMS campaigns?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Most industries use SMS marketing<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0n some way but the heaviest users tend to be in the leisure sector.<\/p>\n\n

    Several years ago, most of us were plagued by a tsunami of texts from PPI and claims companies.<\/p>\n\n

    Largely due to new SMS regulations and more recently, The GDPR, these nuisance texts are thankfully a thing of the past.<\/p>\n\n

    Please note that the following percentage breakdown of SMS use by industry is based on texts sent using bulk SMS platforms, not messages sent via an API.<\/p>\n\n

    \"Percentage<\/figure>\n\n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Industry Sector<\/th>\nPercentage Share of all Bulk SMS<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Fast food<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Financial Services<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Retail<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Recruitment<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Automotive<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Travel<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Charity<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Utlilites<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Health and fitness<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Political<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Other<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n

    4. Bulk SMS price and features comparison table<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Over the past 20 years, since the industry first started, there\u2019s been an explosion in bulk sms providers.<\/p>\n\n

    Back in 1998, there were about 8 companies offering bulk SMS. Now there are well over 100.<\/p>\n\n

    Just a few quick notes about the bulk sms price comparison table<\/p>\n\n

    None of the SMS companies listed below use SMS grey routes for sending their traffic. So they would all have similar reliability.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    The price is in UK pence and is quoted exclusive of VAT.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

    The price is a cost per text for purchasing a block of 1000 text credits and excludes any introductory offers.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    This table (obviously) does not include every single provider in the market.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

    Some bulk sms companies don\u2019t quote their pricing on their websites.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    Some companies don\u2019t make any mention of whether credits expire, so that information has been omitted.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n

    Where SMS credits do expire, we had to hunt hard to find it. This information was normally buried deep on the terms on conditions page.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Company<\/th>\nWebsite<\/th>\nBulk SMS Price per text for purchasing 1000 text credits<\/th>\nDo they refund non delivered texts?<\/th>\nCost for unique reply number<\/th>\nDo SMS credits expire?<\/th>\nHead Office Location<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Bulk SMS<\/td>\nbulksms.com<\/a><\/td>\n4.5p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a37.50<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nSouth Africa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Text Marketer<\/td>\ntextmarketer.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n3.8p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a310<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Voodoo SMS<\/td>\nvoodoosms.com<\/a><\/td>\n2.9p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a310<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Text Local<\/td>\ntextlocal.com<\/a><\/td>\n4.9p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nCost not available<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sendmode<\/td>\nsendmode.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n3.4p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nCost not available<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nIreland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Esendex<\/td>\nesendex.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n6p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nCost not available<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Reach Interactive<\/td>\nreach-interactive.com<\/a><\/td>\n3.2p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nCost not available<\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Fire Text<\/td>\nfiretext.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n4p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a35<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Text Anywhere<\/td>\ntextanywhere.com<\/a><\/td>\n4.9p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a325<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Text Magic<\/td>\ntextmagic.com<\/a><\/td>\n4p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a32.50<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Mobivate<\/td>\nmobivate.com<\/a><\/td>\n3.28p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a335<\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Clickatell<\/td>\nclickatell.com<\/a><\/td>\n3.5p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a38.33<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nSouth Africa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    World Text<\/td>\nworld-text.com<\/a><\/td>\n6.4p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a325<\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Kapow<\/td>\nkapow.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n6.25p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a350<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Text Burst<\/td>\ntextburst.com<\/a><\/td>\n4.5p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nCost not available<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Intellisoftware<\/td>\nintellisoftware.co.uk<\/a><\/td>\n6.2p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n\u00a316.50<\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    2SMS<\/td>\n2sms.com<\/a><\/td>\n10p<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nUK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n
    \"Cost<\/figure>\n
    \n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    The average price per sms ranges from 2.9 pence per text up to 10 pence. There\u2019s still a huge range of pricing available.<\/p>\n\n

    The average price per text \u00a0is 5.0 pence.<\/p>\n\n

    No companies offer free bulk SMS.<\/p>\n\n

    Most providers\u00a0have reduced their prices over the past few years and those that haven\u2019t are now looking relatively expensive.<\/p>\n\n

    The cheapest bulk SMS UK<\/a><\/strong> price (from the companies we found) is 2.9 pence.<\/p>\n\n

    The cost of reply numbers varies even more wildly. The range was from just just \u00a32.50 per month, right to an eye-watering \u00a350 per month. The average cost is \u00a317.70 per month.<\/p>\n\n

    53% of the bulk SMS companies that we looked at deleted SMS credits after 12 months.<\/p>\n\n

    Most companies have a minimum period of 3 months for SMS reply numbers but some are as long as 12 months.<\/p>\n\n

    Comparing bulk SMS cost is made much easier by using this\u00a0bulk SMS cost comparison tool<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

    You can enter up to 10 different suppliers to\u00a0compare monthly and annual SMS costs. The lowest cost provider is highlighted in green.<\/p>\n\n

    Results can be saved, downloaded and for later use. It takes much of the legwork out of comparing providers.<\/p>\n\n

    5. What are the main differences between bulk SMS companies and what should I look out for when choosing an SMS provider?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Thankfully the business SMS industry is reasonably reputable.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    15 years ago there used to be a large number of disreputable companies that would send SMS campaigns through\u00a0very low quality grey routes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    This would result in very poor delivery or lengthy delays.<\/p>\n\n

    Almost all those companies have now disappeared or are buried on page 10 of Google for any SMS related search, so you\u2019re unlikely to stumble across them.<\/p>\n\n

    There are still a few things that you check before signing up with a bulk SMS website.<\/p>\n\n

    1. Do they use SMS grey routes?<\/h4>\n\n

    As above, it\u2019s unlikely these days but it\u2019s still worth asking the question. Make sure that the SMS company you choose uses tier 1 direct-to-network connections, using reputable\u00a0and well reviewed\u00a0SMS aggregators<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

    This means you\u2019ll be getting the fastest and most secure bulk SMS \u00a0delivery.<\/p>\n\n

    2. Do SMS credits expire?<\/h4>\n\n

    A surprising number of companies will remove your SMS credits if they\u2019re not used. This information is often buried in the terms and conditions so may not be immediately obvious.<\/p>\n\n

    3. Do you have to pay for undelivered texts?<\/h4>\n\n

    100% of the companies on our comparison table charge you for failed texts, even though they are not charged themselves.<\/p>\n\n

    For the time being, you won\u2019t have a choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    The SMS Works\u2019 bulk SMS platform \u00a0will not be charging for undelivered texts. We\u2019ll of course be letting everyone know when it\u2019s ready.<\/p>\n\n

    4. Clear SMS pricing<\/h4>\n\n

    There are still plenty of SMS\u00a0companies that make their pricing confusing and cloudy.<\/p>\n\n

    Many have an enticingly low cost per text for a new customer and then prices increase dramatically as soon as you make your second purchase.<\/p>\n\n

    Another area of confusion is in the use of \u2018SMS credits\u2019. Some SMS providers quote a low rate per SMS credit and then you discover that to send a text in your chosen country will use more than one SMS credit.<\/p>\n\n

    Make sure you know exactly how many SMS credits will be used to send a text.<\/p>\n\n

    If you\u2019re sending SMS internationally, check the prices carefully. Sometimes the local rate per SMS is reasonable but sending internationally costs a fortune.<\/p>\n\n

    5. Support and documentation<\/h4>\n\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    How much support can you really expect from your bulk SMS supplier. It\u2019s important to know. No one wants to be kept waiting for hours for a response to a simple question.<\/p>\n\n

    How does the bulk SMS documentation stack up? It should be clear, concise and easily understood by non-technical folk.<\/p>\n\n

    6. What are the rules and regulations for sending bulk SMS?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Since May 2018 and the introduction of new data protection laws under GDPR, the rules surrounding bulk SMS have been significantly tightened.<\/p>\n\n

    On the whole the new rules have been beneficial. Consumers have seen SMS spam reduce to almost zero and organisations have a clear and sensible set of rules to follow.<\/p>\n\n

    \"ICO<\/figure>\n\n

    The Information Commissioner\u2019s Office<\/a>\u00a0(ICO) has \u00a0the power to\u00a0hand out huge fines<\/a>\u00a0to companies that disobey bulk SMS rules.<\/p>\n\n

    For marketers or anyone wanting to continue to communicate by bulk text, the changes have been quite dramatic.<\/p>\n\n

    The core principle, as stated on the ICO website is as follows..<\/p>\n\n

    \u201cYou must not send marketing emails or texts to individuals without specific consent. There is a limited exception for your own previous customers, often called the \u2018soft opt-in<\/a>\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

    The core consideration for marketers is establishing the basis or reason for consent and then making sure that you have the documented evidence to back this up.<\/p>\n\n

    Thankfully The ICO have published a\u00a0comprehensive guide to direct marketing\u00a0<\/a>under the new regulations.<\/p>\n\n

    7. Do I have to provide an opt out in my bulk SMS message?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Yes.<\/p>\n\n

    The rules are very clear on this. You need to provide a clear and obvious way to opt out from receiving further marketing texts.<\/p>\n\n

    You also need to provide the opt out using the same method of communication. In other words, you can\u2019t send someone a text and then ask them to send an email to unsubscribe.<\/p>\n\n

    The ICO state that:<\/p>\n\n

    \n

    Organisations must not make it difficult to opt out, for example by asking customers to complete a form or confirm in writing. It is good practice to allow the individual to respond directly to the message<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

    A typical unsubscribe instruction asks the user to text a keyword like STOP to either an SMS shortcode (e.g 88440) or a virtual mobile number which looks like a normal 11 digit mobile number<\/p>\n\n

    A typical instruction is as follows.<\/p>\n\n

    \n

    …To opt out, text STOP to 88802<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

    We’ve put together a complete\u00a0guide to the opt-put for SMS marketing<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

    There are a number of ways that you\u00a0find a person\u2019s number<\/a>. But just because you have their number, don\u2019t assume that you can just send them texts without first gaining their permission.<\/p>\n\n

    8. Why is bulk SMS so effective?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Bulk SMS has been around since the mid-nineties. Despite being incredibly clunky and basic, the humble text message is still devilishly effective at making us sit up and listen.<\/p>\n\n

    Compared to modern messaging apps like Whatsapp and Imessage, SMS looks long overdue for retirement.<\/p>\n\n

    So why is bulk SMS still so effective and why do people still use it?<\/p>\n\n

    1. SMS is universal.<\/h4>\n\n

    Every phone ever made is able to send and receive SMS.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    There’s no app to download or install and you don\u2019t have to agree with your contacts which of the many messaging apps you\u2019re going to use.<\/p>\n\n

    SMS remains the only truly universal messaging platform.<\/p>\n\n

    Despite the rise of other messaging apps like WhatsApp, business SMS volumes continue to rise.<\/p>\n\n

    Juniper research predicts that\u00a0business SMS volume will increase by 7% between 2019 and 2020<\/a>, from 3.2 trillion to 3.5 trillion messages.<\/p>\n\n

    That’s despite the impact of Covid 19 on the global economy.<\/p>\n\n

    \"Number<\/figure>\n\n

    2. Bulk SMS has the highest response rate of all marketing channels.<\/h4>\n\n

    The open rate for SMS is 98%, compared to just 12% for email, (if you\u2019re extremely lucky.)<\/p>\n\n

    According to MobileSquared, 90% of text messages are read within 5 minutes.<\/p>\n\n

    Cellit claims that SMS response rates are 6-7 times more responsive than direct mail.<\/p>\n\n

    These stats sound credible, when was the last time you actually ignored a text?<\/p>\n\n

    3. Bulk SMS Spam has plummeted<\/h4>\n\n

    Thanks to the threat of large fines for people that ignore GDPR rules, Bulk SMS software spam has collapsed.<\/p>\n\n

    We all used to receive dozens of texts a week, now we hardly ever have to suffer them.<\/p>\n\n

    Since GDPR came into force, spam has reduced by over 90%.<\/p>\n\n

    4. ROI is easily tracked<\/h4>\n\n

    Clicks made from links within texts can easily be monitored, so that you can calculate the resulting sales from your campaign.<\/p>\n\n

    5. Bulk SMS campaigns are quick to deploy<\/h4>\n\n

    No other marketing option is as quick and nimble as SMS.<\/p>\n\n

    Once you have your list of numbers, it\u2019s simply a case of composing your message, uploading your data and setting a date and time.<\/p>\n\n

    Your SMS campaign can be on your customers\u2019 phones in minutes.<\/p>\n\n

    \"SMS<\/figure>\n\n

    6. Bulk SMS is low cost<\/h4>\n\n

    SMS credits cost just a few pence and most providers don\u2019t have a minimum order.<\/p>\n\n

    Whether a campaign is targeted at just a few hundred people of hundreds of thousands, SMS continues to deliver great value.<\/p>\n\n

    9. Bulk SMS campaign checklist – 4 things to check before you send your campaign.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    1. Message length<\/h4>\n\n

    A standard text is 160 characters, including spaces. If your text exceeds the character count, then more than 1 text credit will be used. (Also bear in mind that your opt out instructions will use 25 – 30 characters.)<\/p>\n\n

    2. GSM character set<\/h4>\n\n

    Most bulk SMS companies use the\u00a0GSM character set<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to send messages. This is a standard set of characters that encompass the most common letters and characters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    If you use any other characters, then the message might be sent in unicode format , which restricts the number of characters in a text to just 70!<\/p>\n\n

    Don’t copy and paste from Word, there are characters that look correct but are actually not standard.<\/p>\n\n

    Watch out in particular for the apostrophe and the hyphen.<\/p>\n\n

    3. Send yourself and colleagues a test<\/h4>\n\n

    Make sure you always send yourself and few others the text before your bulk SMS campaign goes out.<\/p>\n\n

    Check that the links are correct and the mobile landing page works correctly on all handsets.<\/p>\n\n

    Make sure that you\u2019ve hooked the landing page into Google Analytics or whichever analytics package you\u2019re using.<\/p>\n\n

    Were there any rough or snaggy elements to the user experience?<\/p>\n\n

    4. Is your bulk SMS campaign GDPR compliant?<\/h4>\n\n

    Do you have the required consent from the people you are targeting? Can you prove it?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n\n

    Have you included an opt out in the text that is clear and easy to use?<\/p>\n\n

    Are you handling the data in a responsible and protective manner?<\/p>\n\n

    It\u2019s far better to make sure you\u2019ve got this all covered in advance, rather than risking having to explain your actions to The ICO. (Information Commissioner\u2019s Office).<\/p>\n\n

    10. The perfect bulk SMS marketing message<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    This\u00a0SMS MOT reminder<\/a>\u00a0that I received from Kwik Fit was so good I had to share it.<\/p>\n\n

    \"kwikfit<\/figure>\n\n

    It\u2019s modest and uncomplicated but contains all the elements that make a devilishly persuasive campaign.<\/p>\n\n

    Needless to say, as soon as I received it, I booked my car in.<\/p>\n\n

    They managed to merge 6 personalised pieces of information into their SMS campaign, which made it almost impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n\n