The 7 Steps to an
Effective SMS Campaign

SMS is a highly personal communication channel, shaped by many unwritten rules that most of us follow instinctively. The way we text varies depending on age, culture, and even individual personality.

Brands often go through an “awkward phase” before discovering how to use SMS effectively. That’s why in today’s article, we break down the essential steps for creating impactful SMS marketing campaigns.

What is an SMS marketing campaign?

An SMS marketing campaign is a structured strategy in which a business uses text messages to communicate directly with customers and prospects on their mobile devices.
SMS can include several types of content:

• Promotions and special offers. Discounts, exclusive deals, and flash sales perform exceptionally well via SMS and reinforce the value of being a subscriber.
• Product updates. Restocks and new releases make excellent use of SMS due to its immediacy.
• Appointment and event reminders. These messages are practical, timely, and generally welcomed by recipients.
• Order confirmations. These SMS messages help customers stay informed and are almost never seen as intrusive.
• Shipping updates. They keep customers updated on the status of their orders, building trust and confidence.
• Customer service messages. These allow businesses to respond quickly and directly, no matter where the customer is.

Why should you invest in an SMS campaign?

If your business hasn’t explored SMS yet, there are several compelling reasons to start now. SMS is a direct and highly personal way to reach your audience at the exact moment you have their full attention.

It is an effective tool for increasing engagement, boosting sales, and building stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships. Below, you’ll find the 9 essential steps to creating a successful SMS marketing campaign.

1. Define your campaign objectives

SMS should never be treated as a “filler” channel. It must work in full harmony with your email marketing and social media ads not against them.

You need a well-rounded strategy with goals that match your business needs. An SMS campaign may aim to:

• Increase brand awareness
• Strengthen relationships with VIP customers through perks, early access, or exclusive offers
• Promote a discount or special promotion
• Announce a new product
• Help move excess stock

However, since 53% of consumers unsubscribe when they receive “irrelevant or pointless messages,” your objectives must also take subscriber needs into account. In other words, the best SMS campaign is one that provides real value to the recipient. Don’t interrupt someone on their phone unless the message truly deserves their attention.

2. Know your audience and show them that you do

More than half of consumers will unsubscribe from SMS if they receive too many messages about topics or products they’re not interested in and the same percentage will opt out if messages feel generic, impersonal, or not tailored to them.

Consumers particularly enjoy the following types of SMS messages, in order of preference:

• Shipping and delivery updates
• Coupons or promotional codes
• Order confirmations

Simply put:
consumers want SMS marketing campaigns that are personalized and genuinely relevant to them. Personalization means meeting the customer where they prefer to interact with you, rather than sending broad, impersonal information.

3. Craft concise, direct content that fits the SMS format

While longer, visual, and narrative content works well in email, SMS requires a different approach. The key is clarity and immediacy, your message should be quick, sharp, and to the point.

When you clearly state the offer or the purpose of your message right from the start, you achieve higher click-through rates, better conversions, and greater revenue per SMS. To optimize SMS engagement, the content must be short, well-written, and impactful. For example:

• If you’re promoting a product, highlight the main benefit quickly.
• If you’re promoting a campaign, make every character count to build excitement.

4. Send your SMS campaign at the right time

Keep in mind that nearly 40% of consumers will opt out if they receive messages at “inappropriate times,” which makes timing a critical factor.

To determine which days and times generate the highest engagement and revenue for your SMS campaigns, you should always run A/B tests and avoid sending messages during quiet hours.

In short, the right moment is just as important as the right message.

5. Define your KPIs and measure performance continuously

Before you start evaluating the KPIs of an SMS campaign, remember that open rate is not a meaningful metric for SMS, as most people open texts simply to clear the notification. That’s why experts recommend focusing on engagement metrics such as:

• Click rate
• Conversion rate
• Revenue per recipient
• Delivery rate
• Unsubscribe rate

Which KPIs matter most?
It depends on what you want to achieve, not only with your overall SMS marketing strategy, but also with each individual campaign. Every send may emphasize a different KPI as the most important performance indicator.

6. Perform A/B testing and continuously refine your approach

As SMS becomes an increasingly popular - and therefore more competitive - marketing channel, it’s essential to practice, experiment, and learn what truly works by testing different approaches.
Some ideas and variables you can A/B test include:

• Types of incentives (e.g., discount, gift, early access)
• Descriptive vs. direct messaging
• Message length
• SMS vs. landing page click-through
• Link destination
• CTA wording and placement
• Different audience segments
• Message timing

Testing all possible variations helps you understand what truly makes a difference what works for your business, and just as importantly, what doesn’t.

7. Integrate SMS campaigns into your overall marketing strategy

SMS campaigns can be highly effective on their own, but their true power emerges when they are combined with email campaigns, email automations, customer reviews, social media marketing, and other communication channels.

SMS should be used strategically and consistently, as part of a broader, fully integrated omnichannel marketing strategy. A common mistake we see is brands treating SMS campaigns as something separate from the rest of their channels. The highest return on investment comes when SMS campaigns complement automations and email touchpoints.

And don’t forget: what makes SMS truly unique as a marketing channel is the immediacy it offers—something no other channel can replicate.

Conclusion

SMS marketing is not just another communication channel, it is a direct, personal, and highly effective way to connect with your customers at the exact moment it matters most. When used strategically, with the right content, smart timing, A/B testing, and a complete omnichannel approach, it can become one of the most powerful growth drivers for any business.