Everyone knows how to send a text message from a mobile phone. But what about setting up and sending a large-scale text messaging campaign to thousands or millions of mobile users? Sending a bulk text message to a group of people from a mobile platform or SMS software like Upland Mobile Messaging can be more complex then it seems! It is so much more than sending out a blast SMS that is the same for every user.

Curious to learn more? Here are five facts about things you can do with text messaging campaigns.

1. You don’t need to be near a phone to send a text message.
   Large-scale text message campaigns are sent via a cloud-based text messaging platform such as Mobile Upland Mobile Messaging. You don’t need to be near a phone to send a text message. Instead, any device that connects to the Internet – a computer, tablet, or phone – is capable of sending messages to your mobile users.Texting through a platform also allows you to plan and schedule messages ahead of time. This means you can plan out your entire marketing campaign in advance – and free up your hands when the texts go out.
2. Send a personalized text message – to thousands of people.
   Marketing automation has grown very sophisticated these days. With email, for example, you can segment users based on a whole range of data and personalize subject lines by name. Well guess what? You can do the same thing with a text message.Use text messaging to collect data on your users such as name, age, location, and interests. This will allow you to tailor your campaign and marketing needs in the same way you would an email campaign, with the added benefit of knowing that your text messages are much more likely to be opened and read. Open rates for emails only average around 14% – far below the impressive 99% open rate of text messages.
3. Track every click on shortlinks in outgoing text messages.
   Want to share interesting information to your subscribers online? A text messaging platform allows you to text out shortlinks [include image] that direct your mobile users to a web page. Shortlinks are trackable, meaning you can see who clicks on what and when. This allows you to see what content works best and how it engages your users so you can tailor your outreach accordingly. Say, for instance, you notice that most links are clicked on between 4pm and 5pm. This information can help you plan out when to send your next broadcast for the best results.
4. Text messaging can lead people to resources anytime, anywhere.
   With a text messaging platform, you can make resources readily available with the ease of a text message. Do you want to direct people to the closest health center, all it takes is for your mobile users to send a text message with their zip code to a designated short code. The Upland Mobile Messaging text messaging platform turns this text into data and will automatically text back the closest address found in a database. People can use this resource at any time and any place without any supervision on the organization’s end. All you have to do is upload your database of automated responses, and you’re all set!This unique feature of text messaging has been used to direct people to the closest flu shot center in flu season, voting booths during elections, and health centers during open enrollment.
5. Use polls to learn about your users and send them customized responses.
   Texting is fun, right? Well, some organizations have made a literal game out of it. With a text messaging platform, you can text out questions and send out different responses based on what people answer. It’s like a choose your own adventure game, but through text messaging. The fun doesn’t stop there – you can also use text messaging to conduct surveys and polls and find out what your users are interested in.

DoSomething.org uses SMS games with great success. They have created several games to engage teens, from educating young people about financial awareness to raising awareness about teen bullying and more.

Text messaging platform’s wide range of options makes it an extremely flexible communication channel. With its customization options, scalable outreach, and personable quality, text messaging is a great asset in anybody’s marketing outreach. Find out more today.