Top 16 Features of Texting Campaigns [2024]

Texting is one of the most popular forms of communication—after all, there are over 7 billion active mobile users across the world.

Texting is not only a convenient, efficient, and expressive way to stay in touch with friends and family, it’s also used across businesses for all kinds of communication purposes.

Why do so many individuals and businesses use texting? It’s because texting offers a variety of features that make it a versatile and powerful communication tool.

Here are 16 of the top features of texting campaigns that help make it a vital communication asset for your business.

6 Features of Texting Reach & Engagement

1. High Open Rate

Intuitively we know that texting has a higher open rate than other forms of communication such as emails.

Using my own experience with emails as an example, I receive all kinds of emails that I never even look at. In fact, I expect most of the emails I receive on any given day are going to be promotional. On the other hand, I read virtually every single text message I receive.

Texting is the communication method people use for communication that they actually care about.

That’s likely why, according to some reports, texting has as high as a 98% open rate.

That high open rate means you’re reaching a good portion of people that you’re trying to reach.

2. High Engagement

Some reports say that SMS has a response rate of 45%.

Since more people see your messages when it comes to texting than other methods, more people will engage with your messages—whether that means responding to your message or following a CTA.

What that means is that your messages not only reach a good percentage of people, but your messages yield a greater response from the people on your text list. So you can include strategic CTAs that will bring a lot of value to your business.

The kind of engagement actions you’re looking for may vary depending on the type of communication. Here are some examples of the kinds of engagement you can look for:

• Customers following a sales link (as a result of texting links)
• Clients remembering to show up for an appointment (as a result of texting appointment reminders)
• Employees viewing new HR policy updates (as a result of texting an HR notice)

3. Cutting Through the Noise on People’s Phones

People are inundated with a lot of communication throughout their weeks, but text messages are more likely to be noticed than other types of notifications.

As we’ve touched on already, that’s because text messages are typically associated with personal communications, so people are more likely to pay attention to them.

When I’m on websites that have ads, on social media, or looking at my email inbox, I may or may not notice or care about the communications that I see. There’s a very high probability that I will ignore them. If I’m really interested in the topic, I may engage with it, but it’s by no means a guarantee.

In the midst of all that white noise, texting stands as a contrast. Text messages get my attention all the time.

4. Convenient Response

Text messages provide people with an easy and convenient way to respond. Contrast this with phone calls, for example, which require people to be available to talk at the same time.

Even emails and social media just don’t quite offer the same convenience as shooting over a quick text message.

Being able to allow for convenient responses helps make texting ideal in certain situations—such as if you’re wanting to engage in customer support interactions.

5. Mass Personalization

Sending mass texts via SMS platforms allows you to personalize text messages on a scalable basis.

You’re able to send texts to hundreds or thousands of recipients at once and can include individualized information such as names or other data points. And more relevant messaging usually means you’ll see a better response.

While you can do this with other communication channels (such as email, for example), this kind of personalization can be even more effective with texting.

6. 2-Way Chatting

2-way chatting, whether through short code texting or texting through 10-digit numbers, allows businesses to have real-time conversations with customers and employees via text message.

With an SMS platform, you can have access to an inbox that lets you easily view conversations, assign them to different account users, and overall manage your individual conversations.

Being able to easily chat back and forth means that you can provide top-notch support or answer individual inquiries via an effective channel.

10 Features of Texting Convenience & Effectiveness

7. Template Creation

Within an SMS platform, if you have similar types of messages that you send regularly, you can create message templates to save time and ensure consistency in messaging.

For example, let’s say you work for a restaurant that offers order pickup. And let’s say you use texting to notify people when their order is ready. You can have a template saved that contains the content you want to send to people to notify them to pick up their order.

Anything you can do to eliminate steps in your workflow is a win!

8. Hands-Free Automation

You can automate text messages using SMS software—which allows you to send targeted text messages to people at the right time, without having to manually send each message.

You’re able to set up entire automated campaigns, or simple one-time automated responses triggered under certain circumstances (such as if someone texts in a particular word).

Here are some examples of how it could work:

• You can create an entire workflow of messages to automatically send over a period of time
• You can create an “SMS chatbot” that automatically answers common questions if people text in specific words
• You can create an “out of office” auto text message reply

9. Message Scheduling

SMS platforms also allow you to schedule your messages for exactly the right time. You can select the date and time so that you can better manage your messaging.

You can even set the message to repeat if you have a message that you want to send out multiple times.

Then you’re able to manage all of these scheduled messages from an intuitive online calendar so that you can make edits and updates as needed.

10. Programmability

SMS API allows you to program your text messaging flow the way that you want it to be. You can program how you want people to be added into your texting database and how you want your text messages to be triggered.

Programmable API means that you have much more control over how your SMS process works.

For example, you can set it up so that your customer database syncs up to your texting database. Or you can set it up so that if someone makes a purchase on your website, they receive an automatic text message confirmation.

11. Integration Into Your Workflow

Related to point #10 above, you can use SMS API or the integration service Zapier to integrate texting into your current workflow.

You can set it up to connect to your CRM or your website to make your workflow as smooth as possible.

Even if you don’t have the developer capacity to integrate via API, the odds are high that Zapier is able to connect with your services coding-free.

12. AI Solutions

AI is now being used in virtually every industry—texting is no different.

With SMS platforms you’re able to take advantage of handy AI solutions such as:

• Text message writer—this allows you to type in a brief description of the type of message you’re interested in sending; it will then give you suggested text message content
• Message shortening—having short messaging is generally recommended for texting; if your message is long, a shortening tool can put it down to size for you
• Image generation—if you’re looking to include visuals in your texting, this tool can help spin up an image for you based on what you’re looking for

These types of tools help make creating your texts easier, and can help you be more effective.

13. Opt-In Capabilities

SMS platforms have capabilities for several different opt-in methods to help you grow your texting list.

For example, you’re able to have people opt in by…

• Texting in a particular word
• Filling out a sign-up form
• Scanning a QR code

This kind of flexibility means you can build your text list in a way that works for your individual needs.

14. Opt-Out Capabilities

In addition to having easy ways for people to opt in to your texts, you want an easy way for people to opt out of your texts.

One feature of texting via an SMS platform is that anyone can opt out simply by replying to your texts with the word STOP.

Doing that will automatically remove them from your texting list so that you don’t accidentally text them again.

15. Contact Grouping

Contact grouping allows you to group your texting audience into different segments. For example, you can create segments based on demographics, interests, or purchase behavior.

You can also designate particular account users as being in charge of specific groups.

Grouping your contacts helps you be more organized and allows you to send more targeted messages.

16. Reports & Tracking

Reports and tracking available within SMS platforms allow you to track the performance of you text message campaigns.

You’re able to track data such as…

• Delivery rates
• Click rates
• Response rates
• Unsubscribe rates

This tracking data can be used to improve future campaigns and get better results.

16 Top Features of Texting Campaigns – Summary List

Here’s a list of the features mentioned above in a summary list for easy reference:

1. High open rate
2. High engagement
3. Cutting through the noise on people’s phones
4. Convenient response
5. Mass personalization
6. 2-way chatting
7. Template creation
8. Hands-free automation
9. Message scheduling
10. Programmability
11. Integration into your workflow
12. AI solutions
13. Opt-in capabilities
14. Opt-out capabilities
15. Contact grouping
16. Reports & tracking

How to Integrate the Features of Texting Campaigns Into Your Business

And there you have it! 16 features texting provides for your business.

The best way to take full advantage of the features of texting campaigns into your business is to use an SMS platform like Mobile Text Alerts.

The first step is to get a free trial account so that you can get a feel for how things work.