SMS Broadcast App: How to Send a Broadcast Text Message [2026]

SMS has become one of the primary go-to ways to reach almost anybody, anywhere. (92% of surveyed respondents used SMS, according to a study by Statista.)

That’s why the concept of an “SMS broadcast” is important for business owners and marketers—because if you’re truly able to reach someone that effectively, the implications for your business are huge.

So what actually is an SMS broadcast? How does it work? And is there an easy SMS broadcast software you can use? (Hint: try Mobile Text Alerts.)

We’ll walk you through all of that.

What Is an SMS Broadcast?

SMS broadcast, short for Short Message Service broadcast, is a communication method that allows you to send a single text message to a large group of recipients simultaneously.

Unlike one-on-one SMS messages, which are typically sent from one person to another, an SMS broadcast enables you to reach multiple recipients with the same message instantly.

And unlike group SMS, in which all the recipients of your text message can see the other recipients (and can see their responses), an SMS broadcast is private for each individual recipient.

So that means you can send a text message to hundreds, thousands, or hundreds of thousands of recipients, and each person will receive it individually, as if they were the only recipient.

Which Businesses Use SMS Broadcasts?

Almost any business can benefit from SMS broadcasts.

The types of businesses that use SMS broadcasts can typically be divided into 2 different use cases: marketing and alerts ("alerts" would include messages such as emergency notices or announcements).

Marketing

Some businesses that use SMS broadcasts for marketing include...

• Boutiques
• Coaches
• Direct sales / multi-level marketing
• Dispensaries
• Ecommerce
• Real estate
• Restaurants
• Retail
• Salons / Spas
• Service providers

Alerts

Some businesses that use SMS broadcasts for alerts include...

• Construction
• Distribution
• Healthcare (hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, dentist's offices)
• Manufacturing
• Non-profits
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Schools and universities
• Stock alerts
• Transportation

Why Do Businesses Use SMS Broadcasts?

There are several reasons why using SMS broadcasts is beneficial for your business…

Mass Communication

With SMS broadcasts, you can reach hundreds of thousands of individuals with a single message.

Thus, it is one of the most efficient ways to disseminate information to a wide audience.

Quick Response

SMS messages are known for yielding a quick response. After all, texts come through with a very noticeable notification directly on people’s phones.

Most people pay close attention to the texts they receive, so they’ll typically see the message you send within minutes of its delivery.

High Open Rates

SMS messages have exceptionally high open rates (55% open rate according to Mobilesquared). This means that the majority of recipients will actually read your message.

The same could certainly not be said of other notification options, such as emails or social media.

How to Send a Broadcast Text Message (4 Steps)

So how can you actually send an SMS broadcast?

1. Start with an SMS Platform or API

To send an SMS broadcast, you need access to an SMS broadcasting platform or service. This platform acts as the gateway through which you create and send your messages.

If you have developer resources, you can access an SMS service’s API to set up your own messaging option.

2. Add Recipients

You can maintain a list of recipient phone numbers within your SMS broadcasting platform. You’re able to manage, organize, add, or delete your SMS subscribers whenever you need, via spreadsheet or integrations.

Additionally, SMS broadcast platforms will come with various opt-in tools you can take advantage of that will help you get people to subscribe to receive your texts.

3. Create Your Messages

You can then compose the message you want to broadcast within the SMS platform or via SMS API. SMS messages are typically limited to 160 characters per message, so brevity and clarity are essential.

Some SMS platforms, such as Mobile Text Alerts, give you access to built-in AI features that can help generate message content for you, or can shorten your message automatically to make it more concise.

You can either send your broadcast immediately, schedule it for a specific time, or set it up as a part of a workflow automation.

4. Analyze Results

After your message has been sent, you’ll be able to view and analyze the results within the SMS broadcast software platform. (See the “How to Measure” section below.)

What Can You Send in an SMS Broadcast? (Examples)

There aren't a lot of limitations on the number of use cases out there for SMS broadcasts. Basically, any potential communication with customers, leads, and prospects that you can think of is a use case for SMS.

Let's explore some examples of common use cases and industries where SMS broadcast can deliver significant value. You can also check out our “Message Template” article for samples of texts.

Marketing and Promotion

Retail: Send promotional offers, discounts, and product announcements to boost sales and customer engagement.

“

🛍️ Exclusive Offer Alert! Get 20% off your next purchase at XYZ Boutique this weekend. Show this message at checkout to redeem. Happy Shopping!

Ecommerce: Notify customers about order updates, shipping information, and abandoned cart reminders.

“

Order Update: Your package from ABC Electronics is on its way! Track your shipment here: [Tracking Link]

Events: Promote upcoming events, conferences, webinars, and ticket sales.

“

🎉 Don't miss our Annual Conference on September 25th! Learn from industry experts and network with peers. Get your tickets now at [Event Link].

Misc. Sales and Deals: No matter what industry you’re in, you can use SMS broadcasts to let people know about special sales, discounts, and deals.

“

💥 Flash Sale Alert! Enjoy 30% off all items in-store and online at Wondorium Emporium. Limited time offer - shop now!

Reminders

Appointments: Help reduce no-shows by sending appointment reminders to clients ahead of time

“

⏰ Friendly Reminder: Your dental appointment is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Please confirm your attendance by replying 'C' or call us if you need to reschedule.

Payments: Send reminders for upcoming due invoices, loan payments, credit card bills, and financial deadlines.

“

Payment Reminder: Your monthly utility bill of $75 is due in 3 days. Avoid late fees - pay now at [Payment Link].

Service Notice: Remind clients that they’re due for an upcoming appointment and give them a link to schedule.

“

🛠️ Service Reminder: It's time for your car's annual maintenance check! Schedule an appointment here: [Appointment Link].

Customer Engagement

Customer Service: Assist with customer questions and issues via their preferred method of communication—SMS.

“

Need assistance? Our customer support team is here to help! Text us your questions or concerns, and we'll respond momentarily.

Surveys and Feedback: Collect valuable feedback through SMS surveys and engage with customers to improve products or services.

“

We value your opinion! Please take a moment to complete our quick survey and share your feedback. [Survey Link]

Appointment Reminders: Reduce no-shows by sending automated appointment reminders to clients in healthcare, beauty salons, and professional services.

“

⏰ Salon Reminder: Your hair appointment is tomorrow at 2:00 PM with stylist Sarah. Reply 'Confirm' or 'Reschedule.’

Internal Team Updates

Reminders: Remind team members about meetings, events, policy updates, or anything else.

“

📅 Team Meeting Reminder: Don't forget our weekly team meeting at 10:30 AM tomorrow in the conference room. See you there!

Announcements: Make sure everyone in your workplace is in the know about what’s going on.

“

📢 Important Announcement: Our company picnic is scheduled for next Friday at Central Park. Get ready for fun and team bonding!

Safety Notices: In case of a safety issue or emergency, you can make sure everyone knows the information they need to know in order to be safe.

“

Safety Alert: Due to inclement weather, all employees are advised to work from home today. Stay safe and stay connected.

Employee Recognition: Send shout-outs to employees acknowledging significant achievements, birthdays, and work anniversaries.

“

🎉 Employee Spotlight: Congratulations to Jane Smith on her 5th work anniversary! Her dedication is an inspiration to us all. 🌟

Nonprofit and Fundraising

Emergency Alerts: Let members or employees know when there’s an urgent issue or emergency situation.

“

🚨 Emergency Alert: Urgent! Due to the tornadic conditions, tonight's event is canceled. Stay safe, and we'll update you soon.

Member Updates: Make sure members know about important updates.

“

Member Update: Our monthly newsletter is out! Read about our recent achievements and upcoming projects here: [Newsletter Link].

Donor Outreach: Nonprofits can engage donors by sending updates on their impact, donation requests, and fundraising campaigns.

“

Support Our Cause: Your generous donation helps us make a difference. Join our mission by donating today at [Donation Link].

Volunteer Coordination: Coordinate volunteers for events, disaster relief efforts, and community initiatives.

“

🤝 Volunteer Opportunity: We need your help at the local food drive this Saturday. Sign up here: [Volunteer Link].

Misc. Examples

Transaction Alerts: Notify customers of account activity, such as deposits, withdrawals, or suspicious transactions.

“

Transaction Alert: A deposit of $500 has been credited to your account ending in 1234. For details, visit your online banking portal.

Travel Updates: Provide flight updates, booking confirmations, and travel advisories.

“

Travel Update: Your flight AA123 from JFK to LAX is on time. Remember to arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure. Safe travels!

Hotel Reservations: Send reservation confirmations, check-out reminders, and special offers to guests.

“

Reservation Confirmation: Your booking at Sunny Shores Resort is confirmed. Check-in on [Check-in Date] after 3:00 PM. Enjoy your stay!

Inventory Management: Keep suppliers and retailers informed about stock levels, order status, and delivery schedules.

“

Inventory Update: We have 50 units of Product X in stock. Contact us for bulk pricing and delivery options.

Property Listings: For real estate agents, share new property listings, open house details, and price reductions with potential buyers.

“

🏡 Check out our latest property - a charming 3-bedroom home in Oakwood Heights. Schedule a viewing today!

Ride-Sharing: Send ride confirmations, driver details, and ride receipts to passengers.

“

Ride Confirmation: Your ride with driver John will arrive at your location in 5 minutes. Get ready for a smooth journey!

Ticket Sales: Promote ticket sales for sporting events, concerts, and entertainment shows.

“

Grab your tickets now for the upcoming concert of your favorite band, The Soundwaves! Limited seats available at [Ticket Link].

Sports Score Updates: Provide live score updates and match highlights to sports enthusiasts.

“

⚽ Goal Alert: Your favorite team just scored! Tune in now to watch the game live on ESPN - Go Team! 🙌🏆 [Link]

Is It Legal to Send Broadcast Text Messages? (Compliance Guidelines)

Yes, SMS broadcasts are legal. Of course you’ll need to follow the federal and state SMS compliance laws (which can essentially be summed up as make sure you get appropriate consent before sending messages, honor opt-outs, and don’t sends texts outside of waking hours in the recipient’s local time zone).

Note that this is not legal advice.

In addition to following the legal requirements, if you don’t also follow mobile carrier guidelines, the carriers will likely interpret your messages as spam and prevent them from being delivered.

Here’s the gist of the guidelines you should make sure to follow:

• Fill Out a Registration Form: If you fill out the registration forms provided within your SMS broadcast platform, that helps the mobile carriers pre-vet your messaging traffic so that they know it’s not spam.
• Make Sure People Opt In: Make sure people have actually opted in to receive your messages.
• Make Sure People Know How to Opt Out: Give people “opt-out” instructions so that they know how to unsubscribe if they decide they no longer want to receive your texts (if people reply STOP to your messages, they’ll be automatically removed).
• Don’t Use Bit.ly or Other Public Link Shorteners: Mobile carriers have really cracked down on using public link shorteners within text messages, so you’ll want to avoid using these.
• Identify Your Brand in Messages: Make it clear that you’re the sender of your messages.
• Watch Out for “Spammy” Behavior: Avoid any sending behavior that may come across as “spammy,” such as high-pressure content, multiple messages sent to the same recipients in a short period of time, or including multiple links.
• Stay Within Your Registered Use Case: Don’t send messages outside the norm of the use case you originally indicated when you filled out your registration form.
• Watch Out for Objectionable Content: If the content you need to send has any question about being potentially “objectionable” (even if it’s totally legal), you’ll want to get special advisement before sending to make sure you get the best delivery possible. (Our SMS experts can help walk you through best practices for your use case.)

If you follow all of those guidelines, your odds of running into any message filtering due to compliance issues will decrease dramatically.

How Do You Measure SMS Broadcast Performance?

So how can you know if your SMS broadcasts are successful?

SMS platforms like Mobile Text Alerts give you tools to help you analyze and track your messaging success.

Here are some metrics you’re able to measure…

Click Rate

Click rate will be your key performance indicator for your SMS messages, if you’re texting links.

You’re able to see how many people clicked on the links within your messages, as well as who specifically clicked.

Opt-Out Rate

In your SMS platform, you’re able to see who has opted out from receiving your texts.

Some unsubscriptions are expected, but if you have an unusually high opt-out rate, that likely indicates that your messages are not being as successful as they could be, or that your audience is not interested.

Response Rate

Your response rate will tell you how many people are replying to your texts, which in some cases can be an indicator of success.

You’re also able to monitor these responses and respond back to them, if appropriate.

ROI

If you’re using UTM links in your text messages, you’ll be able to track where your purchases come from.

You’ll then be able to attribute your purchases to your SMS efforts in order to determine what your ROI is.

How Do You Choose a Broadcast Text App?

There are a variety of factors you’ll want to consider when evaluating what SMS broadcast platform will work the best for your situation:

• Does it have all the features you need or are looking for?
• Will it be user-friendly enough to easily set up and use?
• Will it be scalable if your business grows?
• Is the cost a price point that makes sense for your business?
• Is customer support available, helpful, and accessible?

Some optional considerations would include:

• Are there nifty additional features such as QR code generation and AI tools?
• Are you able to do a personalized 1-on-1 walkthrough of the platform?
• Is there a mobile app for easy access?
• Is there robust Help documentation?

Some features you'll want to look out for include:

• Message scheduling and automation options
• Contact grouping / segmentation
• 2-way messaging
• Reporting
• Multiple different options for getting new subscribers opted in

Can You Send a Broadcast Text From the iPhone or Android Messages App?

No, you can’t truly send a broadcast text from your iPhone or Android Messages apps.

You’ll either have to send a group text all in one thread or you’ll run into limitations as to how many messages you can send all at once.

You’ll need an SMS broadcast app to send broadcast texts.

How Much Does an SMS Broadcast App Cost?

SMS broadcast pricing varies widely depending on the platform you use and the number of messages you send.

Most SMS platforms and API services function under either a subscription basis or a per-message basis.

In the subscription model, you're allotted a certain number of messages you can send per month, and you can purchase additional messaging credits if you want to add more.

With a per-message basis, you pay as you go.

Another factor to consider is that if you have a high volume of messages you'll be sending regularly, you may be able to qualify for discounted rates.

As an example of pricing, Mobile Text Alerts subscription plans start at $20/month billed annually or $25 billed monthly for 500 messages per month.

(1 SMS to US/Canada = 1 credit, 1 MMS = 3 credits, and a send to 1,000 people = 1,000 credits.)

Try an SMS Broadcast Platform Today

Armed with all of this knowledge, you’re ready to take on the world of SMS broadcasts!

Try a free SMS platform account with Mobile Text Alerts today to get a feel for how it works.

Author bio

Sam Pelton is the content director for Mobile Text Alerts, an SMS service that gives businesses an easier way to reach customers and audiences. He has 12 years of experience working with the texting platform in the areas of customer support, quality assurance testing, content creation, copywriting, and marketing strategy. He’s also a father of 6 and loves a good (bad) dad joke. Connect with him on LinkedIn.