SMS Link Service: How to Use an SMS URL / Hyperlink in 2024

Learn how to drive & sales traffic to your website, then measure the results using SMS hyperlinks.

2.2 trillion.

8-10 hours per day.

90%.

These are some figures that illustrate the power of texting.

• The first one (2.2 trillion) describes the total number of texts sent last year.
• The second one (8-10 hours per day) represents the average amount of time some groups of people spend on their phones daily.
• The third one (90%) is the percentage of people who preferred texting to calling for conducting business (in particular, verifying information).

You already know this intuitively - phones are everywhere and texting is not just the future; it’s the now.

So you want to take advantage of the powerful opportunity that SMS marketing presents to drive your sales and engage your customers. You don’t want to miss out on the satisfying results such a medium could yield!

But one thing you may be wondering is, “How can I send an SMS hyperlink?”

After all, links typically are the backbone of any digital marketing effort.

So let’s talk a little about that.

Definitions: Links and Hyperlinks

What Is an SMS Link?

An SMS link could refer to a link that automatically initiates a text message when clicked. These are links that you can pre-fill to include a specific phone number as the recipient and/or specific pre-filled message content. An SMS link could also refer to a link that you include within your message when sending a text.

What Is an SMS Hyperlink?

An SMS hyperlink would likely be used more specifically to refer to links sent in SMS (i.e., links that you include in your text messages). These links would be rendered as clickable for your recipient(s) after you send your message. A clickable link is what is called a "hyperlink."

That being said, an SMS hyperlink could also be referring to the first type of link mentioned in the "SMS link" definition above.

How Do I Insert a Hyperlink in a Text Message?

To insert a hyperlink in a text message, all you need to do is copy and paste the link you're wanting to share. Your recipient's phone will render it as a clickable link when the message is delivered.

Alternatively, you can use a link shortener (preferably a branded link shortener) to shorten your link so that it's more suitable for including in a brief text message. Using a shortened link also allows you to track the link clicks so that you can measure the results of your message.

Why Use an SMS Hyperlink?

Before we get into the how of using an SMS hyperlink, let’s elaborate a bit on links being the backbone of marketing.

Links allow you to easily point people to a call-to-action, increasing your audience’s likelihood of purchasing.

Links allow you to send people to exactly the right place that you’d like them to be online, guiding them easily through the sales process.

Since they’re trackable, links allow you to better monitor the success or failure of your marketing efforts. That way, you’re not wasting your time and growing more and more discouraged at lackluster results.

As a businessperson, you’re likely already aware of all of this. And you probably already know how to include links in email campaigns, on your website, or on social media.

You utilize links for those different marketing channels because it just makes sense, and it’s easy. (It almost seems silly to even mention some of this since it goes without saying!)

The same concepts regarding links would be true in your SMS marketing as well.

But the question remains... How do you include an SMS hyperlink in your text marketing?

How Do I Send an SMS Hyperlink for Marketing?

You don’t want a tool that will add more headaches and stress to your plate. You want something that’s simple and easy to use.

Good news!

Phones (for the most part) will process any link you include in your texts as a clickable link. Smartphones will even show the thumbnail images that you have set for that particular web page. These thumbnail images are called open graph images.

So, although you can’t technically create an SMS hyperlink, any link you include in your SMS marketing becomes a hyperlink automatically on the recipient’s phone.

If that sounds a little confusing, the bottom line is this: you can put links into your SMS marketing content and they will come through as clickable for your customers and leads.

Here’s an example:

Simple as that! Nothing fancy or difficult.

That being said, there are 5 options for including links into your SMS marketing.

Option 1: Direct Copy and Paste

The first option for inputting an SMS hyperlink is simple copy and paste.

You just take whatever link you want to send and paste it directly into the message content for your SMS blast. That’s it!

There are a few pros and cons to this.

• Pros:
  • It’s simple and easy
  • There’s potentially less confusion for customers if the link displays your own branding (rather than shortened link solutions which may not have your own branding)
  • There’s less likelihood of messages being filtered or interpreted as spam
  • There are no redirect issues since the link leads directly to the intended target website
• Cons:
  • It uses up a lot of characters (SMS can only have limited characters per text)
  • It can be unattractive and unprofessional-looking if the link is excessively long (like many links are)
  • You are unable to use your SMS service’s native Link Tracking tool which allows you to track who clicks your links

Option 2: Native Link Tracking

Another option for sending out an SMS hyperlink is to use your SMS service’s native link tracking feature.

Link tracking allows you to shorten your link and also view who specifically clicks on it once your message is sent out.

Using the native link tracker is a breeze:

1. Just go to the Send a Message page from which you’ll set up your SMS blast. There you’ll select when you’d like your message to be sent, as well as who should receive the message.
2. Once you’ve set up the timing and intended recipients for your message, you’ll scroll down to input the message content.
3. Select the “Insert” drop-down menu on the Message Content box.
4. Paste the link you’d like to share into the pop-up, and select the “Track links by number/email” option.
5. Position the link where you’d like it to be within your message content. (Note: The link will appear in the format [[link tracking id=######]] within your message content box - This placeholder will be replaced with a shortened link when the message is sent.)
6. Click “Send” to send your message!

Once the message is sent, you’ll be able to view who all clicked on your link in the Link Tracking report.

• This report will show you the total number of clicks your link received.
• You can also click “View Clicks” to see a report showing each specific subscriber who clicked on your link.

Here are the pros and cons of this method of sending a link.

• Pros:
  • The shortened link will use up fewer characters than a full link, giving you more characters available in your message for other content
  • Since the shortened link is branded to your SMS platform (mbltext.com) rather than being publicly available, there’s less chance of it being filtered or interpreted as spam than public URL shorteners (such as bit.ly)
  • You have the ability to view who specifically clicked on your link within your SMS platform reports
• Cons:
  • The shortened link won’t contain your own company’s branding
  • With shortened links, there are more potential spam filtering issues than with a full link
  • Since the link is redirecting to other sites, there is the potential for “redirection” issues that may cause errors for some links

Option 3: Public URL Shorteners

Rather than using a full link or your SMS platform’s native link shortener, you can also utilize shortened links created from third-party platforms, such as Replug, bit.ly or rebrand.ly.

You would simply copy and paste the shortened links created in these platforms into your message content.

The following would be some positives and negatives of this method.

• Pros:
  • Like using the native link tracker, these shortened links will use up fewer characters than a full link
  • Many public URL shortener services (such as bit.ly) are recognizable to consumers so may cause less confusion than the platform-branded native shortener (mbltext.com)
  • When using these links, you’re able to take advantage of other services these third-party sites offer
• Cons:
  • Public link shorteners have a much higher likelihood of causing spam filtering (potentially resulting in undelivered messages) than full links
  • Clicks on the shortened link are not able to be tracked within your SMS platform reports
  • The shortened link won’t contain your company’s branding

Option 4: Your Own Branded Link Shortener

Another option that link shortener services such as bit.ly or rebrand.ly provide is the ability to create your own branded shortened links.

Some pros and cons are below.

• Pros:
  • This will use up fewer characters than a full link
  • Unlike other shortened links, this option will include your own company’s branding
  • Branded links are less likely to be filtered as spam than other shortened links
  • You’ll also be able to take advantage of other services third-party sites offer
• Cons:
  • Branded shortened links typically have fees associated
  • Your clicks are not able to be tracked within your SMS platform
  • There is more setup required than for other link options

Option 5: Branded Native Link Tracking

You can combine the benefits of options 2 and 4 above by using your SMS platform’s branded link tracking option.

As mentioned previously, your SMS service’s native link tracking function will shorten your link to look something like mbltext.com.

You do have the option to add your own branded subdomain to the beginning of that shortened link, which can help make your links more recognizable to your customers.

For example:

Here are the pros and cons of sending links in this way.

• Pros:
  • Depending on what subdomain you choose to include, this may use up fewer characters than including a full link
  • Like other branded links, these will be less likely to be filtered as spam than other shortened links
  • You have the ability to view who clicked on your link within your SMS platform’s reports
  • Since you can include your own brand’s name, the link will be more recognizable to your customers
• Cons:
  • Like with other shortened links, there are more potential spam filtering issues than with a full link
  • Since the link is redirecting to other sites, there is the potential for “redirection” issues that may cause errors for some links
  • You must contact support to get this set up for your account, and it can only be changed by contacting support again

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As you can see, there are several options for including a SMS hyperlink in your marketing.

You’ll want to weigh the pros and cons and determine which method would work best for you, leaving you with the fewest headaches and the satisfying results (as you see more success from your marketing efforts).

Creating a Link that Sends a Text Message

As a side note, you can also create a link that will send a text message, to post on your website or in an email.

To do that, you can create a link in the following format: sms://+14027188843

(In that example, +1 402-718-8843 is the phone number that you're wanting people to send a text message to.)

If you insert that format as the actual link on your site or within your email, it will open up a text message to the designated phone number on people's devices when they click on the link.

What Would I Use an SMS Hyperlink For?

Maybe you’re totally new to sending mass SMS and you don’t even know where to start with any of this.

Or maybe you just need some concrete examples to help give you an idea of what you can do with an SMS hyperlink.

Below is a sampling of some ways you can use SMS hyperlinks to maximize your communication efforts - freeing up your time, and saving you frustration and hassle.

Promotions and Advertising

“

[Business Name] - TODAY ONLY...Black leggings buy 3 get 1 free!!! Go here to purchase!!! [link]

“

Flash sale on joggers! 45% off! Grab yours quickly: [link]

“

TODAY! Starbucks card with orders over $50!! Get a turkey dinner if we hit our purchase goal!!! CLICK TO ORDER [link]

Videos

“

Our new video is here! You can watch last night's replay inside of your VIP portal. Click here to watch: [link]

“

We’re LIVE with Mystery Bags! Hop on and check it out! [link]

“

50% OFF LIVE SALE NOW! Good for ANY PURCHASE. Jump on quickly so you don’t miss these deals! Use Code - 50savings [link]

Webinar Reminders

“

We're 2 hours away! Don't forget to join us at the [Event Name].

“

REMINDER: Your [Webinar Name] Webinar begins on Zoom in 15 mins! Here’s the link. See you soon! [link]

“

Hi [First Name], thank you for registering for our webinar. If you missed it, or wanted to see it again, go here to watch the reply [link]

Other Reminders

“

Reminder for [Organization Name] Job 10703. 1)To view/print job click [link] 2) Reply YES to accept. If not, no need to respond.

“

5 DAYS LEFT to take advantage of the [Organization Name] New WINTER POP UP STORE! Order here today: [link]

“

[Organization Name] staff meeting Zoom link for 2:30 meeting today for those wanting to attend remotely. Topics: CQI, Title/Role Changes, Score Sheets. [link]

Updates

“

[Name] Starts Campaign as Council Race Heats Up - [link]

“

Please click the link below to view the menu for tonight. [link]

“

No Vision benefits? Save on your Vision today! Join [Business Name]'s Vision Membership Plan! See our plans and sign up here: [link]

Forms

“

Today was the first day of our Covid-19 testing at [Organization Name]. The children that had been enrolled did awesome and were all smiles. If you wish to sign up your child, testing is free and voluntary. Sign up electronically - using the link below. Enter our program address then click select institution. Select community members, then enter your child's information. [link]

Feedback Requests

“

Thanks for using [Organization Name]! If you could please leave a quick review of your call with us. Just tap this link: [link]

What Are Best Practices for Using an SMS Hyperlink?

Here are some best practices you can follow to make sure you're getting the most use out of your SMS hyperlinks (some of these were mentioned already, but repeating here for good measure).

1) Use a branded URL shortener

While you can paste a full link into your text messages, this is not advisable because many links are too long to work well within a text message, and the link will not be as easily trackable.

You also don't want to use common URL shorteners, such as bit.ly, because the mobile carriers will likely filter out your messages as spam.

The best solution is to use a branded URL shortener. This gives you the benefits of using a URL while avoiding some of the dangers of being filtered by the mobile carriers (Mobile Text Alerts offers a free in-house branded URL shortener that's included with all accounts.)

2) Use UTM Links

UTM links are essentially links with "tags" within them that allow you to refer back to them easily when analyzing your data in whatever data tracking tool you use for your business (for example, Google Analytics).

You can create these links using a tool such as Google's Campaign URL Builder, or create these links manually. Using UTM links makes it easier to track exactly where your leads and conversions are coming from, because you can find the specific terms within the links when you're looking at your data

3) Use Only 1 Link Per Message

For the best results, try not to include more than 1 link in a message.

It's a general rule of thumb to only have 1 call-to-action. Having a single link can help keep the focus of your message on a single action that you want your recipients to take.

Does It Cost Anything to Use an SMS Hyperlink?

If you’re researching communication options for your business or organization, you want to be sure you’re making a good choice.

You’d hate to move forward with a purchase only to find unexpected fees and unforeseen expenses popping up every step of the way.

The good news is that the ability to send an SMS hyperlink does not in and of itself cost anything (unless you’re using your own branded URL shortener, as mentioned previously).

That being said, there are costs involved - because, as we all know, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Using an SMS platform to send out links requires an online subscription. Subscription fees will run you different amounts depending on how many messages you expect to send.

You can check out pricing plans here and find a plan that would work for your purposes. And if you’re not sure how many messages you might want to send, you can always start out on a smaller plan and upgrade later as needed.

The costs are flat subscription fees and if you ever run out of messaging credits, the platform will simply let you know there aren’t enough credits available. That means you can rest easy, knowing there’s no need to worry about unexpected charges.

Conclusion: Include an SMS Hyperlink in Your Marketing Texts

So what’s the takeaway?

The bottom line is this: Using an SMS hyperlink in your marketing is easy, useful, and kind of a no-brainer.

After all, you know that people barely read their emails anymore. They don’t answer their phones. And they certainly don’t consistently see your social media posts.

Use links sent via texting to maximize the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and find more satisfaction in the response to your campaigns. If you don’t, you’re missing out on some juicy, low-hanging fruit.

Sign up for a free trial and start sending SMS hyperlinks today!