Traditionally, most SMS marketing used to work on a technical level by using shared five or six digit phone numbers, referred to as “shared short codes,” to send out mass text messages to a business’s SMS list.
Carriers have been transitioning away from shared short codes for the past year or so now. New businesses coming onto the SMS marketing scene need to send bulk SMS messages through one of the following:
The imminent termination of shared short codes has caused a good deal of concern for business owners and marketers. However, there’s no need to worry!
In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each option. We’ll share why 10-digit numbers are better solutions than short codes, and why 10DLCs in particular are the best options for most people.
Since shared short codes are going away, dedicated short codes (example: 52001) are now the cream of the crop. They come with:
Unlike shared short codes, these short codes are dedicated to the business that leases them - they are also the most expensive SMS option.
Dedicated short codes allow you to send 100s or 1000s of messages at once with high deliverability rates. Using delivery reports and link tracking, you can optimize your SMS campaigns for maximum conversions.
There are 3 types of dedicated short codes. You can lease each one of these short codes or migrate your existing dedicated code through Mobile Text Alerts.
Premium short codes allow you to spell out your brand name or a significant word using your mobile phone’s dialpad. Examples include: 827438 for “Target” or 262966 for “Amazon." These codes allow memorable customization, but are pricier than other options.
Vanity short codes are 5 to 6 digit numbers that you can select from a list of available codes. With this option you can choose a code that is easy for your customers to remember.
Or, if you’re lucky, you may be able to select a code that fits your brand without paying the full price of leasing a premium short code.
A random short code is a short number that's randomly assigned.
The benefit of choosing a random short code is that you receive all the same short code features for a lower cost than a premium or vanity short code.
Since dedicated short codes are in compliance with strict carrier regulations, they offer the safest and most versatile method for mass SMS marketing.
Established businesses (with a higher budget) who want the best SMS features should consider leasing their own dedicated short code.
If you have any questions about short codes or if you’d like to lease a dedicated short code for your business, you can contact us or book a call with one of our experts using the link below.
Book a Call to Get More Sales with a Dedicated Short Code
10-digit long codes (10DLCs) are local 10-digit phone numbers (example: 402-420-2000) that can support a high volume of text messages.
10DLCs offer many mass SMS features at an affordable cost. This makes 10DLC an excellent SMS solution for many businesses.
10DLC numbers are ideal for small businesses who want to run effective SMS marketing campaigns. They have high throughput for messaging speeds, and high deliverability rates without being extremely costly.
10DLCs are exclusive to you and your business.
10DLCs are not currently available for sole proprietors without an EIN
By using 10-digit long codes (10DLCs), businesses can affordably send mass messages through a personable phone number with a local area code.
10DLCs have a small fee (as opposed to toll-free numbers, which are free), so that may be a barrier for some businesses. Additionally, if you're a sole proprietor for your business, and you don't have an EIN, 10DLCs are not currently available as an option.
But we'd recommend this option for most businesses due to its low costs and quick setup time.
Want to get more sales by sending SMS via 10DLC?
Contact us or book a call with one of our experts using the link below to get set up.
Book a Call to Boost Your Sales with 10DLC
Toll-free SMS numbers are 10-digit numbers with an 800 “area code” as the initial digits (example: 1-800-780-8000).
Text-enabled toll-free numbers help you achieve a high SMS throughput without adding extra carrier fees.
All accounts at Mobile Text Alerts include a dedicated toll-free number for free by default.
Your toll-free number is exclusive to you and your business.
It is recommended that toll-free number users register their brand, to avoid daily messaging caps (2,000 messages/month) and strict filtering from mobile carriers - this registration process takes about 4-5 weeks for completion (though messaging is still available during the interim period)
Toll-free numbers are available for nearly all businesses in need of a mass SMS solution that won’t break the bank.
We would generally recommend 10DLCs over toll-free numbers (see the 10DLC section above).
However, toll-free numbers remain a free and usable option.
A dedicated toll-free number is included for free with any Mobile Text Alerts subscription. You can get started in seconds to test it out for yourself and for your business today.
Get More Sales with a Toll-Free Number Today!
As mobile carriers push for secure and anti-spam messaging, SMS marketing will become an increasingly clean channel. Along with the cluttering of email inboxes and social media accounts, SMS marketing through 10DLCs and toll-free numbers will grow as the top channels for highly-targeted customer messaging.
With 10DLCs and toll-free numbers, businesses can maintain their high-volume SMS campaigns with low costs and desirable SMS features. At Mobile Text Alerts, our goal is to help you grow your sales through SMS marketing. To that end, we are happy to present these different phone number solutions for growing your business in 2023 and beyond.
Start sending mass text alerts to your entire list today!
GET FREE TRIAL