Looking to market your business to a larger audience? There are various channels to do so, and SMS marketing stands as an old and powerful channel. But, how do you know if your SMS marketing efforts are working, right? You need to track them; it’s simple!
Here’s where SMS tracking comes into the picture. It’s indeed a game-changer to track and monitor your SMS campaign efforts. You get to know how your texts are delivered, received, and engaged.
These insights help you know which messages performed the best and which need improvement or lack. Run through the blog to learn more about SMS tracking, including how it works, its benefits, and real-world use cases. Here we begin!
What is SMS Tracking?
SMS tracking is the process of analyzing and monitoring the lifecycle of text messages after they have been delivered. It allows companies to track the success of SMS campaigns, including failures, delays in sending an SMS, and responses to the message. The following questions will clear your concept related to SMS tracking:
- Was the message delivered?
- Were any actions performed on the message?
- Where do we fail to deliver?
SMS tracking also helps organizations boost overall message performance, improve future campaigns, save on expenses, and meet business goals.
How Does SMS Tracking Work?
Here’s how SMS tracking works in different steps:
1] Message Submission
When a sends an SMS through a gateway or other messaging platform, a unique message ID is assigned.
2] Delivery Reports
SMS gateway providers share reports on messages, including those that are delivered, pending, or failed. It uses network confirmations to track the status.
3] Unique Tracking URLs
Embedding URLs into SMS is one of the powerful forms of tracking the success of messages. Whenever a recipient clicks on the link, the interaction gets recorded by the system.
4] Analytics and Reporting
The data related to the delivery and interaction are all aggregated in dashboards and reports, which provide an understanding of the message performance, engagement, and ROI.
5] Integrating with CRM and Marketing
SMS providers nowadays integrate with CRM and marketing automation tools to leverage data records for subsequent steps. They can record data to take follow-ups and measure engagement rates based on user interactions.
SMS Functionality
SMS functionalities are all about core features that allow sending, receiving, managing, and tracking text messages between businesses and users over the phone network. This includes:
- Sending messages:Â As the name suggests, send text messages to cellular mobile numbers.
- Receiving messages: Two-way communication is possible, wherein users can respond.
- Delivery reporting:Â Understanding the delivery status, for example, pending or failed messages.
- Bulk messaging: Sending messages to a large group of people.
- Personalization:Â Delivering personalized messages based on names, locations, or behavior data.
- Scheduling: Sending messages at a particular time.
- Tracking or analytics: Measuring the delivery rates, clicks, responses, and engagement.
Benefits of Using SMS Tracking for Your Marketing Goals
1]Â Helps to Improve ROI
SMS tracking gives you insights about which message campaigns are working and delivering results. On the other hand, which ones are underperforming, so you can stop them and cut down on your spending, thereby increasing ROI.
2]Â Campaign Optimization
Just as you optimize websites, social media, or email newsletters, optimizing your SMS campaign is also essential. SMS tracking helps in this regard, with the data you can use to craft effective messages, make URLs short, and optimize based on what your audience prefers and loves.
3]Â Operational Efficiency
You can also improve overall operational efficiency by setting up follow-ups, boosting communications, and loyalty.
4]Â Data-Driven Decision Making
SMS analytics will reveal which messages and links do best and will help you to optimize campaigns, better targeting, and invest in what has the best ROI.
5]Â Enhance Compliance
You can track the behaviors of messages and ensure each of them meets the regulatory standards.
Key Metrics Commonly Tracked in SMS Tracking
- Delivery rate
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Response rate
- Conversion rate
- Opt-out rate
- Time-to-action
Real-Time Use Cases of SMS Tracking
Customer Support
Many companies use SMS as their support channel. SMS tracking helps track response rates and post-interaction feedback. It also helps determine when to stop engaging and sending messages.  Alongside, work on customer sentiment, and if negative feedback is received, they can immediately take action.
Use case:
- Post-event feedback
- Post-purchase feedback
Marketing Campaign Tracking Performance
SMS tracking helps marketers analyze the campaigns that deliver results.
Through link clicks, responses, and conversions, the teams can determine whether the messages are performing well and be in a position to optimize the subsequent campaigns.
Lead Generation
Tracking SMS responses can help identify potential leads. In short, SMS tracking also helps to skyrocket lead generation efforts with replies, link clicks, or callback requests, indicating interest level.
Transactional & Service Notifications
Businesses can monitor the status of delivery and customer communication of OTPs, order updates, and service notifications to deliver critical messages to users. Example: an eCommerce brand keeps track of order deliveries to confirm them and send alerts during shipment.
Some Top Facts About Tracking SMS Messages
- Helps to identify and address failed messages
- Fosters communication efficiency and accuracy
- Confirms the delivery of messages on time
Wrapping it Up!
SMS tracking is a significant boost to tracking your SMS marketing efforts. Effective tracking can go a long way in making the most of your spending and delivering results that truly stand out. Whether you’re using SMS marketing for your small business, eCommerce store, or any other, monitoring the performance and strategies incorporated is essential for further improvements. There are specific SMS tracking, tools such as Twillo, Notifyre, Clever Tap, and more, you can utilize to make your job easy!
So, don’t wait, track your SMS performance today, and watch your business skyrocket.
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FAQs
Q1. Is it legal to trace SMS messages?Â
Answer: Yes, however, it must comply with regional legislation and privacy laws such as the TCPA and GDPR.
Q2. What is SMS functionality?
Answer: It’s a widely used form for communication, be it personal or business specific, which involves sending, receiving, tracking, and managing text messages on mobile devices.
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