SMS marketing

SMS marketing is a form of mobile marketing in which companies collect phone numbers of (potential) customers and occasionally send them content via text message. Due to the high attention value of a text message, the messages are quickly read by the recipient. Marketing via text message was especially widely used in the first decade of this century.

In most countries, SMS marketing is subject to strict guidelines set by the government or the industry itself. For example, recipients must have given prior permission to receive messages(opt-in). It must also be clear how consumers can get rid of the messages again(opt-out). These rules should prevent SMS marketing from being used for spam. For paid subscription services, the guidelines protect consumers from unexpectedly high phone charges.

The strict legislation and potential irritation to recipients mean that text message marketing has a high risk of harm in addition to good attention value.

Text message marketing usually involves the use of so-called shortcodes. These shortened phone numbers (usually four digits) are used for subscribing and unsubscribing to the service and as a sender in messages to recipients.