Boosting campus engagement: Best SMS marketing practices
Effective communication is crucial for higher education institutions, especially in an era where students and staff are constantly on the move. SMS marketing offers a direct and immediate way to reach your audience, with SMS messages typically opened within 3 minutes of receipt and boasting open rates around 98%—significantly higher than emails (18%) and social media posts.
Here are some best practices for SMS marketing in higher education and how modern tools can enhance this approach:
- Keep it concise and relevant
SMS messages have a character limit, so it’s essential to be clear and to the point. Ensure your message is concise and relevant to your audience. For students, this might mean important deadlines, event reminders, or campus alerts. For staff, it could include meeting notifications or policy updates.
- Timing is everything
Consider your audience’s schedule when sending messages. Avoid early morning or late-night texts unless it’s an emergency. Mid-afternoon messages often work well for students, while staff communications are best during regular work hours.
- Personalization matters
Use the recipient’s name and tailor the message to their specific needs or interests. This personal touch can significantly increase engagement and response rates.
- Respect opt-ins and opt-outs
Always provide a clear way for recipients to opt out of messages. This not only complies with regulations but also maintains a positive relationship with your audience.
- Use SMS for time-sensitive information
Given the high open rates of SMS messages, use this channel for information that requires immediate attention or action.
- Include clear calls-to-action
If you want recipients to take a specific action, make it clear and easy to do so. This could be a link to register for an event, a number to call, or a keyword to reply with.
- Monitor and analyze performance
Regularly review the performance of your SMS campaigns. Look at metrics like open rates, response rates, and actions taken to refine your strategy over time.
Implementing these best practices can significantly enhance your institution’s communication strategy. However, managing SMS campaigns at scale can be challenging without the right tools. This is where mass texting platforms, like MarketIT, come into play.
MarketIT: Enhancing SMS marketing
MarketIT, an established outbound marketing platform, has been revamped for mass texting and SMS campaigns. It addresses the challenges institutions face with large-scale SMS marketing, offering features that align with best practices:
- Audience segmentation: Tailor messages to specific groups like students, employees, parents, alumni, and athletic fans for improved engagement and relevance.
- Opt-in management: Simplify opt-in and opt-out processes to ensure compliance and maintain positive relationships.
- Personalization tools: Enhance customer loyalty and response rates with personalized texts.
- Campaign scheduling: Plan and schedule SMS campaigns for optimal timing.
- Performance analytics: Use real-time analytics to refine your SMS strategy.
- Rich content integration: Embed weblinks, videos, and surveys in your messages.
- Templates: Quickly create effective messages with pre-designed templates.
- Data security: Protect sensitive information with robust security measures.
Whether promoting campus events, sending updates, or providing alerts, MarketIT streamlines communication to reach your community quickly and efficiently. This tool ensures messages are received, read, and acted upon, enhancing engagement and contributing to a more connected campus community.
By leveraging MarketIT, higher education institutions can master large-scale SMS marketing, ensuring timely and effective communication that supports student success and institutional efficiency.
