How to Write SMS Marketing Messages That Get Results

The 160-Character Constraint

A single SMS message segment is 160 characters using standard GSM encoding. Messages longer than 160 characters are split into multiple segments, each billed separately. While multi-segment messages are fine for important communications, keeping your marketing messages within a single segment saves cost and forces you to be concise, which usually makes the message more effective anyway.

If your message uses special characters (emojis, accented letters, or non-Latin scripts), the encoding switches to UCS-2, which reduces the character limit to 70 per segment. A message with a single emoji that would have been 1 segment at 155 characters becomes 3 segments at UCS-2 encoding. Unless emojis meaningfully improve your message, avoid them. See SMS cost breakdown for how segments affect pricing.

Anatomy of a Good SMS

A high-performing SMS marketing message typically follows this structure:

• Business name (required): Start with your business name so the reader knows who is texting them immediately. Example: "Joe's Pizza:"
• Value proposition: State the offer, update, or reason for the message in one sentence. Be specific with numbers. "20% off all large pizzas" beats "Special deal inside."
• Call to action: Tell the reader exactly what to do next. "Order at joespizza.com" or "Show this text at checkout" or "Reply YES to claim."
• Urgency (optional): A time limit increases response rates. "Today only" or "Ends Sunday" works, but avoid fake urgency on offers that are always available.
• Opt-out (required): "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" is required by law. Place it at the end.

Example: "Joe's Pizza: 20% off all large pizzas today only. Order at joespizza.com/sms or show this text in-store. Reply STOP to opt out." (139 characters, one segment.)

What to Avoid

• ALL CAPS: Writing in all caps looks like shouting and triggers carrier spam filters. Use normal sentence case.
• Excessive punctuation: "AMAZING DEAL!!!" is a spam signal. One exclamation mark is enough if you need one at all.
• Vague language: "Check out our latest specials" gives the reader no reason to act. Be specific about what the special is.
• Multiple offers: One message, one offer. If you have three promotions to share, send three separate messages over time rather than cramming them all into one.
• Long URLs: Use short, branded links. A long URL wastes characters and looks suspicious. The platform provides click tracking with short URLs.
• Generic greetings: "Dear valued customer" wastes 23 characters and sounds robotic. Use the subscriber's first name with a merge field or skip the greeting entirely.

Personalization

Adding the subscriber's name increases engagement significantly. The platform supports merge fields that automatically insert the recipient's first name, last name, or other contact data into the message. A message that says "Hi Sarah, your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm" feels personal, while "Your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm" feels automated.

Beyond names, you can personalize based on purchase history, location, or past behavior. A message targeted at subscribers who bought running shoes that says "New running socks just arrived" is more relevant than a generic "Check out our new arrivals" sent to everyone.

Message Types and Tone

Promotional

Keep it friendly and direct. Lead with the offer. Do not bury the discount or deal in the second half of the message. The reader should understand the value within the first few words.

Transactional

Be factual and clear. Appointment reminders, order updates, and shipping notifications should state the key information (time, date, order number, tracking link) without marketing language. These messages have the highest open rates because they contain information the recipient is expecting.

Conversational

If you are using two-way SMS, write messages that invite a reply. Ask a question, offer a choice, or prompt feedback. "How was your visit today? Reply 1-5 to rate." drives engagement better than a one-way broadcast.

Using AI to Write Messages

The platform includes AI-powered message generation that can draft SMS content based on your prompt. Describe what you want to promote, and the AI generates message options within the character limit. You can use AI to generate variations for A/B testing or to overcome writer's block when creating campaign content. See AI-powered SMS replies for automating responses to incoming messages.