Have you ever sent a text message to your customer base and wondered if it was a success? There are many ways to deem a campaign successful and SMS analytics is a vital tool in accessing the effectiveness. Text message analytics gathered for current campaigns is not only helpful in real-time but can lead to insights for future messaging and give you a better picture of your customers’ needs.
The SBT interface allows you to analyze and create reports based on messages sent and received, keywords, subscribers, engagement, and much more. While there is no shortage of ways to explore an SMS campaign, part one of this guide on message analytics breaks down a few of the analytics you can watch to maximize your efforts. In part two, learn how to determine SMS ROI and develop a cost savings plan.
1. Message Analytics
You’ve crafted your message, included a compelling CTA, and set a delivery time that will grab the attention of your customers. All that’s left is getting the text message into the hands of your customers, something that you have little control over once you hit send. Monitoring your delivery rates, status, times, and deactivated numbers can help find any errors hindering your messages.
+ Delivery Rate – Delivery rate is the percentage of delivered messages. SMS’s industry 98% open rates make it a reliable source for providing information quickly. Dropped messages mean customers are losing valuable information, and you are losing engagement. Monitoring delivery rates for every message will help you catch delivery issues quickly and resolve them with follow-up messages.
+ Delivery Status – Message status breaks down whether a message was delivered, sent to the carrier, queued to the carrier, encountered a system error, or was sent to a landline number. Errors are known to happen, and they can be caused by content, network and carrier issues, etc.
+ Delivery Time – Monitor the length of time it takes for your messages to hit your customer’s inboxes. While MMS messages take a little longer, SMS messages can be delivered in as little as five seconds. Longer delivery times could signal a more significant issue.
If you have repeated errors or your delivery rate and time are low, something bigger might be going on that needs adjusting. Our team is with you every step of the way to find out what’s happening with your message delivery.
+ Deactivated Numbers – Due to changes or being fake, invalid numbers will be on your list from time to time. Monitoring these lists from campaign to campaign can help locate broken opt-in systems and keep your list active with engaging customers.
2. Engagement Analytics
From appointment confirmation to product and service promotions, to bill payments and more, SMS is a quick and reliable method for engaging with customers. Monitor opt-outs, follow inbound message responses, and determine click-through rates to analyze the engagement levels of your SMS campaign.
+ Unsubscribe Rate – Monitoring the unsubscribe rate after each text message can show you which messages are resonating, and which are falling flat with your audience. An increase in subscribers opting out after your campaign could be due to the content, timing, or promotion.
Sticking to the frequency and content promised in your opt-in confirmation, and text message policy is vital to building trust in your SMS channel. Content should be straightforward, expected, and designed for your target audience. Give a strong call-to-action that leads the reader exactly where you want them. To determine if your promotion is falling flat, compare your unsubscribe rate with your order and revenue rates during that time. If opt-outs are high and orders are declining, it’s time to tweak your promotion.
+ Response Rate – Inbound messaging is another essential tool for gauging engagement. 60% of customers want the ability to respond after they receive a text message from a business. If you are not utilizing Two-Way Texting, consistently run the inbound messaging report to analyze what responses you are receiving. The Inbound Message By Type report can help you quickly analyze messages based on content type (Help, Stop, Stopall, VBT, Keyword, Inbound).
+ SmartURL ™– Including a link as part of your CTA is one of the most effective ways to monitor message engagement. A SmartURL™ link lets you see when and if a customer opened your link or downloaded the file. Customize the domain and slug for added brand awareness and trust benefits. Discover the seven advantages of using a SmartURL™ in your campaigns.
3. Subscriber Analytics
Understanding how and why a subscriber enrolled in your SMS messaging is vital in creating compelling content. Subscriber reporting and keyword analysis can answer these essential questions.
+ Subscriber Report – The subscribers report in the SBT dashboard gives full details on opt-in methods for existing subscribers. Results show how a subscriber opted into messaging, whether it be via keywords, web form, or user agreement. This information can guide future opt-in efforts and message content.
+ Keyword Report – Study the keyword report to break down the opt-in method. This report pulls all responses for keywords and can give you insight into why a subscriber took action. Give unique keywords to each promotion, social media platform, and marketing channel to gain context into the subscriber’s journey. Did one of your deals and promotions have higher opt-ins than the others? Or did an event bring them to your list?
From message delivery to phone number monitoring to engagement, monitoring SMS reporting is vital to driving goals. Learn more about the types of reports the SBT dashboard can run. If the metrics and engagement of your SMS campaign aren’t what you were hoping for, making a few adjustments in your next campaign could make all the difference.
Changes in frequency, delivery time, wording choice, or the call-to-actions over each campaign can help you create a solid system for building SMS campaigns that meet your audiences’ needs. In part two, learn how to determine SMS ROI and how it can save your business time and money.