Swipe right on short codes

Feb 7, 2019

3 minutes

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching you may be looking for the perfect match for business communication? Maybe you need a sweet new way to connect with your customers? Well, I have a product for you to meet. IntelePeer is thrilled to announce the newest member of our Atmosphere Messaging family: Short Codes. If you haven’t heard, adding low code SMS APIs to your business communications strategy is the hot thing to do since 64% of consumers say they prefer to engage with their favorite brands through low code SMS rather than voice or email. Short Codes are the driving force of text message marketing and with so many benefits it’s no wonder why companies are ditching voice-only communications. Here’s why you should give Short Codes a shot.

What is a short code?

If you have a cell phone, odds are you’ve received a Short Code message. But what are Short Codes? Simply put, Short Codes are 5 or 6-digit numbers that can send and receive SMS and MMS messages. Short Codes allow customers to opt into a company’s messaging by texting a keyword to a specific Short Code number. Banking notifications, appointment reminders, product promotions, and alerts about your upcoming flight are just a few examples of how Short Codes can be used. On the other side, Short Codes let companies send out mass texts to a large number of people, letting you get the word out about your products to your target audience in no time. Although Short Codes do not support voice, they are frequently used as a marketing tool to create brand awareness and increase customer loyalty.

The power of short codes

Even though Short Codes have been around for over a decade, countless businesses are just now coming to understand the power of using them to engage customers. Short Codes offer unrivalled opportunities to engage audiences through text messaging, and you want to be sure you are communicating with your customers in the method they prefer. This makes the availability of Short Codes tremendously valuable and another fun fact is that SMS has a 98% open rate, compared to email which averages 20-25% (not too shabby).

It’s clear that Short Codes are an effective tool for SMS marketing and customer appreciation, but they are often used for time-sensitive campaigns or critical alerts. Consider the national weather service sending you an alert about flash flooding in your area or the local university alerting students that classes are canceled due to icy road conditions. By using a Short Code, you are making things simpler for your customers.

Types of short codes

Short Codes come in two different forms: Random and Vanity. Vanity Short Codes are selected by you but subject to availability. These numbers can be personalized, and often businesses select identities unique to their brand or offering. Kind of like vanity license plates – and we won’t judge if you want to go with something like CATLDY or DOGLVR. Vanity Short Codes allow you to improve your customers’ experience with an easy-to-remember number that can be used nationwide.

For example, IPEER (47337) or INPEER (467337) are both examples of a Vanity Short Code around IntelePeer’s brand. On the other hand, Random Short Codes are just that, random. These Short Code numbers are assigned to you at random from the CSCA (Common Short Code Administration); you don’t get a choice in the number.

Ready to send your first short code message?

So, what happens when you enable Short Codes and follow best practices? Your mobile engagement will improve across the board. Now that you have a better understanding of Short Codes, are you ready to get started with your application process? We will make it easy. Our dedicated sales team will help you gather the right information for the carrier approval process. Once you apply, we will work with you to get the Short Code approved by the carriers as all Short Codes must be approved by the mobile carriers before you can use them on their networks. Short Codes can take up to 8 weeks to be approved so contact IntelePeer today to get started!

Want more info? Click here to learn more.

Try it out! Text PROMO to IPEER(47337) to receive marketing alerts and see for yourself how Short Codes work.

Knowledge is power.

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