Say hello to short codes! Well, you must be wondering what they are. The mind starts thinking of different things when you hear the words, ‘short code.’
Perhaps you think short codes are messages exchanged between friends, but that’s not quite close.
So, what exactly is a short code? They are numbers. You can also call them ‘short digital sequences.’ They are used in text message marketing. Now the catch is that the numbers are shorter than a usual phone number.
You might have seen these five-to-six-digit numbers popping up on the television screen. Yes, they are pretty popular in campaigns, restaurants, store discounts, and more.
The short codes are used in SMS and MMS systems and quite helpful. Before you start creating an SMS short code, you ought to know a couple of things.
Here’s an article that sheds light on this subject. Let’s get started!
5 Things You Need to Know About Short Codes
Drum rolls, please!
We have shared the five things you must know about short codes. Read the entire section before investing (or deciding)!
Shared vs. Dedicated
There are two types of short codes. The first one is dedicated, and the other is shared.
If a company or a brand utilizes an exclusive short code, it is referred to as ‘dedicated short code.’
The short-shared code is something that is used by a number of brands. Most probably, they have the same provider who is sending promotional messages on their behalf. It is also called a ‘non-vanity short code.’
Here’s a quick question you may have – which one is better?
Shared shortcodes are cheaper, but there are specific issues with these. Text messaging happens to be a critical part of your marketing strategy, and that’s why dedicated shortcodes are far more superior. But if you are on a budget, there is no harm in trying non-vanity short codes.
Why do you need it?
Considering you are here to gain knowledge, we will answer this as promptly and clearly as we can.
- As a business, you would need to send a massive number of texts to customers. We are not talking about 30-40 texts. It can be hundreds and thousands of texts at a time.
- The second reason is that shortcodes are easy to remember. It’s like your own VIP number! Long codes and phone numbers are difficult to remember. Hence shortcodes are quite useful for businesses who want to be remembered.
A great marketing tool
Always remember that short codes are excellent for businesses. You can use them in the following manner.
- Sending discounts to consumers/subscribers (everyone loves these).
- Sharing OTPs (one-time password) or a reset link.
- Allowing your viewers to drop their vote for their favorite contestant on a reality show.
- Giveaways and sweepstakes.
- Collecting feedback from your audience..
There are more uses, but we thought of sharing a few of them.
The ease of subscribing and unsubscribing
You are giving the consumers the power to subscribe and unsubscribe. Feeding them products, discounts, and freebies is excellent, but they should have the power to choose whether or not they want to avail of your offer.
When you send short code messages to consumers, they can decide whether or not they want to keep receiving messages from you.
Subscribing has become easier too! Let’s say you own a pizza joint in one of the coolest places. There is a mad crowd in your restaurant, but you want people to come back for more. Place a placard, a short code, and the Text they need to send to subscribe to promotional messages.
Once your customers subscribe to it, they will get to know about the latest discounts and promos.
Let’s talk about money, honey!
How much does it cost?
A dedicated SMS short code will be a little costlier as compared to a shared one. Let’s say you want to send 1000 messages. It can be as low as $45 a month. Wow! That’s not too expensive. A fancy meal cost more, right?
There are companies like TextSanity that offer 7500 message credits for just $145.
If you are serious about your business, this cost won’t seem much to you.
Concluding Thoughts
These were the five things you ought to know before creating a short code. Companies specialize in creating short codes and will extend as much help throughout the journey.
You can reach out to the masses in a couple of seconds. All you have to do is opt for short codes!
