SMS Marketing: Strategy and Compliance
SMS marketing delivers messages directly to mobile phone numbers. Open rates of 90%+ and response within 3 minutes make SMS the highest-engagement direct marketing channel — but it also carries the highest risk of perceived intrusiveness. Strict consent requirements and careful use case selection are essential.
Compliance Requirements
- UK/EU: explicit opt-in required under PECR and GDPR. Pre-checked opt-in boxes are insufficient — active, informed consent required.
- US: TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) requires written consent for marketing texts. Violations carry $500-$1,500 per message penalties.
- Clear identification: messages must clearly identify the sender
- Opt-out mechanism: every message must include a simple opt-out (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe")
Use Cases and Strategy
High-value use cases: time-sensitive promotions, event reminders, appointment confirmations, delivery notifications, abandoned cart recovery. Avoid: promotional messages with no urgency, excessive frequency, generic blasts without personalisation. SMS works best as a complement to email — use for time-critical moments; don't replicate email strategy in SMS format.