Did you know that there are 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide? Texting, gif-ing, chatting via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok…the list of apps goes on and on. It’s clear to see that digital messaging is the primary way people connect these days. And businesses need to get on board. 

Read on to learn what broadcast messaging is, how it differs from MMS group, and where you should apply your broadcast service for optimal results. 

Why Broadcast Messaging Should Be a Key Component of Your Marketing Strategy

When it comes to promotions, broadcast messaging is the best way for you to reach a large audience quickly and efficiently. For one, it has the biggest impact with the fewest resources. Texting customers one-on-one can eat up a considerable amount of time and is nearly impossible to scale when you grow to have hundreds of thousands of customers. With broadcast messaging, a single person can send a message to thousands of people. And that message has an open rate of up to 98%. 

Over 20% of retail purchases are predicted to take place online this year, and that’s just in the retail industry. As more and more consumers move to online and mobile methods to discover, research, and shop from local businesses, broadcast messaging will increasingly become the mainstay of modern business communication.

What is Broadcast Messaging?

Broadcast messaging is “one-to-many” texting—the practice of sending well-crafted, well-timed messages to hundreds, thousands, or even millions of consumers. 

This type of messaging is particularly handy for brief, straightforward communications, like retailers sending promotional messages to customers or healthcare providers sending updates to patients.

MMS Group vs Broadcast

Unlike MMS group messaging, recipients can only respond to the sender and are unable to see or interact with other recipients. This protects privacy and enhances personalization and individualization.

Other important differences include:

MMS Group:

Targeted messaging to a select group. Unlike broadcast messaging, MMS involves sending a specific message to a small group simultaneously. 

Multimedia messages. Due to its medium, MMS group allows you to send images, gifs, links, videos, audio files, and more to enhance your customer interactions. There is also no character limit, so you can include more detailed content. You can also customize the layout. (You should also make sure your recipients’ phones are able to receive multimedia messages). 

Suitable for personalized messaging. Like other group texts, this medium is particularly well-suited for chatting with a narrow group of customers about specific questions, interests, or products. 

Not customizable for each individual. Because the messages are sent in group format, you can’t tweak each one individually to suit each recipient. 

Broadcast:

Message sent to a large audience. Broadcast messages are sent to a large audience, but unlike MMS group messages, they’re sent and received as individual messages instead of group messages. 

Efficient and quick. As we said, it really only takes one person to manage. If you set things up ahead of time, your platform can send and track the messages for you. 

Suitable for urgent updates and promotions. Broadcast messaging is perfect for “letting people know” and gauging interest for increased engagement and conversations. You should use it for alerts, promotions, notifications, and reminders–especially when the campaign is time-sensitive

Customizable for each individual. Broadcast messaging is ideal for tweaking each message to suit the needs of each recipient (name, content, etc.).  

When to Broadcast Messaging + Templates

Now that you know what it is, when should you use it? Let’s check out a few use cases. 

SMS Marketing

Sending well-timed, well-thought-out sms promotions is probably the top way to capitalize on the power of broadcast messaging. Around three-fourths of your customers are down to receive sms offers from you via text–they just need to opt-in. Each sms message can use 160 characters, including text, phone numbers, emojis, and hyperlinks. A good sms broadcast might look like this: 

Hey Kyle! We’ve got a special deal for you 🚘 Get 15% off your next detailing by using the link below ✨ http://123.link.com

Reminders 

Giving customers reminders is a perfect use case for broadcast messages. You can remind them about upcoming appointments, let them know when it’s time for them to renew a service or subscription, and even give best practices for how to get the most out of their product. Always include a link or instructions to schedule! 

Hey Jared, it’s that time of year! Get ready for a cleaner carpet. Click the link below to schedule an appointment for this week, and we’ll give you 10% off. http://123.link.com

Hi Lisa, it’s Maren at Grove Dental. It’s time for your six-month cleaning! Text us to schedule a visit. 

SMS survey

Collecting feedback? Broadcast messaging is an ideal way to check in with your customers and figure out what’s working and what’s not. Make sure to limit your survey to ten questions or less, and make changes based on the feedback you receive. Bonus points if you offer a reward!

Hey Carry–thank you so much for your continued business. We’d love to know how we’re doing! Take this survey for 15% off your next mattress. 

FAQ’s

Are there any legal requirements or regulations I need to be aware of when using broadcast messaging or MMS?

Yes. Messages must be easily identifiable as advertisements. The FCC regulates commercial texts that are sent to mobile devices. Laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the United States regulate your messaging format and content and require that customers “opt-in” to receive your messages. Sending unwanted text messages is illegal, and spamming is poor practice that can harm your brand and customer relationships. It’s always important to check local and national communication regulations when creating and sending messages. For best practices, check out our Guide to SMS Marketing. 

How can I ensure that my broadcast messages are reaching their intended audience?

You’ve done the work, and you want to make sure your message gets to the right people. Include your own number in a test batch, or include this question in one of your text surveys. With the right platform, you can see clicks and open rates in real-time, allowing you to keep track of how your campaign is performing. If your broadcast service uses automation, you’ll be able to set things up ahead of time and ensure high deliverability with your mass text message or bulk sms. 

How do I send a broadcast text message?

The easiest way is to find a messaging service that will do all the work for you. With the right platform, you can set up a campaign using an easy-to-use template from the platform, select the subscribers from the list of contacts you wish to message, craft your message, and then just press “send.” 

Podium’s Messaging Software

Podium’s messaging software can help businesses streamline their messaging efforts. It has hundreds of templates and customization tools that set it apart from other broadcast messaging tools. Best of all? It’s super simple to use. 

With Podium’s platform, you are able to see all incoming and outgoing text messages on one simple dashboard that organizes all notifications and communications for your convenience. With plenty of integrations and tracking, as well as world-class functionality, data is also collected and displayed in a way that is easy to digest. This platform allows you to customize your messages for ultimate personalization with your customer’s history and personal information, making for marketing campaigns that really hit home. 

A Real Life Example

Unstoppable Auto Group of Southern California was relying on email campaigns with less than stellar results. After they found Podium’s platform, they turned to broadcast messaging to reach their customers on their phones with the latest updates and promotions. 

Now, Unstoppable Auto Group’s campaigns see 20-30% click-through rates and 3-4x higher click rates with broadcast messages vs. their old email marketing. This has led to hundreds of new car sales. They were also able to get 11.4k subscribers in just under 12 months. 

Don’t take our word for it—we want you to see what Podium can do firsthand. Start a free trial today and give it a try.