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Text subscription service: How to start one step-by-step [examples]
Learn how to set up a text subscription service and get paid for your exclusive content.
Learn how to set up a text subscription service and get paid for your exclusive content.
If Patreon’s explosive growth over the last few years is any indicator, people are actively seeking new ways to interact with their favorite creators within the thriving creator economy — and they’re willing to pay premium prices for exclusive access. This shift reflects the rise of subscription-based content and new content creator monetization models that deepen creator‑fan engagement.
One often-overlooked channel for content monetization via SMS is text subscription services where content creators exchange exclusive, valuable content via SMS to paying customers through paid text messaging platforms. This SMS subscription service model represents a powerful mobile subscription platform that bypasses traditional social media limitations, functioning like an SMS marketing platform or text messaging service purpose-built for content monetization via SMS.
Why do text subscription services work so effectively? Because they don’t require your followers to download or sign up for third-party apps, and they enable more personal, direct engagement than traditional social media channels allow, turning SMS into a high-intent, opt-in direct marketing channel with consistently high engagement rates.
Social media strategist Sydney McDonald discovered exactly how lucrative text messaging can be when she launched her SMS subscription service for daily social media trend reports. Her text subscription service now generates more than $4,000 every month through this content monetization strategy — a creator monetization case study that shows what’s possible with the right SMS subscription model.
What if you don’t have thousands of followers like Sydney? She emphasizes that because text subscription services are built from the ground up, you can grow your social media following simultaneously with your SMS subscriber base, creating a synergistic growth strategy that works even if you’re starting from a small list.
I’ll walk you through the exact step-by-step process Sydney used to create her profitable texting subscription, plus actionable ideas and proven tips to launch your own SMS subscription service successfully. If you’re asking, “How do I start a text subscription service?”, you’re in the right place.
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📖 Recommended reading: 50+ must-know texting & SMS marketing statistics in 2024
A text subscription service is a paid SMS marketing system where businesses collect phone numbers to send exclusive content, insights, or updates to subscribers via text messages for a recurring fee. These SMS marketing platforms help content creators monetize their expertise by delivering valuable subscription-based content directly to subscribers’ mobile devices with streamlined subscriber management.
Text messaging services like SimpleTexting serve as the technical backbone, functioning as bulk SMS providers that enable mass text messaging capabilities, text message automation, and mobile subscription management. Meanwhile, businesses leverage these SMS subscription services to share valuable insights, exclusive content, and personalized advice through automated text messaging systems and subscriber segmentation.
To launch your own text subscription service successfully, you’ll complete four essential steps in this specific order. In other words, here’s how to start a text subscription service from scratch:
Before diving into platform selection, you need to answer these critical questions: What specific problems do people consistently ask for your advice on? What are the top challenges that your unique expertise can help them overcome most effectively? If you’re wondering how to choose a text subscription topic, start with the questions you get most often and the outcomes you can reliably help people achieve.
The key to choosing the best topics for SMS subscription success is selecting a subject you’re genuinely passionate about and could discuss for hours. Why does this matter? Because the last thing you need is running out of valuable content ideas after you’ve built up a paying customer base who expects consistent value. Use a simple topic selection framework: list your expertise areas, validate demand with audience polls, and prioritize ideas with clear, repeatable value.
Looking for profitable text subscription ideas to spark your creativity? Consider these proven SMS subscription topics that generate consistent revenue:
To maximize your revenue potential, consider offering subscription tiers with varying levels of content depth and personalization. This pricing strategy allows your audience to choose the tier that best fits their interests and budget, while enabling you to capture both budget-conscious subscribers and premium customers willing to pay more for enhanced value. Popular pricing models include flat-fee (one plan for all), tiered (Basic/Pro/VIP with increasing access), and freemium trials (free preview then upgrade). Use pricing psychology like anchoring (present a higher-priced VIP tier to make mid-tier feel affordable), founder’s pricing for early adopters, and annual plans with a discount to reduce churn. As a starting point, many creators test $5–$15/month for light tips, $19–$39/month for weekly premium insights, and $49+/month for personalized coaching; adjust based on niche value and willingness-to-pay surveys. Track ARPU, conversion rate from trial to paid, and churn to refine your price over time.
Next, you’ll need to select the right SMS marketing software that’s specifically built for sending mass texts and facilitating one-on-one conversations. Additionally, you’ll need a reliable payment processor that supports recurring monthly payments for subscription-based services. When choosing the best SMS platform for your subscription service, consider deliverability, compliance tools, automation features (drip campaigns, triggers), segmentation, analytics and reporting, API/webhooks, integrations, support quality, and pricing (per-message rates and monthly fees) so your solution scales efficiently.
Sydney McDonald, the social media strategist I mentioned earlier, uses SimpleTexting as her SMS marketing platform (you can try it free for 14 days to explore how the text messaging platform works) and Stan* for payment processing and subscription management.
→ Check out my comprehensive text messaging platform comparison of the nine best SMS marketing platforms to see how they stack up in terms of features, pricing, and automation capabilities.
When evaluating SMS marketing software and payment processors, prioritize platforms that offer seamless integration capabilities to save you time and reduce manual work. For example, you can integrate SimpleTexting with Stripe to automatically add new customers created in Stripe as contacts in SimpleTexting, creating a streamlined automated text messaging workflow. Look for native integrations, webhooks, and no-code connectors that automate subscriber onboarding, billing events, and message triggers for hands-off mobile subscription management.
→ Critical note about SMS compliance requirements: Even though your contacts are voluntarily signing up for a paid texting subscription service, you must still follow strict SMS compliance regulations including TCPA requirements. This legal compliance ensures everyone who receives your messages understands exactly what they’re signing up for and can easily unsubscribe if they change their minds. Our comprehensive SMS compliance requirements cover everything you need to know before you send your first text, including opt-in procedures, opt-out requirements, and international regulations. Compliance checklist highlights: obtain express consent (consider double opt-in), disclose brand, purpose, carrier rates, and message frequency, include STOP/HELP keywords and opt-out confirmation, honor quiet hours, maintain records, and follow regional rules like GDPR, CASL, and CCPA. This is general information, not legal advice—consult counsel for your specific use case.
Now it’s time to create a welcoming experience for new contacts joining your texting list! Using advanced automated SMS sequences, you can create sophisticated workflows that each contact receives after they pay and are added to your subscriber list. Combine time‑delay drips, trigger-based messaging (e.g., purchase or keyword), and segmentation to tailor content per subscriber.
Let’s walk through a practical example: Imagine you’re a personal trainer who wants to launch a three-month workout text subscription service that delivers personalized fitness guidance via scheduled text messaging.
First, you’ll create a compelling welcome message that serves multiple purposes: thanking your new subscribers for joining, setting clear expectations about what they’ll receive, and establishing the value they can expect from your SMS drip campaigns.
Next, you’ll schedule a comprehensive series of two text messages per week that include detailed workout instructions, nutrition tips, and motivational content. The automated text messaging system provides flexible options: you can send messages immediately upon subscription or delay them for specific intervals from the date when each contact joined, creating personalized SMS sequences for each subscriber. For higher engagement, test send times, rotate content formats (tips, checklists, short videos via link), and personalize using first names or goals.
What if you’re planning to send time-sensitive content that can’t be scheduled weeks in advance, such as industry trends or new product alerts? You can still leverage text message automation effectively to maintain consistency by using scheduled broadcasts and quick campaigns slotted into your existing sequence without disrupting cadence.
For instance, Sydney McDonald writes her daily social media trend text messages each evening and uses the scheduling feature to deliver them the following morning. This approach ensures her subscribers receive timely, relevant trends consistently while she maintains control over her time and doesn’t need to manually send each text message. Troubleshooting tip: if engagement drops, shorten messages, test new send times, segment by interest, and A/B test hooks and CTAs to reduce unsubscribe rate and improve click-through.
Now comes the exciting part — sharing your new text message subscription service with your audience and converting them into paying subscribers! Use clear value propositions (“Get daily trend alerts”), urgency (“limited founder pricing”), and social proof (“join 500+ subscribers”) to boost sign-ups.
The most effective promotion strategy depends on where you already engage with your followers most actively, but you can maximize your reach by sharing your SMS subscription service across multiple channels. For better measurement, use UTM-tagged links, a dedicated landing page, and track conversion rate, subscriber acquisition cost, and payback period to refine your campaigns over time:
To expand your reach beyond your current audience, consider asking brand partners or content creators you’ve collaborated with previously if they’ll share your texting subscription service with their audiences. This cross-promotion strategy can significantly expand your subscriber base because it leverages established trust relationships. Quick success metrics to monitor: delivery/open rate, click-through on short links, reply rate, conversion to paid, churn/unsubscribe rate, and monthly revenue per subscriber (ARPU).
→ Pro tip for increasing conversions: Draw more potential subscribers by posting free preview samples of the exact types of texts they’ll receive when they become paying subscribers. This strategy reduces uncertainty and demonstrates the immediate value they’ll gain from your SMS subscription service. Add a clear call to action (“Reply JOIN to subscribe”) and a simple refund or cancel-anytime policy to further reduce friction.
There is tremendous value to be gained from building an SMS subscriber list if you can convince potential and existing clients to sign up for your text subscription service. With the mobile numbers you’ve gathered through your lead generation activities, you can create highly targeted SMS marketing strategies that speak directly to your target audience’s specific needs and preferences through focused text message campaigns and mobile marketing tactics.
Here are five proven ways successful businesses leverage text subscription services to drive engagement and revenue:
Do you provide services or sell products? Maximize your sales potential by alerting your current and potential customers about flash sales or exclusive promo codes through your SMS subscription service. You can prompt customers to buy sooner rather than later by implementing strategic SMS drip campaigns, where subscribers receive a series of time-sensitive communications at regular intervals that build urgency and drive action.
Why does this approach work so effectively? Because thanking first-time buyers with an exclusive discount shows genuine appreciation, sends a powerful message about customer value, and significantly increases the likelihood that they’ll become repeat customers who generate long-term revenue.
The “LASHFLASH” discount code offered by Benefit Cosmetics demonstrates this strategy perfectly. The code is memorable because it rhymes, it’s catchy and easy to remember, and it directly relates to the discounted mascara products, creating a cohesive brand experience.
Today’s customers actively seek rewards for their continued patronage, which makes launching a comprehensive SMS loyalty program a strategically smart business decision. Depending on your business model, you can offer various incentives via text message marketing: exclusive freebies, loyalty points, VIP discounts, or early access to new products and services.
If you travel frequently for work or pleasure, you understand the value of airline reward programs. While most airlines provide some form of rewards program, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been consistently recognized for excellence in customer loyalty and program benefits.
What makes Alaska’s approach particularly effective? Customers can earn miles faster, take advantage of flexible award travel options, and reach the highest level of elite status (MVP) more quickly than with any other major airline’s program.
Alaska Airlines has streamlined the process to make it simple and quick for loyal customers to receive special treatment, including valuable perks like two free checked bags and preferred seating upgrades that enhance the travel experience significantly.
Here’s a common scenario that costs businesses significant revenue: Customers visit your website with genuine purchase intent, load up their shopping carts with products they want, and then close the page for various reasons before completing their purchase. However, customers frequently return to complete their purchases when they receive a single, well-crafted abandoned cart SMS message within 48 hours of leaving your site.
What’s the key to abandoned cart SMS success? These messages should be used strategically and sparingly. Limit yourself to a single message per abandoned shopping cart or specific time frame to avoid appearing pushy or spam-like.
Take inspiration from Knix and incorporate a genuine sense of urgency in your abandoned cart messages, as demonstrated in their effective SMS approach. The company reminds customers that the products in their basket are in high demand and may sell out before they return to complete their purchase. Notice how the message remains succinct yet crystal clear about the time-sensitive nature of the offer.
Direct customer feedback is absolutely vital for brands that want to improve and grow sustainably. Critical questions you need answered include: Are your clients genuinely satisfied with the services you provide? Was their previous interaction with your brand positive and memorable? Would they confidently recommend you to friends and colleagues?
Strategic SMS surveys enable you to gather honest customer opinions efficiently, allowing you to refine your approach and ensure you’re consistently meeting their evolving needs and expectations.
Google provides an excellent example of this strategy by sending surveys to users following their interactions with customer service agents to ensure satisfaction with their support experiences. You can implement similar feedback collection by sending surveys within the context of ongoing conversations, such as at the conclusion of a support interaction. Users can respond to in-conversation surveys with a range of response options based on the specific questions you ask. Consider tracking CSAT and NPS to quantify satisfaction and loyalty over time.
We’ve all experienced this frustrating scenario: placing an online order and then anxiously awaiting its arrival, compulsively checking shipment status multiple times throughout the day. You can eliminate this anxiety for your customers by keeping them informed with proactive SMS shipping status updates so they don’t have to hunt for tracking information themselves.
Why do shipping updates matter for customer satisfaction? Sending these proactive notifications demonstrates your enthusiasm for customer service and your commitment to keeping customers informed throughout their purchase journey while they eagerly await their orders. It also increases repeat purchase intent by reinforcing trust with clear, timely order tracking via text.
Starting a profitable paid text subscription service can provide you with a reliable additional revenue stream and create a new, more personal channel where you can interact directly with your most engaged audience members. As you grow, measure success with a simple dashboard: subscriber growth, revenue per subscriber, click-through rate on links, reply rate, and churn; then optimize topics, timing, and pricing based on what the data shows.
The process is straightforward when you follow the proven steps: find a topic you’re genuinely passionate about and knowledgeable in, create consistently valuable content that solves real problems, and engage authentically with your subscribers. Most importantly, choose an SMS marketing tool that makes automating texts and managing contacts ridiculously easy (I’m strategically going to leave this 14-day free trial here for you to explore). For enhanced search visibility, consider adding HowTo and FAQ schema to your setup guide and Person schema for your case studies.
If you have any questions about setting up your texting subscription service or need guidance on SMS marketing strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable team seven days a week by clicking on the blue chat button at the bottom of your screen.
This article was originally published March 16, 2023. It was updated and revised August 30, 2023. Agnee Ghosh and Nathan Ellering contributed to this piece. We review statistics quarterly and update platform/compliance guidance regularly to keep this resource current.
Drew Wilkinson is the Head of Marketing at SimpleTexting. Drew has more than a decade of experience managing successful integrated marketing programs to build brands, raise awareness, and generate demand.
More Posts from Drew WilkinsonWhen Facebook took away the ability to send promotional messages through Messenger, Dad Bod Health turned to SMS.
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