The ultimate mobile marketing glossary

Every business and industry has its own language. Mobile marketing is no different. In fact, it has a lot of lingo and acronyms you need to know.

If you want to use SMS marketing to promote a product, or you’re thinking about launching an app, it helps to know the terms of the trade.

To that end, here’s a quick guide to 98 terms that will help you navigate the world of mobile marketing.

A

A2P: Refers to Application to Person mobile messaging. This occurs when a software application is responsible for sending a text message to someone. 

API: Stands for Application Programming Interface. It is part of a server that receives requests and sends responses when you interact with web pages.  With SimpleTexting’s SMS API, you can access many of SimpleTexting’s features from within your own platform or application.

Appointment reminders: An automated message to a contact reminding them of an upcoming event or appointment scheduled. 

Apps: Applications are small programs that can be downloaded onto your mobile device. They are developed to serve a specific function from gaming to acting as a mini version of a business’ website. 

Auto-confirmation message: The message each new contact receives after texting in your keyword. This message includes information like your business name, estimated message frequency, and instructions on how to unsubscribe.

Autoresponders: Text messages that are sent automatically after a contact joins your list. 

ASO: ASO stands for App Store Optimization. It describes the process of improving your app’s visibility within the app stores and ultimately works to help you increase your app conversion rates

Away message: Text message templates you can turn on and off. These messages can serve as out-of-office messages or auto-replies if you choose to not utilize your inbox.  

B

Bulk SMS: One text message that is sent to tens, hundreds, or thousands of contacts at once. Also known as mass messaging, or group text without reply all. 

Business texting: SMS messaging used primarily for 1-on-1, non-marketing purposes such as customer service or informational messaging. 

C

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL): The Canadian version of the TCPA. The goal of this legislation is to protect Canadian citizens from spam and malware while also supporting a competitive, innovative economy. The CASL describes rules for anyone who wants to send Commercial Electronic Messages, or CEMs, to recipients in Canada.

Campaign: The SimpleTexting term for a singular bulk SMS message.  

Carrier: A wireless service provider that gives cell phones and other devices cellular connectivity. SimpleTexting’s services support all major US and Canadian carriers. 

Character: Form of measurement for how much text is included in a typed message, like a text. Characters include letters, numbers, spaces, punctuation marks, emojis, and any other symbol available on a keyboard. 

Click-to-text button: These interactive widgets can be placed on your website via a line of code. When clicked, a user’s native texting app automatically opens up with your phone number and a pre-filled message. 

Code: Strings of directions for computer programs written in a computer-specific language like HTML. 

Compliance: The act of following the text messaging for business regulations laid out in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Primarily, this surrounds receiving consent from an individual before you text them. 

Consent: An express written affirmation from an individual who agrees to receive text messages from your business.

Contact: An individual who has given you express, written consent to send them text messages.  

CTIA: The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). They’re responsible for creating and enforcing a guide on Messaging Principles and Best Practices.

Customer experience: A sum of the interactions a customer has with your business that goes on to influence their overall perception of your brand. 

Custom fields: Custom fields allow you to personalize your messages by adding a placeholder, such as [first name], [last name], or [business name] that is filled in with your recipient’s information when sent.  

Customer segments: Lists or divisions of contacts into groups based on common behaviors and interests.

D

Data collection: A SimpleTexting feature that allows you to automatically collect information like contacts’ names, email addresses, etc. This information can then be used to autofill custom fields in future campaigns. 

DAU: Daily Active Users are a popular engagement measurement that refers to the unique amount of users who are “active” on your platform each day.

Dedicated short code: A 5 to 6-digit number, exclusive to your business, used to send SMS or MMS messages. Dedicated short codes can be provisioned from the Common Short Code Administration from $1,000 a month. 

Drip campaign: A set of text messages scheduled to send out automatically.

Duplicates: A feature that allows you to duplicate previously sent campaigns. 

E

Email marketing: A form of internet marketing that uses emails to promote products, share information, and communicate with multiple people at once.

Emoji: Small pictographs of items and emotions ranging from smiley faces to foods, animals, flags, and hundreds of other fun items 😏.

Express written consent: Permission given by someone on paper or electronically to receive marketing messages sent using an autodialer. This is required if you intend to send someone mass messages. 

F

Federal Communications Commission (FCC): The FCC regulates media and phone communications in the U.S. You mostly know them from setting TV ratings. They set the wireless carriers’ regulations, and issue the rules and orders implementing the TCPA.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC collects complaints about business theft, deception, and violence through the media. They crack down on businesses that use texts, calls, or faxes to scam people.

G

GIF: Also known as Graphics Interchange Format. It’s a type of file that can be best described as a soundless “moving” photo. 

Graphic generator: Our free tool that helps you create CTIA compliant graphic advertising your text marketing service. 

H

HTML: Stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is considered to be the standard markup language for creating things like web pages and apps.

I

Implied consent: You obtain consent when a person provides contact information through an existing business or non-business relationship or discloses or publicly publishes their info.

Integration: A connection between two different software tools that allow them to perform together as a direct result of a triggering activity. For example, our Mailchimp integration allows you to automatically send a welcome message to new email contacts who provide their phone number and express written consent. 

J

JPEG: Stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group”. It is a common image format that compresses a photo into a manageable size while maintaining high quality. 

K

Keyword: A word, phrase, or other combination of numbers and letters that allows people to receive SMS marketing and communications messages.

L

Link: Short for a hyperlink. Clicking on it brings you to a webpage or third-party application. 

Link tracking: The act of observing the number of clicks on any given link you sent out via text, email, or social media post. 

Long code: An SMS long code is a standard, 10-digit number. Just like a short code, it can be used to send SMS messages. With a long code, your company can use the same number to send SMS messages and place calls. That makes long codes perfect for providing a personalized customer service experience.

M

Mass texting: See definition for bulk SMS. 

Message and data rates: Cell phone plans come with a certain allowance of texts and data. When those limits are exceeded any given month then the standard message rates and data charges from the contact’s carrier could apply when sending and/or receiving texts. Many plans nowadays are unlimited making this less of an issue. 

Messaging providers: The groups, like SimpleTexting, that make text marketing possible.

Mobile sign-up widget: Similar to the click-to-text button, this widget can also be placed on your website via a pre-written line of code. Visitors to your mobile site who click the button are automatically redirected to their texting app with your number and keyword pre-filled.  

MMS: MMS stands for “Multimedia Messaging Service”. MMS messaging was developed to elevate your texting by sending messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile devices.

MMS marketing: A method of mobile advertising that uses MMS, or Multimedia Messaging Service, to send enhanced text messages.

N

NPS survey: Short for Net Promoter Score, NPS surveys take the form of a single survey question asking folks to rate the likelihood that they would recommend a company, product, or service to someone. 

O

Opt-in confirmation: The first text message a contact receives upon opting in to receive text messages from a business. The message confirms the subscription, reiterates the business’ identity, anticipates message frequency and the fact that message and data rates may apply, and directions on how to opt out. SimpleTexting takes care of confirmation messages for you automatically. 

Opt-out: This refers to the action of unsubscribing from a business’s text messages. 

P

P2P: Refers to Person-to-person mobile messaging. The most common form of P2P is text messaging. 

PNG: Stands for “Portable Graphics Format”. Like JPEG, it is another common image format and tends to be the preferred of the two. 

Promotional messages: Messages sent with the purpose of increasing sales, promoting your product, or raising awareness about your business.

Push notification: A pop-up message from an app that appears as a notification on your mobile device. Most commonly they deliver breaking news, show sports scores, or announce coupons. 

Q

QR code: A QR code is a type of barcode made specifically for “quick reading” on mobile devices.  

R

RCS: Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an end-to-end software platform and IP-based messaging service. RCS is relatively new and still developing. But the technology is poised to replace traditional SMS and MMS messaging and redefine the application-to-person business space.

Recurring campaigns: Messages you can set up to send on a recurring basis. Unlike a scheduled campaign, which only sends once at a predetermined time in the future, recurring campaigns will continue to send until you stop them or a specific end date you’ve set is reached.

Rich Communication Services: RCS is an end-to-end software platform and IP-based messaging service. Although still relatively new, it is poised to replace traditional SMS and MMS messaging and redefine the application-to-person business space.

Rich media: Rich media includes content that is more complex than text, like photos, videos, and audio. These elements can only be sent via MMS messaging and they encourage viewers to interact and engage with messages. 

ROI: Also known as a return on investment, your ROI is a performance measure that shows you how much an investment has earned you (compared to what you had to spend).

S

Scam text message: The fraudulent solicitation of personal information through the use of text messaging.

Scheduled texts: Text messages you can write in advance, and schedule to send at a later day or time. 

SDK: Software Development Kits are the origination sources for almost every modern program. Similar to an API, SDKs include the tools, libraries, relevant documentation, code samples, processes, and or guides that allow developers to create software applications on a specific platform.

Segments: Contact sub-groups that allow you to send more highly targeted messages. For example, if data on zip codes is collected from new contacts, you can create a segment for each geographic area. 

Short code provisioning: The process of activating the short code (aka “phone number”) with each wireless carrier so messages can be sent to customers in areas around the world. To have your short code provisioned, you must file paperwork with the wireless carriers explaining how you intend to use the short code. 

SMPP: The SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer) is a protocol used by providers across the telecommunications industry for exchanging SMS text messages over the Internet.

SMS: Also known as short Message Service. Short Message Service is a special communications protocol created for the purpose of sending and receiving text messages over cellular networks.

SMS character limit: The maximum amount of characters allowed in a single text message. The typical character limit for an SMS message is 160 characters. However, MMS messages with SimpleTexting have a character limit of up to 1600 characters.

SMS credit: SimpleTexting’s pricing structure allows you to purchase credits that can be exchanged for SMS or MMS messages. Sending one SMS message costs one credit.  

SMS gateway: An SMS gateway or text message gateway is a device that allows for efficient communication between mobile networks and short message service (SMS) applications such as SimpleTexting.

SMS long code: A standard, 10-digit “phone” number. Just like a short code, it can be used by businesses to send SMS messages.

SMS marketing (in Canada): SMS Marketing is targeted text message campaigns that allow businesses to reach their customers with relevant information directly to their mobile devices. It is the most instantaneous form of digital marketing. SimpleTexting supports SMS Marketing with all major carriers in the USA and Canada. 

SMS short code: A short code is an easy-to-remember, 5 to 6-digit number used to send SMS or MMS messages. Users text a keyword to this number to opt-in for messages.

T

TCPA: Also known as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. This regulation stated that customers must give businesses “express written consent” before a business can legally send them text messages. 

TCR: The Campaign Registry is the central hub for registering A2P 10DLC messaging campaigns.

Team members: The SimpleTexting name for adding multiple users to your account. 

Templates: Pre-written campaigns you can save and send over and over again. 

Text Alerts: Also known as a text “blast”, this is an effective marketing tactic aimed at reaching multiple people simultaneously. Programs like SimpleTexting allow you to send up to thousands of texts at once with a text alert. 

Text language: Slang typically associated with text messages. Most commonly, text language takes the form of various abbreviations. 

Text message marketing: A channel of communication that enables two-way, 1 on 1 communication with your consumers via SMS messaging. It is a common and effective tool for building relationships with existing or prospective clients. 

Text template: A premade or pre-written text specific to your industry or needs. In some cases, in the instance of autofill material, these text templates can contain control blocks or fragments of program code. 

Text-to-vote: Polls delivered via text where respondents are asked to reply with their selection A,B,C, and so on. The votes are automatically tallied and can be monitored in real-time. 

Text-to-win: Our feature that hosts text-based contests. Simply create a keyword, instruct entrants to text it in, and we’ll automatically select a winner from the pool when the contest is completed. 

Toll-free number: A telephone number that can be called free of charge, no matter the distance. It is identified by a three-digit code (think 1-800, or 888). If you choose a toll-free number with SimpleTexting, remember to have it verified to avoid traffic disruptions from carriers.

Transactional messages: Transactional texts usually contain additional information that customers have requested. For example, if during a checkout process users are given a prompt that says “Provide your mobile number for shipping and delivery updates,” they provide consent by entering their numbers.

Triggers: Also known as sub-keywords, triggers are automated messages sent when a subsequent keyword is texted in after the auto-confirmation message is received.

Two-Way Messaging: The ability to both send and receive text messages. 

U

Unsubscribe: See the definition for “opt-out”. 

URL: The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a set of directions that allows people to find a webpage. It always includes a domain name (like simpletexting.net) along with other information (simpletexting.net/features) to complete the address. 

UI: Short for user interface, UI refers to the design of a program. It encompasses all the forward-facing aspects of a site or product that you (the user) see. Ex: typography, color schemes, visual design, etc.

UX: Short for user experience, UX refers to the technical aspects of how a product/site performs. Ex: wireframes and prototypes, user research, information architecture, etc.  

V

Vanity short code: A 5-6 digit phone number that is customized by the business or brand. This is the number that people will use to text your business and it is exclusive to you. The Common Short Code Administration licenses these from $1,000/month. 

Virtual SMS: Think of this as a virtual phone number. Folks can’t call it like a landline, but the number can both send and receive text messages for your business (all without incurring international charges). 

W

Web form: A customizable form you can copy and paste onto your website to help gather more SMS contacts. 

Wireless networking: Cell phone’s ability to access the Internet without a physical network connection. 

Z

Zapier:  An online automation tool that allows you to connect programs (like SimpleTexting) with over 1,000 popular apps (like Gmail, Slack, MailChimp, and more). 

#

10DLC: 10DLC, also known as a local number, is a messaging solution that allows businesses to send a high volume of SMS from a number with an area code local to your business.

Note: If you choose a local number with us, you’ll need to have it registered to make sure your messages don’t get disrupted.

The wrap on our mobile marketing glossary

Now that you know these terms, you’ll be more prepared to communicate with your team, learn from other blog posts, and take control of your mobile and text marketing campaigns.