For when you need to send a little something extra- learn how and when to attach a PDF to a text.
Portable document format, or PDF, is the digital equivalent to handing someone a physical piece of paper. PDFs almost always include text, but they can also feature images and hyperlinks.
PDFs are a great way to share information in a clean, presentable way. Often one of the biggest concerns for people who switch from email marketing to texting is that they’ll lose the ability to send them.
But did you know there are actually three ways to text a PDF directly to a cell phone? Whether you’re utilizing out mass texting service or one-on-one business texting, your files can be transferred within seconds.
In this article, we’ll walk you through all three methods of texting a PDF as well as some instances where texting a PDF might come in handy.
How to Send PDF via Text – 3 Ways
As a business, you have the choice of how you’d like to connect with your audience— individually, or all at once.
We’ll get into why this matters in a moment, but first, the important thing to remember is, similar to texting videos, your attachment must not exceed 1 MB.
For most PDFs void of excessive pictures and pages, this limit shouldn’t be an issue. However, if your desired PDF does exceed that limit, free tools like Compress PDF can assist you. The advantage of sending a PDF over a photo is you send your document exactly as is, no compression or distortion on the client end. So we would urge you to use a PDF compression specific tool instead of turning your PDF into a jpeg and sending it that way.
Now, let’s jump into the instructions. For those who are using mass texting, you can opt to send PDFs as SMS or MMS…
Sending PDFs With SMS
- Begin by logging in to your SimpleTexting dashboard and starting a new campaign. Make sure you select SMS as the type.
- In your message box, select the paperclip icon.
- Select upload, and proceed to select and upload your desired PDF. You can also upload it by pasting in a URL. Once your PDF is uploaded, select it and press the blue include button.
- Your PDF will show up in your message as a link that, when clicked on, will redirect recipients to the document online.
Sending PDFs With MMS
The process of sending a PDF through MMS includes all the same steps as SMS, however, the end result isn’t a hyperlink but a physical attachment within the message. When it’s clicked on, the PDF opens within the message and can be saved just like a photo can.
- Begin by logging in to your SimpleTexting dashboard and starting a new campaign. Make sure you select MMS as the type.
- In your message box, select the paperclip icon.
- Select upload, and proceed to select and upload your desired PDF. You can also upload it by pasting in a URL. Once your PDF is uploaded, select it and press the blue include button.
- Your PDF will show up directly in your message and will open, without a need for internet connectivity, when clicked.
Sending PDFs With One-On-One Business Texting
Unlike mass texting, with one-on-one business texting, there are no mass campaigns. All your interactions live within your inbox.
- Open your inbox and either start a new message or open an existing thread.
- Select the paper clip icon below the message box
- Select upload, and proceed to select and upload your desired PDF. You can also upload it by pasting in a URL. Once your PDF is uploaded, select it and press the blue include button.
- Your PDF will show up in your message as a link that, when clicked on, will redirect recipients to the document online.
Why Text a PDF?
Why would someone want to send PDFs via text? It’s more than just convenience, it’s about changing the way you do business. The impressive open and response rates texting gets is why thousands of organizations across the country have transitioned their communications to the platform.
Attaching a PDF to a text is just another way to transition your business services to a mobile-based market.
Here are some great examples of the kinds of PDFs that customers would find beneficial to receive on their cellphones:
- Tickets for concerts, travel, or other events
- Brochures for a service or experience
- Appointment summaries
- Receipts
- Invoices
- Report cards
- Sales quotes
- Schedules
- Menus
The list isn’t exhaustive, and the possibilities are vast. Now that you know how to text a PDF, your only limits are MBs and your imagination!
