What Are Text or SMS Short Codes?
Are you curious about how to use text or SMS short codes for text marketing campaigns? Find out what your business needs to know about short codes.
Are you curious about how to use text or SMS short codes for text marketing campaigns? Find out what your business needs to know about short codes.
A short code is an abbreviated phone number that is 5 or 6 digits in length. Short codes are commonly used to send SMS and MMS messages with product discounts, passwords, text-to-win sweepstakes and more. These numbers are “short” by definition as they are designed to be easily remembered when sending a text message.
Short codes are designed for instances when a business or organization needs to send or receive a high volume of text messages in a short amount of time. Short code numbers are generally pre-approved by wireless carriers to send more messages than a long code phone number would be able to in a similar period.
Short codes are a great SMS marketing tool for sending text blasts or mass text messaging campaigns. Other common uses include:
Take a quick scroll through your messages. Have you received any promotional SMS messages from 5 or 6-digit numbers? There are all short codes! With the rise of smartphones in particular, text or SMS short codes have become more and more popular.
To subscribe to a short code message or distribution list, you have to text in an SMS keyword, or sign-up using a web form.
Think of a keyword as the secret word you need when you knock on a door. Let’s take a look at an example:
In this case, the keyword is “Burger” and the short code is “555888.” When someone texts the keyword to the short code, it’s routed through SMS marketing software. The software validates the code and responds with your specific offer or confirmation message.
There is one exception to this rule. If your company wants to send a transactional message, they don’t need consent first. In other words, there’s no need for a keyword. Transactional messages include:
There’s a fine line between transactional and promotional messages. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and get consent before sending messages.
If you no longer want to receive communications from an SMS short code, you can stop all future messages by replying with the word STOP. The sender is then obligated to cease all communications with you, just as a newsletter opt-out removes you from receiving any email communications that are unwanted.
The cost of an SMS short code service begins at a minimum of $1,000 per month plus a one-time set-up fee. This price is out-of-reach for many brands. Therefore, some short codes are shared for a cost savings benefit.
For example, it is possible that a single number represents multiple entities, such as a local office supply store and another local pet shop. This is why the opt-in keyword is so important, as it informs the SMS marketing software provider which entity the user is subscribing to. Below you’ll see an example of a shared short code—555888.
In October of 2018, AT&T announced its decision to discontinue most shared short codes. While they have not announced an exact timeline, we expect other carriers to follow suit.
That’s why we encourage customers to use toll-free numbers instead. Toll-free numbers provide all the same benefits, but they belong to you and you only. Every new SimpleTexting account comes with a dedicated toll-free number.
[Read: How to Pick the Right Number for Your SMS Marketing Efforts]
That said, if you still want to use a shared short code, we have good news! It’s still possible. AT&T and other carriers will continue to allow shared short codes, as long as all the businesses and organizations that use them are in one industry, sending similar types of messages. At SimpleTexting, we have several short codes approved for use by specific industries:
You can start sending mass texts, even without a short code. Sign up for a 14-day free trial and we’ll set you up with a toll-free number that has all the same capabilities as a short code.
If you’d like to use a shared short code, start a conversation with our onboarding team by clicking the blue chat bubble in the corner of your screen. Our team will ask you a few questions about your use case and determine if we have an appropriate short code for you!
We can also help you lease a dedicated short code. Yes—in the wireless communications industry, text short codes are leased, not sold. What you’re paying for is the exclusive right to use the number. All short codes take 6-8 weeks to be approved by the governing body and the various telecom carriers.
Two types of dedicated short codes are available: a vanity short code with a customized number and a random short code with a predetermined number that you cannot request or change. A company like SimpleTexting can help you select the right type of short code for your specific use case.
Vanity Short Codes
This is a number that you’ve chosen (if available). For example, a dance studio may choose the code 32623 which spells out DANCE.
Random Short Codes
Random short codes are exactly the same as vanity codes. The only difference is that the number is randomly generated, and costs half as much to lease.
Businesses small and large use short codes to reach their customers. Here are a few short codes you may have come across:
Short codes are not universal to every country. For example, text short codes acquired in the U.S. need to be acquired separately of short codes in Canada. The CSCA (Common Short Code Administration) is the national body that governs short codes in the United States. In Canada, this is the CWTA (Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association). If you’re located outside of either of these countries, you will be working with another governing body.
Dedicated short codes work like a charm and help your business scale. They’re the perfect solution if you want to keep in close contact with your growing customer base.
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