Choosing a keyword for SMS marketing is an important step of a campaign that can affect your success.
A keyword what your subscriber will text to a 5 or 6 digit shortcode to join your list.
Example: "Text KEYWORD to 83936 for VIP Specials and Offers.
" A short keyword that is in-line with your business brand can lead to higher opt-ins and ultimately higher campaign ROI.
Tips on choosing a SMS marketing keyword for your next campaign- 1.
Keep It Short: Long keywords are prone to error when customers type them into their phones.
Keep it between 3 to 10 characters and all one word.
If customers know your business as a nick name or shorter version or your business name, use this for your keyword.
2.
Letters Only: Numbers in keywords are confusing especially if you are verbally telling your customers your call to action.
Same goes for special characters that are hard to type using a phone and will lead to mistakes.
3.
Branding: Keeping your keyword in line with your business will help keep a consistent image across all marketing platforms.
Don't use a keyword that your customers have never heard or it not used in your business name or an item or service you sell.
4.
Segment Your Marketing: You can use different keywords to test your reach of different marketing efforts.
Use one keyword for social media call to actions and a different keyword for print advertising.
You will then easily be able to see from your account dashboard which keywords have higher opt-ins and focus your future efforts there.
5.
Don't Re-Use: If you use a keyword for a contest, don't re-use that keyword for a text-2-offer campaign.
Even though the contest may have expired, customers may want to also opt-in to your new text 2 offer campaign and they will not be able to because they are already subscribed.
Also promotions have a way of staying on the internet and other places long after expiration and this will lead to confusion.
If you choose a keyword in haste and in hindsight it does not work for your marketing plans, get it changed.
Don't let your keyword stand in the way of a great campaign.
Having the correct keyword does make a difference in opt-in rates, customer interaction and ROI.
Remember to think of keywords that your customers already associate with your business and keywords that are easy to remember and spell.