How To Send SMS Messages To WordPress Subscribers

• Updated on: 2020-08-22
• Read original article here

How To Send SMS Messages To WordPress Subscribers
By Lindsay Liedke
With over 1.3 billion – yes billion ­– users on Facebook Messenger alone, it’s no wonder more online businesses are looking to connect to their audience via SMS messages. After all, staying in contact with people once they leave your WordPress site is one of the best ways to forge long-lasting relationships and generate more sales .
But how do you send SMS messages using WordPress?
While there are many ways to send an SMS message to a site visitor that has subscribed to your WordPress website, we’ve found that one of the easiest ways is to use SendinBlue , an exceptional email service provider you might already be using.
So, let’s take a look at the benefits SMS messaging provides website owners and how to get in on the texting action.
What is SMS messaging?
SMS messaging, better known as text messaging, is a way to communicate with others using technology (such as a phone, tablet, or app) and written text.
In other words, rather than pick up the phone and give someone a ring, you can just pick up your phone or other device and send someone a written message instead.
SMS messaging comes with plenty of benefits. For example, it’s:
Useful – even for businesses – 80% of professionals claim they use text for business purposes, text messaging offers an easy way to communicate with others.
Fast – if you’re the type of person that loves to text all day long, you don’t want it to take forever. After all, the average American sends and receives about 32 texts a day , and that’s on the low end. Adding to that, people can check their text messages quicker than almost any other form of communication, even email.
Convenient – the great thing about SMS messaging is that it doesn’t (usually) disrupt what you’re doing in the moment. It also doesn’t require you to actually talk to people (the horror I know!), which is appealing to many. And, as a result, 60% of consumers check their text messages within 1-5 minutes.
Effective – when it comes to businesses using SMS messaging to target their customers, they typically see engagement rates 6-8 times higher than that of email and coupon redemptions at a rate of 70-80%.
How an online business can use SMS messaging
Not convinced of the value SMS messaging has for an online business? Check out these neat ways you can take advantage of SMS messaging:
Instant sign up confirmations
Discount codes and sales promotions
Notifications of new site content
eCommerce alerts (e.g., purchase, delivery, and billing information)
Email reminders
And so much more
As you can see, no matter which end of an SMS message you’re on, there are benefits to be had. Now let’s see how to use SendinBlue to help you send SMS messages to your WordPress subscribers.
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How to send SMS messages using WordPress (and SendinBlue)
SendinBlue is a great email marketing provider that also happens to let website owners just like you send SMS messages to people that have subscribed to your email list.
Step 1: Enable SMS messaging
If you haven’t already, the first thing you’ll have to do is create a SendinBlue account. Luckily, SendinBlue is an affordable email marketing service that comes with a generous free plan to get started.
Once inside your account, you’ll need to enable SMS messaging. To do this, click on the (+) at the top of your account’s dashboard.
Next, toggle on the SMS Campaigns feature to begin sending SMS messages to your subscribers.
Step 2: Input mobile numbers and buy SMS credits
Before you begin creating your first SMS messaging campaign, you’ll have to do two things:
Make sure the mobile numbers of your subscribers have been added to your contact list
Purchase SMS credits that will reduce by one for every message you send
To make sure the mobile numbers of your subscribers have been added to your SendinBlue contacts list, click the Contacts tab in your account. Then, under the SMS column, see that the numbers are there.
Remember, the way to collect mobile numbers is to gather that information during the opt-in process using an exceptional WordPress opt-in form plugin like Thrive Leads . Just make sure that any person you send an SMS message to has also opted in to receive these types of messages.
Next, click the Get more credits link in your account to purchase SMS credits.
Choose the number of credits you’d like to buy and complete your purchase. Keep in mind that when you purchase SMS credits, it can take up to 48 hours for them to activate within your account. This means it may take a while for you to actually be able to send a message to users.
Step 3: Create an SMS campaign
To create your first SMS messaging campaign, click the Create my first SMS campaign button.
On the next page, you’ll be able to fill out the following:
Campaign name
SMS message
Sending interval
You’ll also be able to send a test message to make sure everything looks the way you want it to before sending the actual message live to all your subscribers.
Click Next Step and select the contact list you’d like to send SMS messages to. You can also choose to segment a portion of your contact list or exclude those that are unengaged with your email campaigns so you don’t waste credits on those that likely won’t open your message.
Lastly, review your campaign and click Schedule. You can either send the message now or schedule it for a later date.
If you choose to send it now, confirm one last time and voila, your first SMS message will be queued to send.
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Wrapping up
And there you have it! You now know how to send SMS messages to WordPress subscribers using the popular, and quite affordable, SendinBlue service.
Keeping in touch with site visitors after they’ve subscribed to your WordPress site and have left is crucial if you want them coming back for more. And, while email continues to prove itself as one of the best marketing strategies for boosting site traffic, conversions, and sales, there’s no denying the power that SMS messages have on your site visitors’ desire to seek out more of what you have to offer.
So, take advantage of SMS messaging and reach out to your subscribers in new and exciting ways. If you do, you’ll find your success multiplying in ways you never thought possible.