Benefits of having a dedicated shortcode

A short code consists of 5 to 6 digits which can be used to send and receive text messages. Through the help of short codes, businesses can ask consumers to be a part of their SMS loyalty program and send them promotions and offers. Long code, on the other hand, is a regular phone number, about 10 digits long, which can be used to send messages or place calls both locally and internationally. A short code is either a shared short code and or dedicated short code. The latter short code is more of a premium which requires the customer to pay monthly based on the type of short code chosen.

Dedicated short code and shared short code

A dedicated code is a number which can only be used by one business for their SMS campaign. For example, if a small local restaurant has opted for a dedicated short code 545656 to send and receive texts from their customers, then the code can only be used by them. A shared short code, on the other hand, is one that can be used by a business and is also used by several other businesses on an SMS Marketing Platform. A shared short code is not specific to one business or company but is being used by various companies. A dedicated code is most commonly used by businesses for branding themselves.

Vanity short code and random short code

SMS short codes can also be differentiated between a vanity short code and a random short code. First looking at vanity short code and its types, there are 3 kinds of vanity short code. A vanity short code is a number, 5 to 6 digits long but it tends to hold meaning. The first kind of vanity short code is one with repetition such as 505050 where numbers are repeated. The second kind of vanity code is one which represents something. For example, if a pharmacy is open 24/7, it can opt for a vanity short code 247247 which represents it is open throughout the day and week. The third type of vanity short code tends to spell out a word through the phone keypad. For example, if a company wants to promote its deals it would use the short code 33257.

Random short codes, on the other hand, are fairly easy to understand since they refer to their literal meaning. A random short code is just a random number that can end up being a short code for any business. Like a number 45072 is a random short code which has no meaning and it does not represent anything. Both vanity and random short codes can be dedicated or shared codes depending on the company.

Benefits of a dedicated code

With more than two-thirds of the world using a mobile phone, it has become easier for businesses to start using text message marketing. A dedicated code used by a business exclusively represents it to the consumers. The main benefit of a dedicated code is that once it is chosen by a business, no other company can use it. This helps in making the code unique for that one business only and also helps the customers in remembering it as well. Not only does the short code market the business through SMS texts but also raises brand awareness in the market. Moreover, to make the short code entirely linked to the company, a vanity short code could be used as a dedicated code. While it would represent a meaning, it would also remain identifiable with the same company only. A pizzeria could use the code 74992 for PIZZA to send and receive special deals to their customers. The number would then remain in the use of that pizzeria and another one could not use it.

Easy to remember and type

A short code is only 5 to 6 digits long, which means it is easier to remember. Moreover, a short number is also convenient to type rather than a long one which makes a dedicated code a popular choice with various businesses and companies. The main benefit of a dedicated short code is that customers remember the code of the business and can also type out the code when they want to join a businesses text to join campaign. Customers prefer something that is easy for them to do and a dedicated short code is exactly what they need. A customer can easily remember that a short code 12345 belongs to a calling company and will thus find it easier to use and send texts too. Moreover, a vanity short code also helps in remembering the code. A repetitive vanity short code can also be a dedicated code of a company. A clothing company can opt for a code 606060 which customers can remember and type easily while also knowing that it belongs to that company only.

Cheap and quick to use

When it comes to SMS marketing, dedicated short code cost isn’t on the high side and it is the cheapest method to use for raising brand awareness in consumers. Mass text messaging is not costly when compared to other traditional marketing methods since the cost of a text decreases as the total volume of texts increase for a business. It is inexpensive for both large and small businesses and also quick. If a business has to send its text to a large number of people, it can simply type out the message once, select from the list of subscribed customers and just press the send button. Mobile networks have also improved over time making sure that texts are sent and received as soon as possible. This has made it possible for hundreds to thousands of texts to be sent within seconds making it a highly fast way of sending out messages to clients.  If there is a flash sale at a clothing store it can send a text blast using a short code and inform customers quickly so they can reach the store in time for the sale.

Unlimited keywords

Unlike shared short codes, a dedicated code allows the business to choose an unlimited amount of keywords to raise brand awareness. This helps the company to try and test various keywords to see which one gets the best response from the public. Keywords play an important role in gaining the attention of customers and with bulk text messaging available at a cheaper price it is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different keywords. A marketing company using a short code 627538 for MARKET can test its keywords on clients by sending different messages and gauging response accordingly.

Two-way texting

Using a dedicated code allows customers to interact with the business as well. If a business sends a text to its customers, they have the option to reply back as well. It serves a great benefit to the business since this helps in gaining feedback from clients through an easy and fast medium of text messaging. If a clothing company requires feedback from its clients, it can send out surveys through text messages to a list of customers through the short code 405060. The customers will have the option of replying back with either a yes or a no on that code after reading the survey. This makes the dedicated code an interactive form of communicating with the clients since they can also provide feedback or text on the short code for queries.

Conclusion

A dedicated SMS short code is one of the cheapest and best methods to communicate with customers through text messages. SMS marketing is a very popular way to gain the attention of clients and a dedicated short code makes it easier to do so. With a code that can only be used by one company, it makes it easier for people to recognize the brand with the short code being used by it. Moreover, a vanity short code used alongside a dedicated short code also helps in making the code unique while representing the business as well. Moreover, with using a dedicated short code, a business has an option of trying out multiple keywords on its clients without having to pay a heavy price. Mass texting through a dedicated code is cheaper to do so. A dedicated code also makes sure that clients remember the code since it is only 5 to 6 digits long. Clients can also save the short code in their contact list making it easier for them to recognize who is texting them. A vanity short code can help more in this case since it is catchy and represents the company with the help of a few digits. The most important aspect of a dedicated code is the option for the customer to reply back making the marketing method a two-way communication. Companies can gain important feedback and queries from their clients easily.

If you are ready to get your own dedicated code and start sending branded text messages for your business, kindly visit Expresstext.net to get dedicated short code pricing today.