Short codes and long codes for SMS communication both offer certain
advantages to businesses. Both types of codes may be utilized as part of
an SMS marketing strategy.
Many businesses, when putting
together an SMS marketing strategy, debate about whether to utilize a
long code or a short code for inbound customer interactions. Both types
of codes have strengths and drawbacks that companies should consider
before making their choice.
Short Codes and Long Codes: What They Are
Short codes are five or six-digit codes that customers type into their
mobile phones in order to initiate contact with a business. For
instance, if a company is offering a consumer poll with three possible
responses, each response may have its own attached short code number.
Consumers will choose their response and then send a text message to the
code that matches their response. The company then has their
information and can, depending on customer preferences, send marketing
materials to the customer via SMS. Long codes, on the other hand, are
the same length as a traditional telephone number. While long codes are
not as memorable for marketing purposes, they do have some advantages in
terms of functionality and cost.
Short Codes: Pros and Cons
Pros: People will easily remember the short code number, particularly
if the number is flashed for a few instants on television or on a screen
at a large event. Because of the high response rates, these numbers may
generate significant amounts of revenue.
Cons: Short codes are
expensive and take a while to set up and have no voice capabilities.
Also, consumers may pay premium charges for sending text messages to
short codes. Short codes are also short-term; companies lease them for a
short amount of time and then return them, in a sense, to the Common
Short Code Administration. In addition, short codes have not always been
able to process high volumes of incoming customer messages, and they
cannot be used internationally. Short codes are monitored by carriers,
and, if carriers do not like their content, then they can drop the short
code at any time.
Long Codes: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Long codes are inexpensive and easy to obtain; for example, a long code
campaign can be up and running within 24 hours. Also, long codes are
scalable in terms of throughput, meaning that they can handle a high
messaging volume. Long codes can be used internationally and can access
Google Voice and other VoIP-powered mobiles. Long codes can be
exclusively assigned, which makes them ideal for long-term marketing
campaigns. Customers will not have to pay premium charges when they send
a text message to a long code.
Cons: Long codes are not as
easy for customers to memorize. Because these numbers are not as
memorable, they are generally not effective for short-term campaigns
designed to generate a great deal of revenue.
Short codes are
ideal for media and for voting. Short codes are also effective if a
company wants to generate revenue from an advertising campaign. Long
codes are better for call centers that traffic customer feedback or
customer complaints. Also, long codes tend to be better for business
applications, like package tracking. Companies can take advantage of
both types of codes as a part of their mobile marketing strategy.