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MMS vs. SMS: Which is Best for Text Message Marketing?
Is MMS or SMS the better option for your small business's text message marketing campaign?
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Text messages are a daily part of our lives and — if you don’t already — you’ve most likely considered using multimedia messaging service (MMS) and short message service (SMS) for your business. However, you might not be sure exactly how an SMS differs from an MMS. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re two different ways to send text messages and depending on your text message marketing goals, one may be a better fit than the other.
At the simplest level, an SMS is a text message and an MMS is a text message with an accompanying picture, video or audio file. While they both can benefit your business, it’s important to understand their strengths and weaknesses so you can choose the best option for a successful text message marketing campaign.
What is SMS?
SMS stands for Short Message Service. An SMS is a stand-alone text message containing nothing but text. You can’t send pictures, video or audio files with an SMS message — and each message is limited to 160 characters.
SMS is one of the oldest texting technologies. Although the technology behind it has changed little in the last 30 years, SMS is still widely used and businesses consider it an important communications tool.
When to use SMS
“SMS is widely used because of its simplicity, cost-effectiveness and broad compatibility,” said Amber Gaige, founder of Far Beyond Marketing. “SMS is typically less expensive than MMS, making it an attractive option for small businesses with limited budgets.”
But, as SMS messages have strict character limits and lack the dynamic appeal of MMS, they are better for short, straightforward messages that include easy-to-digest information that the customer needs to know now. “Go with SMS for speed and simplicity,” said Ioana Sima, marketing director at Textmagic.com. “SMS is great for quick updates, reminders and transactional messages where brevity and speed are key.”
Consider using SMS for:
- Time-sensitive notifications and alerts
- Order confirmation and delivery updates
- Loyalty program information and promos
- Discount codes
- Flash sales
- Appointment reminders
- Password resets and two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Concise, cost-effective bulk campaigns
What is MMS?
MMS launched in 2002 but didn’t become popular until around 2010 when smartphones began outselling old-fashioned feature phones. It uses similar technology to the SMS protocol but allows you to send and receive text with additional media like images, GIFs, videos, audio clips and so on.
There is no technical limitation on the number of text characters in an MMS. However, many providers impose limits on the number of characters — although these limits still permit far more than the number you can send with an SMS.
When to use MMS
While SMS limits you to short, text-based messages, MMS provides more flexibility and creativity in the way you communicate with your clients. “MMS supports images, GIFs and longer messages, allowing for more engaging, creative content,” said Jamal Miller, senior director of product marketing at Intuit Mailchimp. “It can help establish an emotional connection and make your brand feel more personable.”
The ability to include visual communications is what makes MMS worth the extra cost compared to SMS. You can capture more attention than a line of text and also show off enticing aspects of your visual brand, such as your product label design or logo.
“MMS works best for campaigns that require visual appeal, such as product launches, event promotions or seasonal marketing,” said Gaige. “For example, a restaurant could use MMS to send a photo of its newest dish, while a boutique might share a video showcasing its latest arrivals.”
MMS is best suited for:
- New product launches
- Seasonal promotions
- Demos and tutorials
- Event invites
- Highlighting features or services
- Storytelling
- Competitions
- Mobile coupons and quick response codes
- Birthday or anniversary messages
- Limited, targeted campaigns
SMS vs. MMS pros and cons
Both SMS and MMS can be leveraged as part of an effective text message marketing strategy. The best way to use business texting depends on your budget, marketing goals and target audience. Understanding the pros and cons of SMS and MMS can help you determine the right strategy for your campaign.
“It’s crucial to understand the most strategic tactics to win over consumers,” said Miller. “Finding the right text message approach is one method to help small businesses stay connected and engage with their customers.”
Advantages of SMS
- Because SMS messages have a 160-character limit, they typically are concise, which makes them easier for the recipient to understand.
- Sending an SMS message costs less than sending an MMS message.
- Most United States mobile phone service providers offer unlimited texting plans, so your subscribers will not have to pay to send or reply to SMS text messages.
Disadvantages of SMS
- The 160-character limit of SMS restricts what you can say in marketing text messages. You can send longer messages but, depending on the recipient’s service provider and handset, your message may be broken up into smaller messages, which can annoy the receiver.
- SMS messages do not allow you to send photos or videos. Some providers don’t allow you to use emojis with SMS either. This limits how creative you can be, which means that your message could get lost in the crowd of other text messages your customers receive.
Advantages of MMS
- You can send much longer messages within an MMS (subject to the specific service provider’s texting restrictions). This means you can share more deals and offers with subscribers as well as monitor how they respond through trackable links back to your website.
- MMS enables you to include pictures and videos in your messages, which may help grab recipients’ attention. You can also be more creative with your messaging by including audio files, emojis, GIFs and more.
Disadvantages of MMS
- MMS messages cost more to send than SMS messages. If you want to use MMS instead of SMS, expect to at least triple the marketing budget you allocate to texting.
- Some people don’t have MMS messaging enabled in their cell phone plans, so they won’t be able to receive your messages.
- You might need to hire someone to create the photos or videos for your MMS messaging, which will add to the costs of a texting campaign.
SMS vs. MMS FAQs
Tom Anziano and David Gargaro contributed to this article.
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