If you’re planning to launch a text to win sweepstakes, there are a few things you may need to learn. Fortunately, a short and simple explanation is all that’s needed to help you understand some of the new terms you might come across as you explore the world of SMS marketing.
Here is a quick text to win terms glossary in plain-English to help you understand exactly what that text sweepstakes lingo means.
1. SMS
SMS is short for “Short Message Service.” SMS is the global protocol used for sending and receiving text messages. “SMS message” is also another way of saying “text message.”
2. Keyword or Sweepkey
A Keyword or Sweepkey is the word your entrants will text in order to interact with your text to win campaign. Here at Sweeppea, we refer to Keywords as Sweepkeys. The majority of the time a Sweepkey is used to join a text to win campaign. In this example, “summer” is the sweepey: “Text SUMMER to 65047 for a chance to win a summer getaway!”
However, a user may use also a Sweepkey to interact with your follow-up promotions after they’ve entered your text to win campaign.
3. Short Code
A Short Code is a 5- or 6-digit phone number that users send text messages to in order to join or interact with your SMS marketing campaign. Our short code is 65047.
4. Call to Action
A Call to Action is a sentence that informs users of the Sweepkey and Short Code combination that is required in order to subscribe to or interact with your text to win campaign.
Example: “Text ENTERTOWIN to 65047 to join our text to win sweepstakes.”
In the previous example, ENTERTOWIN is the Sweepkey or Keyword and 65047 is the Short Code.
5. Opt-in or Opt-out
SMS marketing is a “permission-based” activity. This means that every user must give their permission in order for you to send them text messages. A user opts in or subscribes by sending a text message (based on your call to action above). They then get an automatic reply text confirming they’ve entered or subscribed. Once they’ve opted in and see the appropriate disclaimers, you have permission to send them text messages.
When a user wants to stop receiving marketing messages from your company, they can send an Opt-out text to easily unsubscribe or stop receiving. An Opt-out text means the user is withdrawing their permission for you to send them text messages. An industry standard is to use the word “STOP” as to opt out keyword. This means all the user has to do is send a text (or reply to a text from that number) with the word STOP. They will then receive an auto reply confirming they’ve opted out and will no longer receive texts.
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