SMS Marketing Best Practices for 2025

Introduction

SMS marketing is one of the most powerful channels for reaching customers—with a 98% open rate and messages read within 3 minutes on average. But with great power comes great responsibility. Send the right message at the right time, and you'll see impressive engagement and sales. Send the wrong message at the wrong time, and you'll see unsubscribes and damage to your brand.

This comprehensive guide shares proven SMS marketing best practices based on what works in 2025. Whether you're just starting with SMS marketing or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, these strategies will help you drive better results while respecting your customers and staying compliant with regulations.

1. Timing: When to Send SMS

When you send your messages is just as important as what you send. Poor timing can turn a great offer into an annoying interruption.

Best Times to Send

Optimal Hours (Nigerian Time - WAT)

• 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Morning commute, people check phones
• 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Lunch break, high engagement
• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - After work, relaxed browsing

Best Days of the Week

• Tuesday - Thursday: Highest engagement rates (people are settled into the week)
• Friday: Good for entertainment, dining, weekend event promotions
• Monday: Lower engagement (people catching up from weekend)
• Weekend: Good for leisure businesses (restaurants, events) but avoid for B2B

Message Type Timing Guidelines

2. Message Content: What to Write

The Perfect SMS Structure

Good vs Bad Message Examples

Writing Best Practices

DO:

• Be Concise: Get to the point in the first 20 characters
• Use Numbers: "Save 25%" is clearer than "save money"
• Create Urgency: "Today only" or "Ends Sunday"
• Personalize: Use customer name, purchase history, or location
• Include Clear CTA: "Shop now," "Book appointment," "Reply YES"
• Use Brand Name: Identify yourself clearly
• Make It Scannable: Front-load important information
• Provide Value: Every message should benefit the recipient

DON'T:

• Use ALL CAPS: Looks like shouting and triggers spam filters
• Overuse Emojis: One or two is fine, five is obnoxious
• Include Multiple Links: One clear link is enough
• Use Spam Words: FREE, WINNER, URGENT, CLICK NOW (triggers filters)
• Be Vague: "Great deals inside" tells them nothing
• Use Tiny URLs Without Context: Suspicious-looking links reduce clicks
• Forget Opt-Out: Always include unsubscribe option
• Send Irrelevant Content: Segment your audience properly

Character Count Best Practices

3. Frequency: How Often to Send

The #1 reason people unsubscribe from SMS is too many messages. Find the right balance between staying top-of-mind and becoming annoying.

Recommended Sending Frequency

• Retail/E-commerce: 2-4 messages per month (promotional)
• Restaurants: 1-2 messages per week (daily specials, reservations)
• Healthcare: As needed for appointments + 1 health tip per month
• Real Estate: 2-3 messages per month (new listings, open houses)
• Financial Services: Unlimited transactional + 1-2 promotional per month
• Events/Entertainment: 1-2 per week during event season
• Churches: 1 per week (service reminders + special announcements)
• Schools: As needed for important updates (no promotional)

Spacing Guidelines

• Minimum Gap: Wait at least 48 hours between promotional messages
• Weekly Limit: No more than 2 promotional SMS per week
• Monthly Limit: Cap at 8 promotional messages per month
• Exception: Transactional messages (confirmations, alerts) have no limits

4. Personalization Strategies

Personalized SMS gets 26% higher response rates than generic broadcasts. Here's how to personalize effectively:

Levels of Personalization

Level 1: Basic (Name)

"Hi John, special offer just for you..."

Level 2: Behavioral (Purchase History)

"Hi John, you loved those Nike sneakers. New arrivals just in! Shop: link.com"

Level 3: Contextual (Time, Location, Occasion)

"Happy Birthday John! 🎂 Here's 20% off as our gift to you. Valid today only: link.com"

Level 4: Predictive (Based on Data)

"Hi John, you usually order lunch around now. Get 15% off your favorite meal: link.com"

Personalization Data Points to Use

• Name - First name (never last name only - too formal)
• Birthday - Send special offers on their birthday
• Purchase History - Recommend related products
• Location - Promote nearby store events
• Preferences - Category interests (shoes, electronics, etc.)
• Loyalty Status - VIP exclusive offers
• Last Purchase Date - Re-engagement campaigns
• Cart Abandonment - Remind about items left behind

5. Segmentation Best Practices

Sending the same message to everyone is a waste of money. Segment your audience for better targeting and results.

Effective Segmentation Strategies

1. Demographic Segmentation

• Age groups (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X)
• Gender (for gender-specific products)
• Location (city, state, region)
• Language preference

2. Behavioral Segmentation

• Purchase Frequency: VIP customers vs occasional buyers
• Average Order Value: High spenders vs budget shoppers
• Product Category: What they buy most often
• Engagement Level: Active vs dormant customers

3. Lifecycle Segmentation

• New Customers: Welcome series, onboarding
• Active Customers: Regular promotions, loyalty rewards
• At-Risk Customers: Re-engagement offers
• Lost Customers: Win-back campaigns

4. Engagement Segmentation

• High Engagers: More frequent, premium offers
• Medium Engagers: Standard campaign cadence
• Low Engagers: Reduced frequency, re-engagement attempts
• Never Engaged: Confirm consent, consider removing

6. Compliance & Consent

Following SMS marketing regulations isn't just about avoiding fines—it's about building trust and maintaining a quality contact list.

Consent Best Practices

Always Get Explicit Consent

Double Opt-In for Quality

Consider using double opt-in for high-value campaigns:

1. Step 1: Customer provides phone number and checks consent box
2. Step 2: Send confirmation SMS: "Reply YES to confirm subscription to ShopEase deals"
3. Step 3: Only add to list after they reply YES

Double opt-in reduces list size by ~30% but increases engagement by ~40% and drastically reduces spam complaints.

Honor Opt-Outs Immediately

• Process STOP requests within 24 hours (instantly is best)
• Send confirmation: "You've been unsubscribed. Text JOIN to re-subscribe"
• Never send marketing SMS after opt-out (transactional is OK)
• Make it easy - STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL should all work
• Don't require visiting a website to unsubscribe (illegal in many places)

Required Elements in Every SMS

• Clear Sender Identification: Use recognizable sender ID or include company name
• Opt-Out Instructions: "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" or similar
• Honest Content: No misleading claims or clickbait

Read our complete SMS Compliance Guide →

7. Testing & Optimization

The best SMS marketers continuously test and optimize their campaigns. Here's how:

A/B Testing Ideas

Test Message Content

• Subject Line Style: Question vs statement vs emoji
• Offer Format: "20% off" vs "Save ₦2,000" vs "Buy 1 Get 1"
• CTA Wording: "Shop now" vs "Claim offer" vs "Get yours"
• Urgency Level: "Today only" vs "While stocks last" vs no urgency
• Tone: Formal vs casual vs playful

Test Timing

• Morning (8-10am) vs afternoon (12-2pm) vs evening (6-8pm)
• Weekday vs weekend
• Beginning vs middle vs end of month (payday correlation)

Test Sender ID

• Company name vs product name vs shortened version
• With/without brand suffix (e.g., "ShopEase" vs "ShopEaseNG")

Test Personalization

• With name vs without name
• Generic vs behavior-based offers
• Location-specific vs general

Metrics to Track

• Delivery Rate: Messages successfully delivered (target: 95%+)
• Click-Through Rate: Percentage who clicked links (target: 3-8%)
• Conversion Rate: Percentage who completed desired action (target: 1-5%)
• Opt-Out Rate: Unsubscribes per campaign (acceptable: <0.5%)
• Response Rate: Two-way SMS engagement (varies by campaign)
• Revenue Per Message: Total revenue ÷ messages delivered
• ROI: (Revenue - Cost) ÷ Cost × 100

8. Sender ID Best Practices

Your sender ID is your brand identity in SMS. Choose wisely and use consistently.

Choosing a Sender ID

Good Sender IDs:

• Brand Name: "ShopEase" - instantly recognizable
• Abbreviated Brand: "ShopEaseNG" - adds country context
• Product/Service Name: "QuickPay" - for fintech apps
• Department Name: "XYZ-Sales" - for multi-department organizations

Bad Sender IDs:

• Generic Terms: "INFO" "SMS" "ALERT" (not unique)
• Numbers Only: "2348012345678" (looks suspicious)
• Too Long: "ShopEaseNigeria" (11 char limit, may get truncated)
• Confusing: "SH0PEASE" (zero instead of O - hard to read)

Sender ID Rules

• Maximum 11 Characters: Alphanumeric sender IDs limited to 11 chars
• Must Be Registered: All sender IDs must be approved by network operators
• No Special Characters: Letters and numbers only (no @#$%)
• Consistency: Use the same sender ID for brand recognition
• Match Your Brand: Should be your business name or closely related

Complete Sender ID Registration Guide →

9. List Management & Hygiene

A clean, engaged list is worth more than a large, unengaged one. Maintain list quality for better results and lower costs.

List Cleaning Schedule

• Monthly: Remove hard bounces (invalid numbers)
• Quarterly: Re-engage dormant subscribers or remove them
• Bi-Annually: Full list audit and re-permission campaign
• Immediately: Process opt-outs and spam complaints

Quality Over Quantity

Re-Engagement Campaigns

Before removing inactive subscribers, try to win them back:

10. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Buying Contact Lists

Mistake 2: Sending Too Frequently

Bombarding customers with daily promotional SMS is the fastest way to get blocked or unsubscribed.

Example: A restaurant sent daily specials SMS and saw 40% opt-out rate in one month. They switched to 2× per week and opt-outs dropped to 2% while engagement doubled.

Mistake 3: Not Segmenting Campaigns

Sending "Men's Shoes Sale" to your entire list including women who only buy dresses is wasteful and annoying.

Solution: Track purchase categories and send targeted messages. Women's fashion customers get women's deals. Electronics buyers get tech offers.

Mistake 4: Using Link Shorteners Without Context

Mistake 5: No Clear Call-to-Action

Vague messages like "Check out our website for deals" don't drive action. Be specific about what you want them to do.

• Vague: "Great offers available"
• Clear: "Get 20% off today. Use code: SAVE20"

Mistake 6: Ignoring Delivery Reports

Sending campaigns without checking delivery reports means you're blind to issues. Always review:

• Delivery rate (should be 95%+)
• Failed messages (remove invalid numbers)
• Rejection reasons (fix sender ID or content issues)

Understanding Delivery Reports Guide →

Mistake 7: Forgetting Mobile-First Thinking

Remember:

• Recipients are on their phones - make links mobile-optimized
• Include mobile-friendly landing pages
• Don't link to PDFs or desktop-only content
• Use click-to-call for phone numbers (tel:+234...)
• Keep forms short and thumb-friendly

11. Campaign Ideas That Work

Welcome Series (New Subscribers)

Abandoned Cart Recovery

"Hi Sarah, you left 2 items in your cart. Complete your order now and save 10%: cart.link.com/abc123"

Send 2-4 hours after cart abandonment. Converts 10-15% of abandoned carts.

Birthday Campaigns

"Happy Birthday John! 🎂 Enjoy 25% off today as our gift to you. Code: BDAY25 Valid 48hrs: shop.link.com"

High engagement - people love birthday recognition. Converts 20-30%.

Flash Sales

"⚡ Flash Sale! 40% off all electronics for the next 4 hours only. Shop now: link.com/flash Ends 6pm"

Creates urgency. Send in the morning for day sales, afternoon for evening sales.

Customer Appreciation

"Hi Sarah, thanks for being a loyal customer! Enjoy early access to our new collection: link.com/vip"

Makes VIP customers feel special. No immediate CTA = builds relationship.

Re-Engagement (Dormant Customers)

"We miss you! Come back and get 30% off anything. Code: WELCOMEBACK Valid 7 days: shop.link.com"

Sent to customers who haven't purchased in 60+ days. Win back 5-10%.

12. Industry-Specific Best Practices

E-commerce & Retail

• ✓ Send order confirmations, shipping updates, delivery notifications
• ✓ Use abandoned cart reminders (2-4 hours after abandonment)
• ✓ Personalize product recommendations based on browsing/purchase history
• ✓ VIP early access to sales creates exclusivity and loyalty
• ✓ Post-purchase follow-up for reviews and feedback

Restaurants & Food Services

• ✓ Daily/weekly specials sent 11am-12pm (lunch decision time)
• ✓ Weekend brunch promotions sent Friday afternoon
• ✓ Table reservation confirmations and reminders
• ✓ Loyalty program points updates
• ✓ New menu item announcements with photos (via link)

Healthcare & Wellness

• ✓ Appointment reminders 24 hours in advance
• ✓ Lab results ready notifications
• ✓ Prescription refill reminders
• ✓ Health tips and seasonal wellness advice
• ✓ Vaccination and checkup reminders

Financial Services

• ✓ Transaction alerts (immediate)
• ✓ Low balance notifications
• ✓ Payment due reminders (7 days, 3 days, 1 day before)
• ✓ Fraud alerts and security notifications
• ✓ Account statement ready notifications

Real Estate

• ✓ New listing alerts matching saved searches
• ✓ Open house reminders with property details link
• ✓ Price drop notifications for properties they viewed
• ✓ Viewing appointment confirmations
• ✓ Market updates and area insights

13. Advanced Tactics

Drip Campaigns

Automated series of messages triggered by specific actions or time intervals. Perfect for onboarding, education, and nurturing.

Two-Way SMS Conversations

Enable customers to reply to your messages for support, orders, or engagement. Example:

"Your order is ready for pickup. Reply 1 to confirm pickup today, or 2 to schedule tomorrow."

SMS + Email Integration

Coordinate campaigns across channels. Example sequence:

1. Day 1: Email announcement with full details
2. Day 2: SMS reminder with direct purchase link
3. Day 3: Final email with extended deadline

Geofencing & Location-Based SMS

Send messages when customers are near your physical location:

"You're near our Lekki store! Show this SMS for 20% off in-store today. Valid 2 hours."

Dynamic Content

Customize message content based on recipient data:

"Hi [Name], [Previously Purchased Product] is back in stock! Get yours: [Personal Link]"

Key Takeaways: SMS Best Practices Checklist

Conclusion

SMS marketing success isn't about sending more messages—it's about sending the right messages to the right people at the right time with the right content.

Follow these best practices, continuously test and optimize, respect your customers' preferences, and you'll build an SMS marketing channel that drives significant revenue while maintaining customer trust and loyalty.

Start implementing these practices today, and watch your SMS campaigns transform from "just another marketing channel" to one of your most profitable customer touchpoints.