Campaigns can go by email, SMS or WhatsApp. Email is included in your plan. Text and WhatsApp messages carry a per-message cost, so use them where the immediacy is worth paying for.
Best for anything with detail, images or more than one idea. Cheap enough to send regularly, easy to ignore, and it can carry a proper offer with a link.
SMS
Almost always read, and read within minutes. That makes it right for genuine urgency, like a cancellation you want filled this afternoon. It also makes it intrusive if you use it for a newsletter.
Sits between the two. More room than a text and more conversational, but it is a personal space and people notice when a business turns up in it uninvited.
The rule of thumb
Would you be pleased to receive this by text? If the honest answer is that an email would have done, send the email.
Cost control
Watch what you are spending on messaging. Settings, then Messaging, is where your messaging arrangement lives.
Common questions
Do I need separate consent for SMS?
Consent should cover the channel you use. Somebody who agreed to emails has not necessarily agreed to texts, and the safest position is to be specific when you ask.
Which gets the best response?
SMS gets read most, email gets acted on most for anything needing thought. Use them for different jobs rather than picking a winner.
What happens if I run out of messaging credit?
Sends stop rather than silently failing. Check Settings, then Messaging, to see where you stand.
Topics
Related articles
Prepaid messaging credit
Top up a prepaid balance to pay for SMS and WhatsApp messages. Email and app notifications are always free.
Sending a marketing campaign
Campaigns send email, SMS or WhatsApp to opted-in customers, with consent and suppression checks applied before anything goes out.
Who you are allowed to market to
Marketing goes only to customers who have opted in, and consent is tracked separately from simply holding a customer record.