Your business thrives on continuous, engaging communication. The only problem? Meaningful communication takes time that you may not have to spend.
So how can a better short message service application programming interface lighten the load? Learn how to use tools you already have more effectively.
SMS APIs Explained
SMS technology doesn’t just mystically work by itself. It builds on software like everything else in the cloud.
SMS APIs are an example of how distributed computing and connecting devices work. These code repositories tie your text messages, notifications, and reminders to other software. These APIs are the missing links between your work on mobile devices and your sales apps, inventory systems, customer relationship management platforms, etc. If you’ve ever sent messages via a web-connected platform, it’s a good bet you relied on an SMS gateway.
Common SMS Automation Use Cases
SMS APIs aren’t just for sending one-off messages. You can use them to program entire campaigns and engage users. Even better, you can set them and forget them:
- Programming SMS reminders lets you follow up with abandoned-cart customers without having to track each one manually.
- Scheduling SMS alerts to fire following specific events is an easy way to ensure critical decision-makers stay updated on current ventures. Think security breaches or demand surges that require you to scale your business apps on the fly and react at lightspeed.
- Setting up alerts that fire according to channel engagement keeps your brand front of mind as users hop from one social media platform to another. Even if they get distracted, you can keep the conversation going.
The unifying factor? These use cases all thrive on automation. You use your API to program your desired behaviors and let it handle the specifics.
The Benefits of SMS Campaign Management and Automation
So why not just do things the old-fashioned way? We already mentioned the time-saving factor, but there’s another hidden advantage. SMS-driven, automation-powered campaign management delivers consistency.
Brand engagement operates best when your communication is focused and dependable. Users should be able to count on consistent experiences, whether browsing your site when they should be working, chatting with your service agents, or scrolling through your social media posts on their phones. SMS outreach management lets you unify these experiences to deliver a cohesive journey.
SMS automation also saves money. Just take Bayt, a talent platform in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Bayt wanted to fulfill its mission of connecting millions of job seekers with thousands of employers for free. It needed to maintain specific quality standards, which meant verification checks, SMS reminders, and notifications were no-brainers. To get the job done, it migrated from its old hodgepodge of solutions to the Mitto SMS API -– and cut costs by 37% in the process.
Best Practices and First Steps to Implementing an SMS API
There are plenty of ways to use SMS automation to your advantage. So which is best?
Whether you’re migrating from an old gateway or diving into SMS campaigns for the first time, one thing is clear: You deserve a tailor-made solution that accurately mirrors your business outlook. APIs are all about customization, so building a comprehensive foundation of key requirements and ideal use cases is essential.
Consider which benefits you’d like to leverage and where and how you’d like to see them manifest. Are you trying to streamline exclusively internal processes, like team communication? Do you want to make customer outreach less of a hassle? Set your goals early to define clear, actionable, measurable key performance indicators that keep you honest throughout the deployment.
Above all, find a solid provider. Sticking with an SMS API that’s proven itself in multiple business situations — like Mitto — raises the odds of your implementation going to plan. Remember: Not every integration is guaranteed to be 100% smooth sailing, but planning and experience go a long way.
