Sending Long MMS Text Messages

Sending Long MMS Text Messages

Smartphones make communication highly accessible—whether through social media or text messages. This means modern businesses have a unique opportunity to connect with customers at multiple touchpoints across various channels.

While texting is certainly convenient, there are exceptions. What happens when your business needs to relay critical information in a long message and hits a character limit? You can still send it in fragments, but it won’t have the same impact and will most likely cause confusion or frustration.

Fortunately, there are still ways for companies to send long messages without sacrificing quality or personality. In this post, we’ll explain the benefits of sending long texts to your customers and how to get started on implementing MMS messages into your marketing strategy.

How long can a text message be?

SMS messages can go up to 160 characters before splitting into multiple texts. So if you plan to send details about an exclusive promotion or a feedback survey, it might not be the best messaging service—and may even lead to a decrease in interest and engagement.

MMS messages, on the other hand, are more flexible with a 1,600-character limit, allowing your business to write long texts to send to customers. Although businesses most often use MMS for picture or video files, you can choose to simply include text instead.

Why businesses should be sending long texts

It doesn’t hurt to be clear and concise, but there are many benefits to sending longer text messages—especially if you’re a business wanting to nurture customer relationships with:

• Multiple touchpoints: By interacting with your customers via various channels, you’re better suited to identify their needs and lead them to your solutions.
• Real-time conversations: In customer service, time is of the essence. Communicating on a mobile device helps you reach people in real time and resolve their issues faster.
• Creative elements: With MMS, you can spruce up your message with pictures, GIFs, or emojis. It also humanizes interactions with customers, increasing your likelihood of getting a response.
• Increased customer satisfaction: The more intentional you are with your outreach, the happier your customers will be. In fact, 74% of consumers prefer text correspondence with businesses. However, three-quarters of those surveyed also admit they’d unsubscribe if they received “too many messages,” so say all you need to say in fewer messages with MMS.

How to send a long text message in 3 easy steps

Sending a long MMS message is a simple process that any company can quickly pick up. Here are 3 steps to get started:

1. Segment your contacts: When you send a long text message, you don’t want it to be the same message to everyone on your contact list. So depending on customers’ backgrounds and purchase histories, segment them into groups and tailor messages relevant to their needs.
2. Write an engaging MMS message: When crafting a long message, ensure that you include all the details a customer needs to make an informed decision. By injecting your brand voice into your draft and adding a bit of color with emojis or GIFs, you’ll keep audiences interested.
3. Use a powerful messaging platform: When sending business messages, deliverability and security are necessary to limit risk to your brand. By relying on a messaging platform that prioritizes these factors, you can rest assured that your customers receive your MMS messages without complications.

Send longer MMS messages with Twilio

Want to take your MMS messages to the next level? Twilio has the solution for you.

If you send a high volume of texts with high character counts, Twilio MessagingX has everything you need to sustain customer relationships at scale, including sending long messages via our free MMS for long text messages feature.

So instead of having your messages broken up into smaller SMS segments, send longer content in a single message. Currently available in the US and Canada, use our MMS feature with short code, toll-free, and A2P 10DLC sender types.

For more information on Twilio’s offerings, get in touch with us today.