Text Message Marketing: Grow & Engage Your Audience via SMS
Have you ever picked up your phone to find a text message from your local takeaway shop, hairdresser, or gym offering you a limited-time deal? Text message marketing is a great tool for businesses that offer products and services.
But what about content creators?
Text message marketing is an underutilized promotion tactic for podcasters, bloggers, or YouTube channels. It can work wonders for getting your content directly in front of your audience and engaging them, too.
The CutMaker Podcast, for example, is a show known for its expert sports betting analysis. The host, Jeff, runs a premium text message service offering exclusive betting picks and insider information delivered straight to his audiences’ phones every week! This not only skyrocketed engagement with his content, but it also created a whole new revenue stream.
Now, you might not be ready to launch a paid service (yet!), but the core principle applies to any podcast: text messages can be a game-changer for audience growth and fan engagement.
By Phil Portman
This is a guest post by Philip Portman. Phil is the Founder/CEO of Textdrip, a business texting platform for E-Commerce, Insurance, Hotels & Hospitality, Real Estate, and Healthcare. He is a leading expert in SMS marketing and automation in digital marketing, and host of the Success Is Podcast.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to leverage text message marketing to:
- Build a loyal following of engaged listeners
- Drive traffic to your podcast and episodes
- Create a sense of community around your show
- And ultimately, grow your audience in a permission-based way
So, ditch the megaphone and tap into the power of text messaging. Let’s get started!
How to Build & Engage Your Subscriber List with Text Messages
Now that you’re aware of the power of text message marketing, it’s time to build your subscriber list! Here’s how to turn those casual listeners into a dedicated texting crew:
Call to Action During Podcast Episodes
Integrate clear and consistent CTAs within your podcast episodes. Encourage listeners to text a specific keyword to a designated number to join the conversation or subscribe.
“Deep dive even further into this week’s topic! Text ‘ALIENSIGN’ to 484848 to unlock a bonus interview with a leading astrophysicist. Plus, get alerts for new episodes delivered straight to your phone!”
Opt-in Forms on Your Website and Social Media Profiles
Embed eye-catching opt-in forms on your podcast website and social media profiles. Highlight the benefits of subscribing, such as exclusive content and early access to episodes.
“Don’t miss a beat! Sign up for text alerts and exclusive content from the ‘Recipe Rescue’ podcast. Text ‘RECIPEFAN’ to 484848 and get a free downloadable recipe guide as a welcome gift!”
Offer Incentives for Signing Up
Provide bonuses like downloadable resources or early access to new episodes to motivate listeners to sign up.
“Text ‘RECIPEFAN’ to 484848 and get a free downloadable recipe guide as a welcome gift!”
Offer Exclusive Content
Provide text message subscribers with exclusive access to bonus content, such as extended interviews or early access to episodes.
“As a valued subscriber, enjoy early access to our latest episode! Click the link to listen before it’s officially released: [link].”
Send Episode Reminders
Keep your audience engaged with text reminders about upcoming episodes.
“Don’t miss our latest episode! Tune in tomorrow for an exciting discussion on [topic]. Reply ‘YES’ to receive a reminder.”
Collect Feedback via Text
Encourage listeners to share their thoughts and feedback by texting a specific number or keyword.
“We’d love to hear your thoughts on our latest episode! Reply with your feedback and suggestions for future topics.”
Host Q&A Sessions
Collect questions from your audience for Q&A segments in your podcast episodes.
“Have a question for our next Q&A episode? Text ‘QUESTION’ followed by your question to 484848 for a chance to have it featured on the show!”
Run Contests and Giveaways
Engage your audience with text-to-win contests or giveaways.
“Enter our giveaway for a chance to win exclusive podcast merchandise! Text ‘WIN’ to 484848 to participate.”
Share Relevant Resources
Send your audience helpful resources related to your podcast topics.
“Interested in learning more about [topic]? Check out this article for valuable insights: [link].”
Importance of Clear Consent & Data Privacy Regulations
Like any type of marketing, there are rules and regulations you’ll need to follow to keep yourself in the right, and offer peace of mind to your audience.
Start by clearly explaining how you’ll use listener data and obtain explicit consent. Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations.
“We take your privacy seriously. By texting ‘JOIN’ to 484848, you agree to receive updates from the ‘Fitness on the Go’ podcast. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe. View our privacy policy here: [link]”
And, you should always offer a clear and accessible unsubscribe option in every text message.
“Thanks for joining the ‘True Crime Society’ text fam! Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time. We’ll send you a text alert whenever a new episode drops with spine-tingling cases.”
How Much Does Text Message Marketing Cost?
Text message marketing can be an incredibly effective podcast growth and engagement strategy, but understanding the costs involved is crucial for budgeting and planning your campaigns. Most automated SMS marketing software will offer three-tier monthly pricing plans that cater to different needs and budgets.
What to Consider
- Text Limit: Each tier comes with a specific number of credits, which correspond to the number of texts you can send. For example, in the $19.99 tier, you can send up to 250 texts.
- Subscriber Limit: If you hit the text limit for your tier, new subscribers may not receive messages until you upgrade to a higher tier.
- Control Over Spending: With any SMS Marketing software, you have control over how many texts you send based on your chosen tier. You won’t receive a bill for texts sent beyond your tier limit; instead, you’ll need to upgrade your plan to continue sending messages.
Here are a few scenarios for a podcaster considering text message marketing for their content. This is based on the monthly pricing tiers:
- New Podcast: around 250 texts at $19.99/month
- Growing Podcast: around 1000 texts at $34.99/month
- Established Podcast: around 2500 texts at $74.99/month
Measuring Success and Tracking Results
Tracking the results of your text message campaign’s results is crucial to understanding what’s working and what needs improvement. Here’s how to gauge your success:
Key Metrics:
- Sign-up Rates: This measures how effectively you attract listeners to your text message list. Track the number of people who sign up compared to the total number of people you reach through other measurable podcast promotion avenues.
- Open Rates and Click-Through Rates: These metrics show how many people actually open your text messages and click on any links you include. High open rates indicate engaging content, while strong click-through rates suggest effective calls to action.
- Engagement with Polls, Surveys, and Contests: Look at how many listeners participate in your interactive elements, showing how well your texts spark interest and conversation.
- Website Traffic and Downloads Driven by Text Messages: Track how many people visit your website or download your podcast episodes after clicking a link in your text message. This measures the direct impact of your texts on driving action.
Text Message Marketing for Content Creators
If you’re feeling flat about your download numbers or frustrated with your lack of audience engagement, then why not give text message marketing a try? This is an under-utilized growth and connection strategy in the creator economy, so it’s a great time to jump in, experiment, and stand out.
Of course, there are many other ways to promote your podcast and advertise your show, too. So check out the full guides, linked to, for a long list of tips, ideas, and suggestions!
