Webinar wrap-up: 2022 State of Business Messaging

Here are some takeaways from our latest webinar on business text messaging in 2022.

In today’s digital landscape, it’s hard to stand out to your customers, especially with all the other communication they’re getting daily. The solution? Text Messaging tends to be an effective channel for businesses to engage with their customers in 2022. But this channel also brings a whole new set of challenges, trends, and changes. So, how can you keep up?  

We had a webinar on March 16th to discuss the state of business text messaging. Duncan Street, Chief Operations Officer at Qeepsake, and Stephanie Lashley, Director of Product Management at Bandwidth, covered vital topics affecting the industry. Conversations included essential industry updates, education on changes in fees, and how to deliver better customer experiences. 

If you missed the webinar, no sweat! We have laid out a quick recap of the discussion below.

Want the full webinar recording? See the recorded version here. 

The 411 on 10DLC and text messaging

Timeline of industry changes 

The messaging industry has changed significantly in a brief period. Here are some of the big happenings of the last six years. 

The most significant change was business texting using local numbers (10DLC). With the three major carriers officially launching their 10DLC products came new carrier policies, campaign registration processes, fees, and the addition of A2P messaging guidelines in the CTIA Messaging Best Practices. And all of this was implemented to help carriers ensure compliance and that you as a consumer receive the messages you want.

Overall, we can assume that assured compliance will continue to be a trending issue within business messaging. However, it can be easier with a partner who can help you navigate carrier policies and regulations (Talk to an expert).

Business messaging volume growth

Business-to-consumer (B2C) communication via texting has grown significantly over the past couple of years. Why? Messaging optimizes the customer experience by being where people are: their mobile devices.

We’ve also seen businesses replacing traditional forms of B2C communication with texting. The days of unopened emails, unanswered voicemails, and ignored push notifications are gone. With a 99% open rate, SMS campaigns provide a convenient and accessible way to converse with your target consumer.

Four Cornerstones of Message Deliverability

Above paragraph, we talk about how great a channel texting is. Now, let’s shift to addressing what could be getting in their way. Deliverability issues (as a result of carrier policy changes): How do you ensure your messaging campaigns realize ROI? Here are some best practices:

There are Four Cornerstones of Message Deliverability.

Consumer consent: Message recipient must opt-in to a specific service from an explicitly identified sender. This opt-in, or permission, cannot be shared, sold, or transferred to additional services or senders. One recipient grants consent for one service. Carriers expect 1:1 consent records – for ALL message types. Explicit disclosure: Let the recipient know how many times you will be messaging them. Clear identification: Be clear and concise about why you are contacting the recipient.  Opt-out instructions: Let the recipient know how they can stop receiving messages. This opt-out communication should be transparent in every 5th message you send.

Understanding the three business messaging options

Choosing the right product for your use case

Your use case should dictate the messaging option you choose. But, what are the options? And, why one versus the other?

Short Codes: If you want high throughput with a channel that’s been around, then short codes are a great route to take. These numbers go through a rigorous carrier approval process, which means they’re close to bulletproof. Short and snappy, short codes are also easy to remember and generate high levels of engagement with customers who have opted in.  Learn how to get a short code Toll-Free:  Ever received a text from an 800 number? Well, that came from a toll-free number! Toll-free numbers can help maximize your reach, as you can use one number for both the U.S. and Canada. Besides, most customers already use and recognize toll-free numbers, so use these trusted numbers to engage with customers. How to get toll-free numbers from Bandwidth  Local Numbers: These numbers are great if your business wants a local presence with its customers. Local Numbers (also called 10DLC) utilize area-code specific numbers when you want to engage with a local audience. With this messaging, you can start 2-way conversations and send powerful messages. If you’re going to message-enable a telephone number your customer already uses for voice, it can be done! All important things when it comes to trusted messaging!  Keep in mind! Over the past few years, we’ve seen carriers launch their 10DLC products in response to the recent changes with FCC regulations and CTIA. For instance, on March 1st, 2022, carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T began imposing surcharges and message fees for all unregistered traffic. Need help registering? We can help

Learn more about Local A2P Messaging

 Business messaging types: what’s the difference?

All three of these messaging products come with unique benefits. For example, if you need one number for your business that supports calls and text, both 10DLC and toll-free numbers are great choices. On the other hand, if you need to ensure a message reaches the end-user, choose short code or toll-free – both support handset delivery receipts. 

Whichever option you choose will depend on your business messaging objectives and what you want to achieve with your SMS campaigns.

Conversation with Qeepsake

 Qeepsake is a platform used by 700,000 families across the U.S and Canada to capture and preserve meaningful memories. Duncan Street (he/him) is the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Qeepsake, who oversees the Product, Engineering, and Customer Experience, teams.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the questions discussed with Duncan.

What is the value of Bandwidth’s partnership to you?

Duncan Street: We were on 10 DLC and wanted to switch to a more sanctioned A2P pathway. Our goal was to have our numbers have the “look and feel” of a “normal” phone number. So using shortcodes wasn’t an option for us. However, Bandwidth supported toll-free MMS and could message everyone on Qeepsake from a single number. Additionally, Bandwidth offers excellent pricing options, more reliability, and great relationships with downstream carriers.

What are the trends you see in the messaging ecosystem, and how are they impacting your business?

Duncan Street: A few trends I’ve seen is the presence of a more tech-savvy consumer. As a result, we see a well-educated buyer in digital engagement, coming from technology, customer service, or purchase behavior. There have also been increased carrier fees, so businesses should know which A2P sanction pathways to route for their use case. Additionally, the interplay between outbound messaging and CTAs will drive more powerful engagements.

Why does Qeepsake continue to invest in SMS for its use case?

Duncan Street: We strive to be in the home for every family story, and SMS is an excellent addition to our customer experience on our app. SMS offers a simple way to save a timeless memory or a fun reminder prompt at the right place and time. If you’re a brand that can garner the permission and trust to have an intimate conversation in a channel that consumers respect, you can unlock a lot of value for both parties, the business, and your customer. We’ll continue to invest in cross-platform interactions, where Qeepsake members can start an interaction in SMS and deep-link to our mobile app, our web app, our book product, or vice versa.

Final Thoughts

Business Messaging in 2022 will continue to be an effective way to engage with customers. However, it’s crucial to be up to speed on the evolving carrier policies and regulations surrounding SMS and have data-driven strategies to optimize messaging campaigns. 

A partnership with Bandwidth can help you navigate and thrive in business messaging. Let’s talk!

Learn more about Qeepsake here.