📱 Free Tool

SMS Message Generator

Create SMS marketing messages with real-time character counting. Stay under 160 characters to avoid splitting.

0 / 160 characters1 segment

Generate SMS Templates

SMS Marketing Best Practices

SMS marketing has a 98% open rate and most messages are read within 3 minutes. But there's an art to doing it right without annoying your customers.

SMS Character Limits

  • 160 characters = 1 segment: The sweet spot. Stay here when possible.
  • 161-306 characters = 2 segments: Double the cost, but sometimes worth it.
  • Special characters: Emojis and non-ASCII characters reduce the limit to 70 characters per segment.
  • Link shorteners: Use tools like bit.ly to save characters on URLs.

SMS Compliance Tips

  • Always include opt-out instructions (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe")
  • Only text customers who have explicitly opted in
  • Respect quiet hours (typically 8am-9pm in recipient's timezone)
  • Include your brand name so recipients know who's texting

Related Tools

Email Subject Lines →ROI Calculator →SMS Platforms Guide →

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