Overview
This guide focuses on configuring SMS-specific settings within your campaign after completing the general setup steps (e.g., choosing your campaign type, channels, audience, and communication settings).
This article assumes you understand the basics of creating a Campaign. If you haven't already, please read Creating a Campaign (All Channels) for guidance on the initial steps of creating a campaign.
Element451 cannot send SMS messages to VoIP numbers. Please make sure your contacts have valid mobile numbers for successful delivery.
1. Configure SMS
After selecting the SMS channel during your initial campaign setup, you can begin configuring the SMS-specific settings:
Outbound Phone Number
The outbound phone number is the number your recipients will see as the sender of the SMS. You can choose your dedicated Element451 10-digit phone number or short code number. The short code number is ideal for sending large volumes of messages quickly.
SMS Text
The SMS Text is the content of your message—where you compose the text. You can include text, emojis, tokens, and URLs in the message.
Character Count: SMS messages are limited to 1600 characters. However, best practice is to keep messages much shorter than that. We recommend 160 characters for the best technical and end-user experience.
Tokens: Use the Add Token button to include data from the contact's record. For example, if you used
[user:first_name], it would replace the token with the recipient's first name when they receive the message. Click here to read more on tokens.Emojis: Add emojis for a friendly touch and better engagement.
URLs: We automatically apply URL shortening to make links in SMS messages more visually appealing and to track click-through rates. This helps us understand how people are interacting with the content we share. Additionally, when including links in your SMS messages, you must include the protocol (https://) with the link.
Using Personalization in SMS Settings
Using Personalization in SMS Settings
Using the personalization feature with version conditions lets you customize various aspects of your SMS, including the outbound phone number and text for each version.
Select the version you want to modify from the version drop-down in the respective field. This ensures your recipients receive the most relevant and personalized message possible.
Unsubscribe Prompt
By law, all bulk SMS messages are required to provide instructions on unsubscribing from future messages. A default prompt is provided; however, if you choose, you can edit the prompt. Your prompt should include the word UNSUBSCRIBE or STOP.
Attachment
You can attach an image, audio, or other media file to your text message. Click Add a File to make a selection from your media manager or upload a new file.
MMS media is supported only for US numbers (+1).
You should ensure attachments are no larger than 3MB, as messages with larger attachments will not be delivered.
Some mobile operating systems automatically crop the preview image, so we recommended aspect ratios of 1:1, 9:16, or 4:3.
2. Preview Your SMS
As you compose your SMS message, the preview pane on the right displays how your SMS will appear to recipients.
3. Test + Review Versions
Once your SMS configuration is complete, we recommend testing the message to ensure everything displays as intended. You should also review each version to verify accuracy if you’ve set up personalized versions for different audiences.
4. Send or Save Your Campaign
After finalizing your SMS content and testing it, proceed to send or save your campaign. This process is outlined in the Creating a Campaign (All Channels) article.
5. View Campaign Analytics
You can use the in-app analytics to see how your SMS messages perform.
To view analytics, navigate to Engagement > Campaigns > Analytics. On this screen, you’ll see a list of communications and all their analytics.
The Campaigns Module is only available with the Element Ignite and Engage packages.