Group text messaging

Table of Contents

Introduction to Group Texting

Group texting is one of the most effective channels to reach out to potential customers and market your products and services. Considering that text messages have an open rate of 98 percent and a response rate of 45%, group messaging is a great way to communicate with a large group of individuals with minimal effort. 

But what makes group texting so successful? What types of businesses use group text messaging? What are its benefits? How to effectively use group messaging for SMS marketing? This article will cover everything you need to know about group text messaging and broadcast messaging. So, stay tuned! 

What is Group Texting?

Group text messaging is the kind of text messaging that enables a user to text more than one person at once. When you have the same message to send to a group of people, doing so manually can eat up a lot of your time and cause unnecessary frustration, which is when group texting can be very effective. 

Group messaging allows all the recipients of the group text to reply to it enabling you to initiate conversations with interested users. 

Types of Group Texting

  • Group Texting (All the recipients of the message are added to a group)

Here all participants are added to a group wherein they can interact with each other, and messages sent to the group can be viewed and responded to by everyone in the group on a single ongoing thread, as in the case of WhatsApp groups.

  • Mass Texting (The group is made for the convenience of the sender)

Here, certain groups can be created for the convenience of the sender and they can use these groups to send broadcast messaging campaigns. Here individual communication threads are created between the sender and each recipient IE the recipients of the group will have no idea about others in a particular text campaign. This allows each recipient to reply just to the sender and hence establish two-way communication.

We can refer to these as group texting and mass texting. While for casual and internal communication Group messaging is preferred, businesses often want recipients to be blinded to other recipients and make it look like a personalized reach out hence Mass Texting is primarily used for professional group messaging.

Note: Business group messaging can only be done if A2P messaging is enabled. 

Group Texting for Businesses

Group texting services can be beneficial for all businesses alike, Business Messaging needs to be an integral part of any corporate setting, whether it is within the team, or with customers. Chat, Email, and Text are some of the most common and important ways in which two-way communication is established in businesses. 

Out of many ways in which texting is utilized, it is group text messaging that stands out, owing to the time and effort it saves on the part of the business owners, the extent to which it cuts costs, drives customer engagement and the way it connects businesses to multiple users at once. Here are a few use cases that might be applicable for your business –  

Business Use Cases of Group Texting

Here are some business use cases of group messaging:

1. To send important updates about your business

Has your business shifted to a new location? Are your services going to be void for a day due to some emergency? How will you ensure that these important updates reach your customers and do not hamper their customer experience and expectations?

Sending a group text will help:

  • Ensure all customers are informed about the important updates
  • Save time otherwise spent calling customers individually.

You can simply create a group of your contact list, type the message, and hit send. Most group texting software like Emitrr, also allows you to schedule messages. Here’s an example: 

“Hey, Jane! Our clinic will be closed today due to bad weather conditions. We request you to reschedule your appointment for a later date. Thank you and stay safe!” 

2. To share promotional content

If your business is introducing a new service or promoting a particular service, text messaging is the best way to engage your customers and make them aware.

Promotional reachouts are best utilized when sent through SMS as the delivery rate and the response rate are 3-5X better than calls and emails. Here’s an example: 

“Hey, Jack! Get 30% off when you order via SMS. Simply type ‘PIZZA’ and send it to 22334455, and claim your offer!” 

3. To send Surveys

The road to perfection, and providing the best customer experience comes with upgrading your business through feedback. Identifying customer perception of your business and the gaps in your product or service will help your business improve. 

The best way to get this information from your customers is by asking them. It will not only demonstrate to your customers that you care about their opinions but also help you build a better business.

Group texting for business can be a great way to gain these valuable insights.

The message can look like this:

“Hi {{firstname}}, thank you for visiting today, hope you had a pleasant experience. Can you take a minute to complete this survey? It will help us serve you better.” {URL}.

4. To send payment reminders 

Considering that people mostly use their phones these days to make payments, sending payment reminders to your customers through broadcast messaging is a great idea. 

All you need to do is create a broadcast list of all the customers that you need to remind about the payment due. Here’s an example: 

“Hey, this a gentle reminder regarding the payment due for the services you availed. You can click on the link below to pay.” 

5. To generate reviews 

Every review that a customer leaves for your business is an asset that will help you build your online reputation, needless to add, every business should take reviews seriously. You can utilize group messaging to generate more reviews

Just create a broadcast list of the customers that have availed service from you or used your products, and compile a generic message asking about their experience, with texting software you can automate your review generation process as well IE an automated text will be sent to a customer 1 hour after they leave your office. 

Here’s an example:

“Hey! We hope we brought a smile to your face. Would you like to describe your experience by leaving a review? Click on the link below!” 

6. To facilitate internal communication 

Group texting comes in handy when you need to have a sound channel to communicate and engage with your employees. 

Whether it is keeping in touch with remote workers, following up updates on pending tasks, sharing business-related news, updating about workplace changes, or informing about alterations in company policies; group text messaging is a great tool for internal communications. 

Here’s an example of internal communication: 

“Hey team, the weekly huddle has been shifted to 4 pm. Please be available for the same.”
group texting use cases

Industry-specific use cases of group texting

Group texting proves to be quite effective for the following industries

Group messaging is used by a variety of businesses, such as political organizations, non-profits, service-based businesses, retailers, educational institutions, real – estate businesses etc. 

At the click of a button, businesses can engage with multiple people at once. Right from making announcements to sharing special offers, all businesses enjoy this form of texting as neither does it eat up too much of their time nor does it burn a hole in their pockets. 

Here is a detailed analysis of the possible uses of group texting for different businesses: 

Group texting for medical professionals 

Healthcare organizations and medical professionals can utilize group text messaging to communicate effectively with their patients :

  • Informing patients about any changes in appointments 
  • Generating feedback texts
  • Running health awareness campaigns 

Group text messaging for educational institutions

Educational institutions need to communicate frequently with parents, staff and students, which is why group messaging is a great way to engage and save time. Here are the top use cases of group texting for educational institutions:

  • Payment reminders 
  • Sharing updates about changes in pick-up time
  • Keeping parents updated on the daily activities held
  • Informing parents on weather-related or other emergencies
  • Sharing examination date sheets with students
  • Sharing updates on any news on holidays 

Group messaging for home service businesses

Home service businesses have a plethora of projects at hand and have customers who need services pertaining to heating, ventilation, plumbing, landscaping, electrical installation and repairs. With operations-focused businesses group  texting is especially beneficial:

  • Follow up with customers for feedback
  • Send survey forms and review requests
  • Send updates about any alterations in appointments 
  • Share discount coupons and offers  

Group Text Messaging For Churches

Churches need to engage with their community on a regular basis, which is why they need group text messaging to communicate effectively with people. Let’s look at the top use cases of group texting for churches:

  • Sending reminders about church services
  • Informing about community events 
  • Updating about changes in gatherings and bible classes
  • Running volunteer campaigns

Group texting for non-profits

Non-profit organizations have a wide audience as they operate to spread awareness among the masses and strive to make their surroundings better. For such organizations, group messaging works wonders and can assist in generating more donations and public interest. Here’s how non-profits use group texting: 

  • Informing the public about important news and events 
  • Sending acknowledgement texts to donors 
  • Sharing updates on ongoing projects 
  • Sharing requirements for volunteers for a cause 
  • Sending motivational texts 

Group text messaging for recruitment agencies

Since recruitment agencies act as a bridge between companies and candidates, group messaging is a great way for them to keep things on track and generate more candidate interest. Here’s how recruitment agencies can use group texting:

  • Sharing updates about job openings
  • Reminding candidates about important deadlines 
  • Keeping applicants informed about their application status 
  • Sending interview reminders 

Group text messaging for real estate businesses

Real estate businesses grow only by establishing, managing, and nurturing relationships with their clients. For such companies, group texting is a great way to streamline operations and keep prospects engaged. Here are some top use cases of group text messaging for real estate owners: 

  • Following up with leads
  • Organizing phone calls and meetings
  • Garnering feedback from clients 
  • Sharing updates on upcoming open houses

Benefits of Group Texting For Businesses

Some of the reasons why group texting is useful for businesses are:

1. Group texting is inexpensive

Group messaging is quite inexpensive as each message only costs a couple of pennies. Considering the excellent response rate, those pennies will surely give you a high ROI. A monthly subscription with say 500 messages will cost you between $25-$30. 

2. Group texting offers better engagement and accessibility

Texting has an open rate of 98% and a response rate of 45%, making it the most effective of all communication channels. 

One of the reasons why group texting for businesses is so popular is because of its accessibility, regardless of whether one has a smartphone or not, if a data pack is enabled on their phone, text messages can be received. This ensures that all your customers with a phone number can be engaged in a conversation without hassle.

3. Group text messaging saves time  

As discussed above with group texting, you can simply create one group, type in a common message, and hit ‘send’. All your customers will receive the text message and it will save you tons of time. 

With various group text messaging software now offering automation you can even automate group messaging for your business. – For example – your special weekend discount message can go out every Friday with absolutely no effort from anyone in your team

4. Group texting is simple to understand and implement

Group text messaging follows a fairly simple process that includes selecting intended contacts, formulating the message, and sending it. 

You need not possess expert design skills or prowess in coding to be able to reach out to your audiences. You can engage with people by means of text or use business text messaging software to send out group text messages to multiple people at once. 

5. Group text messaging delivers a personalized experience

You can communicate the best offers to your customers by the way of broadcast messaging, Who doesn’t like discounts and offers? Well, you can attract customers by releasing personalized texts and exclusive offers during the holiday season or special occasions. You can use SMS broadcast software for this purpose.

Here’s an example: 

Hey Adam,
“We are celebrating our tenth anniversary at Smile Dental, We would love for you to be a part of the celebrations! Enjoy a 25% discount on selective dental treatments from 10th to 12th September. Hurry and claim your offer! For more details, click on the link below.” 

Fun fact: Personalized group text messages have a response rate of 45 per cent and are read in less than 5 seconds. This is in sharp contrast to the CTR for emails which is 15 per cent on average.  

The Legal Aspect of Group Texting

While group messaging is a great way to engage customers and save time, a business must know the legal requirements of group text messaging.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has the TCPA or the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in place to regulate business texting to their customers. 

It mandates that businesses can only send text messages to their customers if they have explicitly agreed to receive communication from the intended business.

These are the main rules to follow to ensure full transparency when sending out your SMS marketing texts:

  • According to texting laws, texts must include both the sender’s identity and opt-out instructions
  • Businesses must provide a means for consumers to opt out by replying directly to the text message
  • Texts can only be sent between 8 am and 9 pm to minimize inconvenience to the consumer

Moreover, there are a couple of restrictions that come along while sending SMS and MMS in group texting. Carriers block messages that contain: 

  • Inappropriate content
  • Hate speech
  • Adult material 
  • Obscene language 

How To Send A Group Text?

You must be wondering what all you need to do to be able to send a group text. Well, it is a fairly easy process that requires minimum steps and time. We have listed the process of sending a group text message on Android and iOS. 

How To Send A Group Text On iPhone?

  1. Open your native messaging app and click on the ‘Compose’ button. 
  2. Tap the ‘Add Button’ and add the recipients that you wish to send the message to.
  3. Type your message 
  4. Hit ‘Send’

How To Send A Group Text On Android?

  1. Launch the native texting app on your Android phone.
  2. Add your recipients by clicking on the ‘Add contact’ button. 
  3. Click on the ‘+’ icon to create your message.
  4. Type your message and hit ‘Send’.

While sending group texts on iPhone and Android is easy, there are a few drawbacks. For instance, you cannot give a name to your group. Also, there is a limit on the number of contacts that you can send a message to. 

If you wish to send a group message to a large group, say anywhere between 50 and 50,000; then you need to invest in a group texting app. With such an app, you can not just send group texts to n number of people, but also send bulk texts! 

Imagine how much time and effort you will save through such a functionality. Emitrr is one such software that can help you send group text messages to your contacts, thereby streamlining your workflows. 

Explore The Benefits Of Group Texting Through Emitrr's Diverse Capabilities

Emitrr’s text messaging capability allows you to engage with your customers with utter ease. With the user-friendly interface, you can not only communicate effectively with your customers but also ensure operational efficiency internally. 

You can use Emitrr to execute both Group and mass texting campaigns.

From sending multiple text messages in one single go to running text messaging campaigns, you can utilize group texting to generate actionable insights, generate reviews, automate internal tasks, and a lot more. You can even BCC a text like you BCC emails. 

Emitrr allows you to sync data from your current CRM, run drip campaigns, and even track metrics. You need not change your phone number as your current number mobile or landline can be easily used to send group texts. 

Here’s how you can send a group text message using Emitrr, wherein your messages will be read and replied to in a closed group: 

Here’s how you can send mass texts using Emitrr, wherein your messages will be read and replied to in individual threads:  

Check out how a Michigan-based dog waste removal company, Kroopin’s Poopin Scoopin utilized Emitrr’s text messaging capability to generate 2X more new bookings. 

FAQs on group texting:

1. How does group texting done through texting software differ from WhatsApp group texting or group texting on iPhone? 

While group texting doesn’t limit the contacts you send texts to in one go, iMessage and WhatsApp have those limitations. Another key difference is that WhatsApp and iMessage don’t allow for tracking metrics and automating messages as group messaging softwares do.

2. How many contacts can I include while sending a group text message?

In Emitrr’t texting capability, there are no limitations to the number of contacts you wish to add while sending a group text message. However, on group messaging apps, this number varies and the usual max. limit is 200.

3. How to send a text to multiple contacts without group message? 

You can send text to multiple contacts without group message by logging into the Emitrr dashboard, and clicking on ‘new message’. You then need to add recipients, type the message, and select the option ‘message recipients individually’. You can even give a name to the group and finally hit send.  

4. How much does group texting cost? 

The cost of group texting for businesses depends on the features that you opt for, the text messaging platform, the number of recipients, and the frequency of sending text messages. 

5. What is MMS group messaging? 

MMS Group messaging allows you to communicate with a large group of recipients efficiently by using various multimedia elements such as images, audio, and video files. 

6. What is the difference between a group text and a mass text? 

When we talk about group text vs mass text, there lies a key difference. Group text allows people to send text messages to multiple people at the same time by creating a single thread. On the other hand, mass texting initiates individual communication threads between the sender and the recipients.

7. Can you BCC a text message?

Yes, you can BCC a text message through three main channels, Android, iOS devices, and business messaging softwares.  

8. What is SMS broadcast software?

SMS broadcast software is a tool that allows businesses to send mass texts to a large group of people. In such a case, there will be individual threads created between the sender and the receivers. 

9. What is A2P Messaging?

A2P Messaging or application-to-person messaging is a process wherein a person receives a message through an application, which could be web-based or mobile-based. It helps in the easy execution of sending group texts, mass texts, broadcast messages, and automated texts. 

10. How to create a group for texting?

In order to create a group for texting, you just need to go to the messaging app and add your recipients. Then you can give a name to the group. Remember that this will be a closed group wherein all the recipients can see each other’s messages and converse with each other.

11. What is the difference between an SMS group text and an MMS group text?

An SMS group text includes basic texts sent in a closed group, whereas an MMS group text includes multimedia elements such as pictures, videos, and GIFs.

Conclusion

Group messaging has a score of benefits for businesses. If implemented properly, it has the potential to bring great results for any business. The engagement that group text messages offer alongside the low price makes it among the top communication channels for a business. 

As just discussed above, to ensure all legal aspects of messaging are followed, adhere to the TCPA guidelines for group texting and get started with your group messaging ASAP!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *