Group MMS vs Broadcast MMS
MMS or multimedia messaging service was initially introduced in 2002, as a way to send multimedia content like images, videos etc. Over the years, MMS has adapted to new-age content forms and can today be used to send GIFs, links to maps, audio files, directions and even location-based coupons.
Did you know? MMS messages are 10 times as likely to be shared on social media channels than SMS messages.
Owing to MMS’s better open rate, response rate, engagement rate, and conversion rate compared to traditional communication channels like email, phone calls etc. it has cemented its position in the business world and is often used by companies for both Sales & Marketing, and Customer service needs.
Here’s a quick comparison between the four most famous forms of business communication and their key performance metrics –
| Communication Channel | Response Rate | Engagement Rate | Open Rate | Conversion Rate |
| MMS | 70-80% | 70-80% | 60-70% | 40-50% |
| SMS | 40-50% | 40-50% | 60-70% | 30-40% |
| Calls | 40-50% | 60-70% | N/A | 40-50% |
| Emails | 30-40% | 20-30% | 50-60% | 20-30% |
Did you know? On average, an MMS campaign has a 20-30% more engagement rate than other communication channels and takes less than half the time to execute!
Clearly, using MMS for business communication can drive sustainable growth, but who has the time to send these messages to a wide range of people individually? Group MMS and Broadcast MMS are two ways in which you can deliver personalized MMSs to thousand+ recipients in seconds. Let’s look at these in greater detail:
Group MMS
Group MMS is a feature that allows multiple users to participate in a single multimedia message thread, IE each participant can view and contribute to an ongoing conversation, similar to a group chat.
Group MMS – Some common business use cases:
Marketing campaigns
Businesses can use Group MMS to send promotional messages to customers, such as special offers, discounts, and new product announcements. Marketing messages with visuals are also 43% more persuasive than messages with text alone
Surveys and feedback
Businesses can use group MMS to gather feedback from customers or employees. For example, they could send a survey link via group MMS and ask participants to respond with their feedback via images or videos.
Internal communication
Group MMS can be used for internal communication within a business, such as for team updates, task assignments, and project management.
Customer service
Businesses can use group MMS to provide customer services, such as troubleshooting and problem resolution. For example, a customer could send a picture of a broken product and receive a video tutorial on how to fix it.
Broadcast MMS
Broadcast MMS is a one-to-many method of communication, where a message is sent to many recipients at once. This method is typically used for mass communication, such as sending notifications or alerts to a large number of people.
Broadcast MMS – Some common business use cases:
Marketing campaigns
Businesses can use Broadcast MMS to send personalized promotional messages to customers, such as special offers, discounts, and new product announcements.
Event notifications
Businesses can use Broadcast MMS to send out notifications about upcoming events, such as sales, promotions, and product launches. These messages can include images, videos, and audio to give recipients more information about the event.
Emergency notifications
Businesses and organizations can use Broadcast MMS to send out emergency notifications and alerts, such as severe weather warnings, safety hazards, or evacuation instructions.
Surveys and feedback
Businesses can use Broadcast MMS to gather feedback from customers and employees. They can prove to be a great way to generate online reviews for platforms like Google and Facebook.
Customer service
Businesses can use Broadcast MMS to provide customer services, such as troubleshooting and problem resolution.
Reminders and Appointments
Businesses can use Broadcast MMS to send appointment reminders, payment reminders etc. to reduce no-shows, improve customer retention, and reduce the payment cycle.
MMS: Group vs Broadcast – A comprehensive comparison
| Feature | Group MMS | Broadcast MMS |
| Purpose | To send multimedia messages among a fixed group of people | To send the same multimedia message to a large number of recipients (these can be personalized using an a2p messaging software) |
| Recipient | Multiple recipients in a single group | A large number of individual recipients |
| Interaction | Participants can add and view multimedia content in the thread, similar to a group chat | Recipients can receive and respond to messages on a personal thread between the sender and the recipient |
| Personalization | Allows for personalized messages to be sent to each member of the group | Messages are typically sent to all recipients at once and are not customizable unless a2p messaging software’s are used |
| Deliverability | Generally high, as messages are sent to a small group of known recipients usually with their consent | Highly subjective, but may be lower, as messages are sent to a large number of recipients, some of which may not be interested or might not have opted-in to receive such messages |
| Cost (Personal Use) | Depending on the provider and the plan opted for, may be slightly higher than SMS costs | May be higher than group MMS, as messages are sent to a large number of recipients |
| Cost (Messaging Software) | Pay-as-you-go pricing plans from messaging software providers, usually range from $0.0075 to $0.03 per message. | The price range is the same ($0.0075 to $0.03 per message) but businesses can opt for more cost-effective monthly flat pricing plans based on the send volume |
| Use case | Internal communication, Marketing campaigns, Surveys and feedback, Customer service | Marketing campaigns, Event notifications, Emergency notifications, Surveys and feedback, Customer service, Reminders and Appointments |
Group vs Broadcast/Mass text is an ongoing debate and while there is no sure-shot recipe for success both options have their unique uses and are generally considered a better option compared to traditional communication channels of Calls, Emails etc.
Successful Business Campaigns that used Group and Broadcast MMS
Here are some interesting case studies from our clients, wherein both group and broadcast MMS were successfully deployed to meet business objectives —
A retail clothing store used group MMS messaging to send personalized messages to customers who had abandoned their shopping carts online. The messages included a unique discount code and a link to the customer’s cart. This campaign resulted in a 15% increase in sales.
A fast-food chain used broadcast MMS messaging to send a “daily special offer” to all of its customers. The campaign resulted in a 10% increase in daily sales.
A beauty salon used group MMS messaging to send personalized messages to customers who had previously booked appointments. The messages included a reminder of the appointment date and time, as well as a special offer for a discounted add-on service. This campaign resulted in a 25% increase in add-on service sales and a 90% reduction in no-show rates.
A car dealership used broadcast MMS messaging to send a special offer for a limited-time sale to all customers in its database. The campaign resulted in a 20% increase in sales over the sale period.
A healthcare provider used group MMS messaging to send appointment reminders and health information to patients with specific conditions. The messages included personalized information and resources relevant to the patient’s condition. This campaign resulted in a 15% reduction in missed appointments and also improves the patient satisfaction score by 35%.
Companies have successfully deployed various similar strategies to ensure favourable business outcomes, while there are no hard rules when it comes to success with MMS campaigns, generally speaking here are a few best practices businesses should follow.
Best Practices for Group and Broadcast MMS Campaigns
Segment your audience
Create different groups or lists for different segments of your audience, such as customers who have made a purchase in the past month or customers who have shown interest in a specific product or service and tailor your messaging to align with the respective group’s interests.
Personalize your messages
Use personalization tokens to add the recipient’s name or other personal details to your messages. This can help to increase engagement and make the message feel more relevant to the recipient. Business messaging solutions like Emitrr offer easy automation for personalization.
Test and optimize your messages
Test different message formats, images, and call-to-action buttons to see what works best. Use A/B testing to compare the performance of different messages and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.
Use a clear call-to-action
Include a clear call-to-action in your messages, such as a link to a landing page or a phone number to call. This can help to increase conversions and drive more sales.
Schedule your messages
Use scheduling tools to plan your messages in advance and ensure that they are delivered at the most optimal times.
Track and analyze your results
Use analytics tools to track the performance of your messages, including open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Use this data to improve your future campaigns.
Follow the legal requirements
Be aware of the legal requirements regarding MMS messaging, such as the requirement to include an opt-out option in your messages and to comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and TCPA guidelines(more on this below)
Use multimedia
Use images, videos, and GIFs to grab the attention of your audience and make your messages more engaging.
Legal regulations regarding MMS marketing and how to comply with them
In the USA, there are several legal requirements and regulations regarding MMS marketing that businesses must comply with. Here is an overview of some of the main regulations:
The CAN-SPAM Act
This law regulates commercial email messages and applies to MMS messages that include an advertisement or a promotion for a product or service. Businesses must include a clear and conspicuous opt-out mechanism in their MMS messages and must honour opt-out requests within 10 business days.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
This law regulates telemarketing calls and texts and applies to MMS messages sent to a customer’s mobile phone. Businesses must obtain prior express consent before sending MMS messages.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
This law regulates the collection of personal information from children under 13 years of age. Businesses must obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children, including phone numbers used for MMS messaging.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
This law regulates the handling of protected health information (PHI). Businesses in the healthcare industry alongside the ones mentioned above must also comply with HIPAA regulations when sending MMS messages that include PHI.
When it comes to MMS, HIPAA requires that covered entities use secure messaging platforms that encrypt PHI in transit and at rest. Additionally, covered entities must implement strict access controls to ensure that only authorized individuals can view or access PHI sent via MMS or SMS.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) The FTC enforces consumer protection laws and oversees advertising and marketing practices. Businesses must ensure that their MMS marketing messages are not deceptive or misleading and that any claims made in the messages can be substantiated.
Group MMS vs Broadcast MMS: The Future
The future of MMS messaging is likely to involve increased integration with other technologies, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Some potential developments in the coming years include:
Increased personalization
MMS messaging platforms may use AI to personalize messages based on recipient preferences and behavior.
Integration with virtual and augmented reality
MMS messages may incorporate virtual and augmented reality elements to create more immersive and interactive experiences.
Greater automation
MMS messaging platforms may become more automated, allowing businesses to schedule messages and set up automated campaigns with little to no human input. This is a feature that emitrr currently offers at no extra cost.
Improved analytics and metrics
MMS messaging platforms may provide more detailed analytics and metrics, allowing businesses to track the effectiveness of their messages and make data-driven decisions.
Increased use of MMS in customer service
MMS messaging may be increasingly used as a customer service tool, allowing businesses to communicate with customers in real time and troubleshoot issues more efficiently.
Advancements in security
MMS messaging platforms may include more advanced security features to protect against hacking and data breaches.
Increased adoption of RCS (Rich Communications Services)
It’s a new standard for messaging that allows businesses to use MMS messaging for more advanced features such as high-resolution photos and videos, read receipts, and typing indicators.
FAQs
One of the best software to send broadcast SMS is Emitrr. Emitrr’s pricing starts at just $149 a month, and it offers a wide range of features to send broadcast SMS, such as an auto-response option, customization, scheduler, and more.
You can opt for a software like Emitrr, if you want to send MMS or broadcast messages to a large number of people.
Conclusion
Whether it’s group MMS or Broadcast MMS if executed correctly both can generate great results for businesses from various industries. It is important to ensure legal compliance and constant data-backed improvement of your MMS campaigns to ensure engagement and healthier sales pipelines.
It is highly advisable to use Messaging software like Emitrr to run successful campaigns so that you can focus on creativity while we ensure seamless execution, to know more about how we can help you, book a demo today
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