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Group Text vs Mass Text: An Introduction
Text messaging is fast becoming the preferred communication channel for businesses across various domains as it is informative, non-intrusive, generates more responses and has the capacity to impact every business’s top line.
Did you know? if your business communication lands on a user’s native messaging app there is a 98% chance it will be read and a 40% chance you will get a response.
But what if you want to text multiple people at once? Be it business announcements, promotional messages, mass text alerts, or exclusive offers, there are two major ways you can text multiple people at once Group text and Mass text.
What’s the difference between group text and mass text messages? Is a particular channel more effective for a certain type of business communication? Let’s find out!
What is Group Text?
Group text messaging is a service that allows people to send text messages to multiple people at the same time by creating a single thread among all the group members wherein everyone can read and respond to each other’s messages.
As an example, if there are 20 users added to a group, all those users can see each other’s contact details and messages in a single ongoing thread. Here’s what a group text thread might look like –
While group chat is a great way to keep multiple contacts updated on an ongoing project or at planning events and activities; it is not the most efficient form of customer communication for businesses as it comes with its own set of challenges.
Limitations Of Group Text
Users cannot opt out of group texts
Group texts are not compliant with US laws
Businesses can add only limited contacts to a group
There is no way to personalize the messages
Difficult to establish one-on-one communication
Privacy is a concern as everyone in a group can read the messages
What Are Mass Texts?
Mass texts are large-scale broadcast messages that are majorly used by businesses and organizations for marketing purposes, a mass text initiates individual communication threads between the sender and the recipients. Mass texting usually needs a specialized mass texting service or text messaging software that is TCPA compliant.
Limitations Of Mass Texts
Users can opt-out whenever they want
Compliance is a lengthy process
If not personalized, mass texts can sound robotic
Mass text messages can be categorized as spam if the frequency of sending them is too much
Running, setting up campaigns, and managing multiple conversations can be a cumbersome process, especially without a business texting software
Group Text vs Mass Text: 7 Key Differences You Should Know About
Number of contacts
Group text: In the case of group chat, you can only add a limited number of contacts to a group. For example, in Google Messages, you can add a maximum of 20 contacts to a group. On WhatsApp, you can add a maximum of 256 contacts and on an iMessage a maximum of 32 contacts.
If you are using a group text message service, then there are usually no limitations on the number of people that can be added to a group text.
Mass text: The usual limitation on mass text from iOS is 25, from android is 20 and from Whatsapp is 256.
Again, if you are using SMS broadcast software, you can send mass texts to as many contacts as you want.
Number of messages you can send at once
Group text: When you send group texts, you can only send one message per second. This is because telecom carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon limit the number of texts you can send.
Mass text: Mass text messages undergo carrier vetting. Carrier vetting allows businesses to send more than 10 messages per second. Some services even allow you to send more than 40 messages per second using shortcodes.
Fact check: What is carrier vetting?
Carrier vetting is the process that requires businesses to comply with regulatory and statutory requirements while running text message campaigns.
What are shortcodes?
Shortcodes are special telephone numbers that are used for two-way SMS and MMS messages.
Texting privacy
Group text: Group texts do not support no reply text messages or BCC text messages. All members in a group message can see each other’s messages, and contact details and contribute to an ongoing conversation. As a result, There is a lack of privacy in the case of group messages and limited options to manage text notifications in group texts.
Mass text: On Mass texts, while the messages will be sent to all contacts at once, the recipients wouldn’t be able to see each other’s text messages. If a recipient responds to a message, it will initiate a one-on-one text conversation with the sender.
Fact check: What is BCC?
Short for Blind Carbon Copy, BCC is a texting feature that allows the sender to send mass texts to the recipients, without the recipients knowing who else the texts have been sent to. IE much like mass texting all the recipients will only be visible to the sender.
Carrier’s Approval For sending text messaging campaigns
Group text: If you need to send a text to thousands of recipients at once, which is very difficult to do with group texts, but If you do manage to do this somehow you are at the risk of inviting penalties as group texts are not approved for marketing campaigns.
Moreover, your number can be marked as spam or your texts could be undelivered.
Mass text: Earlier, short code text messaging was the only way for businesses to send mass texts. But now businesses can use 10-digit phone numbers for the same, provided that they have the 10DLC approval. But, with the necessary approvals and registrations in place, you can send unlimited mass texts
Fact check: What is 10DLC registration?
10DLC is a 10-digit phone number that allows both promotional and transactional messaging to businesses. It is only available in the United States, and the mass text messages that go to customers will be sent from a 10-digit phone number as the sender. Such long code numbers allow for A2P messaging.
Fact check: What is A2P Messaging?
A2P messaging, short for Application to Person messaging is a texting technique wherein a text message is sent to the recipient through a software application run by an enterprise.
Personalization
Group text: With group chats, personalizing messages is always a challenge as all texts are visible to each member of the group.
Mass text: You can easily facilitate personalized mass text messaging with mass text messaging software. With mass texts, there are now softwares available that can easily help you not only personalize messages but also schedule them for a later time.
Subscribe/unsubscribe features
Group text: In the case of group texts, the recipients cannot opt out of the messages. Why? This is because text messaging apps in iOS and Android are not compliant with US laws.
According to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), businesses are required to get written consent from consumers before sending them marketing-related text messages.
If you are still contacting customers who have opted out or unsubscribed from the marketing texts, then you are in violation of the TCPA. Also, the consumers who opt-in for such messages must have access to all documents including the business’s privacy policy and terms of service.
Mass text: Mass texting software such as Emitrr complies with US SMS marketing laws. This allows them to comfortably send text message blasts to customers who have opted for such messages.
Cost-effectiveness
Group text: In the case of group texts, one text sent to a group of 20 people will be counted as one single text as it has been sent to one single group. Hence, this type of texting is quite affordable if you want to converse in a collaborative environment.
Mass text: You can easily run a text messaging campaign through a mass texting software as it is relatively quite inexpensive to drive one-on-one conversations. While the character limit for text messages is 160 characters, you will be charged per message. However, this price will reduce with an increase in the number of messages you send as a part of the campaign. The charges are subjective as they vary with the service provider you choose.
Group Text vs Mass Text - A Comparison
Group Text vs Mass Text: What Should You Pick?
While both texting mediums do have their own applications, let’s see if one of these can be preferred over another in certain scenarios:
When to send a group text?
Despite the inherent limitations of group texting like the lack of privacy etc. it does have application in both a personal and professional setting, here are a few situations wherein group text would be the best medium of communication:
- Brainstorming sessions for a group project
- Informal conversations among colleagues
- Exchange of information regarding meetings
- Sudden changes in schedules
- Sharing project updates and delivery deadlines
When to send a mass text?
Similar to group texting, mass texting too has certain unique scenarios wherein it becomes the most preferred communication channel to use:
Use a mass texting service if you need to:
1. Send promotional messages
Through mass texting, businesses can send promotional texts to recipients while saving time and money, one can drive engagement using personalization. Here’s an example of a promotional message:
“Hey Adam! Don’t miss out on your World Health Day Sale this weekend! Avail a 10% discount on all dental services!”
2. Send mass text alerts
Suppose there is a hurricane in your state and you have around 20 customer appointments scheduled at your business. How will you inform your customers that your business will be closed for two days? Will you text or call each of them individually? Well, good luck with that! Mass text messaging will help you easily pick the recipients from your list, type the message and send it to all those people at once. That’s it, you’re done!
3. Send reminders
Mass text messages are a great medium for sending appointment and payment reminders to customers. If you had been leaving voice mails for such reminders to your customers all this while, then it is time that you switch to a text messaging platform that allows you to send mass texts. Here is an example:
“Dear {first name}, your appointment has been scheduled for tomorrow, at 4 pm. Press “C” to confirm your appointment or “M” to modify.”
4. Follow up with customers
Mass texts are a great way to follow up with your customers.
Did you know that around 70 percent of customers say that they would rather receive a test message than a phone call from a business?
To leverage this, you can easily send personalized and automated text messages to your customers. Here’s an example:
“Hey {first name}, this is {your name} from ABC Real Estate. I am happy to announce that we have a place that perfectly matches your needs. Would you be able for a quick meet-up? If yes, please feel free to block a time on my calendar <insert calendar link>.”
5. Ask for feedback
When you offer a service to a customer and want to know their thoughts, mass texts are to generate both feedback and online reviews. In your mass text, you can also attach a Google review link. So if a customer reads your text and is willing to leave a review, he/she can directly click the attached link and provide feedback.
You can simply text “Hey, we are happy to have served you and would love to hear your feedback. Please tell us how we did by clicking the link below. We promise it won’t take more than 2 minutes. Thanks!”
When To Use Mass Texting Over Group Messaging?
If you are still unsure about using group text or mass text consider the following situations:
- Suppose you run a healthcare practice, you cannot afford to send a group message with any Protected Health Information(PHI). Communication with patients should follow HIPAA compliance rules, If you send any message in a group with other patients, it will be considered a HIPAA violation.
- Suppose you have a recruitment agency, and you send a mass text to candidates asking them to send their current salary or their resume. You cannot have candidates read each other’s information. In such a case, group text messages should be avoided.
- If you are in the HVAC industry and you want to send a mass text about your pricing to different customers. This pricing may vary from one customer to another (Depending on various factors). In such a case you will need to ‘customize’ the pricing for each customer and hence you will need a personalization option. You won’t be able to personalize if you use group messaging. Hence, mass texting through business texting software would be preferred.
- If you run a Real Estate agency, and you want to inform a list of your potential clients about a new listing, you wouldn’t want the clients to see each other’s information and hence group texting should be avoided.
Generally speaking, you should not use group text messages if any of these options hold true for you:
- You do not want the recipients to see the numbers of other recipients.
- You do not want the recipients’ replies to go to multiple people.
- You do not want the recipients’ replies to be grouped in a group message, but to be part of each individual thread instead.
Depending on the message, you may specifically not want a given recipient to know that other recipients received the same message.
How To Send Group Texts And Mass Texts Using Emitrr?
With Emitrr, you can send both group texts and mass texts. Here’s how:
How to send a group text using Emitrr?
Group texting is an easy feat with Emitrr, as you can engage in a group conversation with your recipients within a matter of minutes.
Here’s how you can send group text messages using a group text service like Emitrr:
Step-1: Log into your Emitrr account. Your personal dashboard will open.
Step-2: On the top right, click on the send option. You will be presented with a dialogue box to type your message and another box to add recipients.
Step-3: Add your recipients. When you add two or more recipients, you will be asked to choose between ‘start a group chat’ and ‘message recipients individually’. Click on the first option.
Step-4: Name your group, type your message, and hit send!
That’s it you have now created a group and can easily engage in seamless conversation with your contacts.
How to send mass text messages using Emitrr?
Sending mass texts using Emitrr is a two-minute job.
Here’s how you can do it:
Step-1: Log into your Emitrr account. Your personal dashboard will open.
Step-2: On the top right, click on the ‘send’ option. You will be presented with a column to add recipients.
You can simply either enter their names or numbers.
Step-3: When you enter more than one recipient, it will automatically become a group message.
When you do so, you will be presented with two options: 1. Start a group chat 2. Message recipients individually. To send a mass text, you will have to click on the second option.
Step-4: Just type your message, name your group, and hit send. That’s it!
If you don’t want to type a fresh message, then you can choose from a variety of pre-designed templates, add images, and even use a property! With so many options, you can easily send out personalized text messages to thousands of customers at one point in time. Imagine how much time and money you will save.
Checkout our video for a detailed tutorial on how to send mass texts using Emitrr.
Group text vs Mass Text: Final Verdict
Both Group text and mass text do have application for a business, it really comes down to the purpose of communication. So, before you pick your preferred texting method, here is a set of questions you must ask yourself:
- Who are the recipients of your message?
- How many people will you be sending messages to?
- What is the frequency of the messages that you send?
- Do you require scheduling messages?
- Do you want to automate messaging for your business?
- What pain point are you trying to solve using texting?
So, if you want to send messages to thousands of people at once, without creating long reply threads, then mass texts are a perfect fit for you.
On the other hand, if you value collaborative feedback and wish to have one common group for a limited number of recipients, then group texts will serve you best.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you send a mass text without it being a group text?
Yes, it is possible to send a mass text without it being in a closed group. You can do so by using a mass texting app that allows you to add as many recipients as you want, craft your message, and either send it immediately or schedule it for a later date.
2. What is the difference between SMS and MMS group text?
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. On the other hand, group chat or group SMS doesn’t include any multimedia elements.
3. What is the difference between group text and mass text?
Mass texting and group texting are often used interchangeably, but they’re quite different. In group texting, the recipients engage in a closed group and can see each other’s responses. On the other hand, in mass texting, the messages reach the recipients separately and each response creates a separate message thread with the sender.
Conclusion
Mass text vs group text is an ongoing debate and the answer to what to use when depends on your purpose, if you are looking to collaborate with colleagues on a project then group text is the way to go.
Alternatively, if running marketing campaigns and keeping your customers engaged is a priority then mass texts will do a much better job.
Just make sure that you comply with the texting guidelines and use the best texting medium that will drive engagement for your business.
If you are in need of texting software that fulfils all your text messaging needs, then Emitrr can be a great option.
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