Online SMS

Over the centuries the most successful inventions have been the most simple. The same goes for technology – the more straightforward the application, the more likely it is to succeed. You won’t find a better example of this than in the field of mobile communications.

The rise of the mobile Internet and Smartphone apps has had a profound impact on mobile marketing campaigns. They have become increasingly complex as the larger brands try to outdo each other in their efforts to provide rich mobile content.

But is there really any need to reinvent a proven wheel just for the sake of it? With regards to mobile advertising, some of the most successful campaigns have been executed using good old fashioned SMS – the best example there is of “less being more”

According to research carried out by comScore during the last quarter of 2010 by, there are more than 100 million subscribers to SMS marketing services in the top 5 EU countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain). The research showed that SMS adverts reached almost 50% of the 230 million mobile users and that the most popular types of SMS adverts were product, service or brand-related.

SMS adverts for donations to charities reached almost 10 million consumers and more than 10% of subscribers responded at least once during a 3 month period. Coupons or discounts sent via SMS also received high response rates.

Why then, in the age of Smartphones and Tablets, is mobile messaging still a popular delivery medium?

• It’s cheap – both for campaign executors, who can purchase SMS messages in bulk very cost effectively, and for consumers, who can send and receive predefined numbers of messages  as part of their contracts
• It’s quick – SMS messages are delivered almost instantaneously
• It has a wide marketing reach – all mobile devices support SMS
• Is not reliant on 3G networks so campaigns are not reliant on good network coverage
• It provides an easy response mechanism  – allowing for spontaneous decisions
• It is easy to monitor the success of different campaigns
• It’s direct – unlike mobile apps or mobile web pages, which require users to pro-actively access them, SMS pushes itself directly into the site of the consumer
• It integrates seamlessly with e/marketing activities
• It’s widely understood by everyone
• It provides a positive user experience because messages can always be delivered

Targeted mobile advertising campaigns can be carried out quickly, efficiently and cost effectively using our effective PC to SMS or email to SMS marketing tools.
Once you have set yourself up with an account you can be running successful campaigns within minutes and reaping the rewards as a result.

Our PC to SMS and email to SMS products can be easily integrated into your overall IT infrastructure or corporate website via a developer’s API, thus complementing your overall e-marketing strategy.

Click here to find out more about who we are and what we do.

Travelling in remote parts of the world used to make us feel isolated and vulnerable. However, thanks to mobile communications technology, such feelings are a thing of the past. Ever-expanding mobile coverage and affordable handsets means it is now possible to pick up a signal from almost anywhere in the world.

This fear of being completely isolated was experienced firsthand by Hugh Gibaud and his business partner, Jeremy Miles, when they decided to take part in this year’s Mongol rally in order to raise money for charity.
The rally, designed to be an exhilarating experience for participants, starts in Europe and ends in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. Unlike a normal rally, the overall aim is not to get there first but to get there safely – quite a challenge considering the countries that have to be crossed and the terrains involved.

For Gibaud it was imperative he could keep in contact with his family throughout the trip, not only for personal reasons but also for his own safety. Time was also of the essence and Gibaud wanted to be able to quickly contact different groups of people so he could get on with the rally. Sending SMS messages was the obvious answer but delivery is not always instantaneous, particularly when abroad. It depends on a number of factors such as network operators, roaming arrangements, signal strength and most importantly, the recipient’s phone being turned on so the message can be received.

Due to the potentially dangerous nature of the rally Gibaud did not want to leave the delivery of these messages to chance. He wanted to be able to quickly communicate with friends and family and needed a means of sending SMS messages that were guaranteed to be delivered in case he found himself in difficulties.

He carried out some basic research to see if such a service could be provided and came across Slepe Communications, an SMS service provider that specialises in the development of bespoke and niche SMS applications. He explained the situation and Slepe communications made a number of changes to its popular email to SMS service, turning it into an SMS to email service, in order to guarantee the delivery of all SMS messages.

Using a normal mobile phone and “Go-SIM” an international prepaid SIM card, Gibaud sent all messages to Slepe Communications’ centralised server. Here the company’s bespoke software converted all SMS messages to email formats so they could be delivered quickly to recipients. The servers are connected directly to the mobile network, thus eliminating the problem of delivery failure due to poor coverage or phones being turned off.
“I was very excited to be given the opportunity to become involved in the project”, explained Rob Jagger, Director of Slepe Communications.” Normally one associates email to SMS with commercial marketing campaigns but this application demonstrates how SMS can be used to enhance personal safety by giving you the ability to quickly send out emergency messages, should you find yourself in difficulty.

This niche SMS to email application was not only reliable but also extremely cost effective because with Go-SIM prices are fixed. Gibaud continues; “To be honest, I was very sceptical at first because I did not think it would be possible to get a signal in the middle of the Gobi desert, but you can and I was extremely glad.”

Using SMS for personal safety is a relatively new concept but Rob is very excited about future possibilities for the service, as he explains. This application has proved that so long as you have a mobile phone, it is possible to send SMS messages that are guaranteed to be delivered, irrespective of which country you are in. The potential use for email to SMS in this context is enormous; for example, as part of a company’s health and safety procedure. Similarly, providing Aid workers operating in countries where freedom of speech is restricted with this type of service would enable them to quickly but subtly inform colleagues if they were in danger.”

Online SMS applications are usually associated with promotional campaigns. They are quick and easy to execute, their marketing reach is enormous due to the sheer number of phones in circulation and they provide consumers with an easy way to interact and respond.

However online SMS applications can also be used to help save lives, as an innovative trial carried out by WelTel Kenya1  has clearly demonstrated. The story was covered by the Independent and in this pilot, SMS technology has been used to help HIV-positive patients stick to their strict drugs regimes by sending them SMS reminders to take their daily doses of life saving medication.

Apart from receiving their usual dose of antiretroviral drugs, the 500 plus patients involved in the trial also received discrete text messages and they were instructed to reply “Sawa” (”fine”) or “Shida” (”problem”) to these SMS messages within 48 hours.

Those who confirmed they had a problem or failed to respond to the message within the timeframe were called by a nurse to find out what was wrong.
The number of patients that achieved 100% adherence to their regime was 12% higher in the SMS group. In addition, the number of patients who were able to achieve suppression of HIV to below detectable levels in their blood – a key benchmark of success – was 9% higher in the SMS group.

Less than 4% percent of patients texted the reply “problem” With such results, a single nurse could use SMS technology to help manage the welfare of a thousand plus patients spread over a wide geographical area and expect to make follow-up calls to only 33 patients per week.

The trial was easy to implement because it was based on existing mobile communications infrastructure. Nurses used a computer to write and send out the messages. According to industry estimates mobile penetration is practically 100% in Kenya so you can almost guarantee that patients had access to a mobile phone. Such a system is more economical than expecting nurses to make personal visits to individual patients.

Online SMS applications are benefitting millions of people in other ways too. Take banking, for example. Millions of people in Africa, and indeed in other third-world countries do not have bank accounts because they can’t afford one, but they do have mobile phones. Using SMS technology as a driving force, organisations like M-Peso are giving poorer people access to financial services they could have only dreamt about 10 years ago. All you need to set up an account is a standard mobile phone, an M-Peso SIM and an identity card. Money can be added to our mobile phone account at designated agencies and all financial transactions are carried out more or less straight away via SMS.

SMS technology is allowing even the poorest people to save money, transfer money and pay their bills safely and securely.

Online SMS applications are by far the easiest way to make contact with people dispersed over vast areas. No special equipment is needed and the majority of people have basic mobile phones capable of receiving texts.  Bulk SMS messages can be sent to thousands of people via email to SMS or PC to SMS applications.

Click here to find out more about who we are and what we do.

According to recent research carried out by mobile transaction network, mBlox, more than two thirds of consumers in the UK would like to receive their shopping coupons in the form of a text message.  Not only that, almost a third of them are already familiar with this concept and have used mobile shopping coupons.

The research revealed that over 70% of UK consumers would be interested in receiving coupons via SMS while out shopping, to alert them of special offers or promotions and such like – could add a whole new dimension to Tesco Club points!

In addition, separate research carried out by the Mobile Marketing Association has shown that a quarter of  European consumers (based in France, Germany and the UK) would be more likely to respond to advertising  campaigns of any medium if they could do so using their mobile phones, with SMS being the preferred option.

With such astonishing figures, there is little wonder that over 38% of retailers in the UK have incorporated SMS marketing into their overall advertising and promotional strategies.

Why are the statistics so high for SMS compared to other marketing mediums?

• Well for starters there are more mobile devices than any other technology gadgets in the UK, so the potential business reach is enormous
• More and more businesses are turning to SMS for important communications because emails can easily get lost or overlooked
• Bulk text messages are delivered within seconds and redeemed within minutes – no other communications method can reach consumers so quickly and in such a contextual way
• SMS allows for easy interaction – consumers only have to text a key word to a mobile number or short code in order to receive further information
• High response rates allow retailers to further tailor their advertising campaigns.
• SMS marketing allows consumers to engage with big brands – bringing them to life
• SMS is the preferred communications method for the younger generation
• SMS can compliment overall marketing campaigns
• And finally – Receiving tickets, coupons etc via mobile phones as text messages helps businesses to become greener in the way they operate. 

Click here to find out how our business SMS solution can add an extra dimension to your existing marketing campaigns.

The new trend with the internet is sending online messages to your friends, family and colleagues. Online messaging is used widely on the internet as it is very simple and quick. The online messaging service allows you to use the computer and the internet to send messages, which is beneficial for all those who use the internet widely.

For all those who use the computer extensively, for personal or business; they are much more accustomed to typing on the keyboard of the computer. Texting on the mobile phone is difficult as the keys are very small. Thus, online messaging can be very beneficial as it makes it easier.

Another important point is that the facility of online messaging can help ensure that your mobile bill is reduced as online messaging is very cost effective.

Whether you need to send a work-related message or just a casual joke, online messaging allows you to send messages instantly. As soon as you send the message, it gets delivered to the recipient within no time.

Online messaging is useful to send multiple messages or the same message to a large number of recipients at the same time, thus reducing the time spent on sending a message from a mobile phone. Most often, you might have to send a common message to all your friends or clients; with the help of online messaging you can send it to all those people with the help of one click and within seconds all of them will get the message.

Recently, a lot of people, whether for personal or business purposes, are using the online messaging service to stay in touch with their family and friends.

Due to the continuous developments in technology, a lot of people are commonly using the internet and the various services it offers. Over the years, the service of online messaging has become very popular.

Because of the easy access to the internet, the use of online messaging has increased tremendously as it is very easy and simple to use.

Online messaging VS messaging from a mobile phone

With people using the computer to a large extent, they find typing on a keyboard a lot easier compared to using a mobile phone to key messages. Thus, people use the internet as they frequently use it, making messaging a lot simpler.

Online messaging allows you to send messages to more than one person at the same time, saving a lot of time and energy. If you need to invite someone to a party or need to inform a group of people about an event, it is recommended to use online messaging as it is faster and easier.

Online messaging is cost effective compared to messaging from your mobile phone. If you have to send a large number of messages, then online messages can save you a lot of money.

Another problem that most people face is that the battery of their phone dies. At such times if they have to send messages then online messaging is helpful. The service even allows you to store the numbers and names of people on the internet, which makes messaging very convenient.

Nowadays, online text messaging has become very popular. By using an internet text messaging service you can communicate with a lot of people with just a click of a mouse. It is like sending messages from your mobile phone but in online messaging you make use of a computer with an internet connection.

The benefits of online messaging

• The messages are delivered instantly. You can send bulk messages to all your customers. You can also send funny texts to all your friends very easily.
• It is convenient to type on the keyboard, in comparison to the keypad of the mobile phone. Typing on the keyboard is much faster than typing on a mobile.
• With online text message services, you can reduce your mobile bills. It can be reduced up to 50 percent.
• There are no restrictions in these online services. You can use it for your business and also to message your friends.

Sending messages is one of the fastest way to communicate and now online messaging has made it very convenient. With it you can be easily connected to all your friends and relatives. Internet text messaging helps you to send texts without using your mobile phone.

According to the latest reports from one of the leading mobile marketing firms, SMS marketing is emerging as a top tool for sports clubs that wish to keep in direct contact with their players. SMS marketing is ideal, quick and easy for sending important messages to a large group of people.

Rugby, golf and football clubs use internet SMS to send out messages to their members in order to keep them updated with the latest events and activities happening in the club. Nelson RFC in Wales is one of the rugby clubs that have successfully introduced text messaging campaigns.

The club is reported to use text messages to communicate with players and coaches about training, match timings, team selection and committee meetings. Club manager, Rob Bowden, said that text messaging has worked wonders to ensure player turnout at training sessions. He also said that they had a great reply to their training day alerts. In fact, they wanted to introduce a complete new team following a 15% increase in training turnout.

Football club, Preston North End, also utilises internet SMS to keep players updated about club news. A spokesperson from the club said that text messaging proves to be ideal for speedy communication. It can easily and quickly send out a single message to a large group of people which is one of the biggest advantages of the internet SMS service.

Technology now lets us send SMS messages from our very own desktop computer. It is easy to send and receive text messages from a desktop computer or laptop. You can in fact use a standard web browser to send SMS messages to many mobile numbers. There is also no need to install any software.

Once the message has been sent, you get a delivery report stating the status of the message sent. You also get a facility to send your message to a single recipient or a group of persons. You can also store your contacts in an online contact address book.

Such a system is easy to use and can be set up in minutes and lets you send as many SMS messages as you want. You can also set up your own mobile number on the browser so that the replies come to your mobile number.

It can benefit any business to send bulk internet SMS messages. When marketing a product or service, one can send such bulk messages to a large number of mobile numbers. A business organisation can keep in touch with its employees all over the world. The whole company can this way know the status of a project or assignment. If the employees face any problems, they can immediately send a text via such a system and the company can thereby work to find a resolution.

Such a system of online text messaging can be of great help as it allows instant sending and receiving of text messages.

Text messaging can be difficult for people who are relatively new to the world of mobile phones. Moreover, the size of mobile phones is constantly reducing making it harder for people to type messages using their keypads. While you can always manage to send a few texts from using the keypad of your mobile phone, the problem arises when you need to send multiple messages to multiple users. At such times, using a mobile phone for such a task can be quite time consuming and frustrating.

Online text messaging can be a boon for people in a situation like this. Using the computer keyboard for the typing requirements makes it very easy for you to get started with sending all the text messages in double quick time. Moreover, online text messaging is also a lot cheaper than sending text messages via a mobile phone.

Online text messaging can also have a lot of benefits for businesses. With the help of online text messaging, businesses can stay in touch with their partners and clients. Messages can also be sent to the mobile phones of the employees updating them about business procedures or during an emergency. Online text messaging can take care of your promotional and communicational requirements in an inexpensive and effective manner.

Online text messaging is increasingly becoming popular as more and more individuals and businesses are discovering the advantages of this effective yet, inexpensive method of communication.