In a fully interactive world where global communication happens in an instant, there's nothing holding you back from branching out to your customers. With the rise of technology, there are endless possibilities for your business, and text message programming is the first step to greatly improving your communication company-wide.
What Is SMS API and What Is It Used For?
SMS API refers to an Application Programming Interface that's specifically catered for text communication. The role of the API is to lay out the rules and protocols required for IT systems to interact.
Simply put, APIs are the necessary applications that allow texts to be programmed and sent out for A2P (Application-to-Person) interaction. An SMS API can also be known as an SMS Gateway because the API operates as a bridge for data to interact. It allows IT devices, such as computers, to access mobile-specific functions, like text messaging. By forming a path that allows data to interact, the process of sending automated texts is streamlined significantly.
Using programmable messaging makes sending text broadcasts to your stakeholders effortless. You can message on a global scale without the hassle of handling individual networks with a myriad of phone providers. An SMS API can schedule, remind, notify and even help to secure when used in 2FA.
With SMS API, you can create preset conditions that trigger a message to be sent to a customer, so once users action an outlined formula, an automatic text will be sent directly to their phone. For example, following a transaction with your company, a customer can automatically receive a text that gives thanks for their purchase and provides them with an order number. This keeps your buyer reassured in the product, promotes consistency in your company and improves customer experience.
How a Text Directly Speaks to Your Audience
Although you're aware of how SMS API works in theory, let's take a look into the way it impacts businesses in practice.
Business SMS messaging isn't just used for connecting with customers to promote upcoming offers. It regularly functions as a way of communicating with employees, and business partners. An SMS Service can be used to set reminders for work events, scheduling meetings with stakeholders and sending notifications to employees for any internal updates.
SMS APIs can also be used for Customer Data Platforms (CDP). CDPs are pieces of software that take information from various sources and combine the data to create a personalized experience for your consumers. A rest API can allow you to send a 'get' request and receive data from previous bulk SMS interactions to form an overall customer profile. This can outline demographic behaviors and build prediction reports based on analysis.
Text message programming is a quick and easy tech solution to assist you in reaching out to anyone associated with your business. G2 shared some statistics that show you how effective SMS marketing really is, including:
- Around 83% of consumers prefer receiving bookings and appointments via SMS.
- Email marketing is not favored with 85% of consumers preferring to receive SMS over call or email.
- Your messages will be seen with open rates as high as 98%, and 60% of customers reading texts within 1-5 minutes of SMS delivery.
- 59% of consumers would rather receive SMS notifications from a business than download a separate app.
With notably high levels of positive interaction, it's becoming clear that a text message might just be the most straightforward way to contact your stakeholders. Ensuring that communication is simple and direct keeps your receiver notified and engaged in an inoffensive way — exactly what a business needs.
How to Integrate SMS API
So, how do you begin to integrate SMS programming into your processes? The best way to go about this is to utilize the services of an SMS aggregator. At Swift SMS, you send us the message that you want to share, and we send your text to our mobile network connections for them to deliver your message to the phone numbers of your allocated receivers.
Make the most of your integration by letting us do the work for you. All you have to do is:
- Choose your programming language – PHP, Javascript, Python etc.
- Select your function – Message polls, inbound and outbound messaging etc.
It's as simple as that! The next step is to plan where automatic replies are needed within your processes. Do you require transactional SMS reminders, delivery receipt options or one time passwords for heightened security? These are all key points to consider when beginning SMS API integration.
Our SMS services come with various benefits, such as the ability to manage sub-accounts for multiple SMS services under a master account. This helps you to organize areas for employees, customers and clients, or updates, reminders and announcements. We also offer unlimited access to our library of text templates and scripts.
Where interaction is often encouraged in business, some companies don't give consumers the option to respond to the SMS text messages they receive. This feature can be a make-or-break deal for customers. With 60% of consumers wanting the option to respond to business texts, per G2, it's safe to say that customers think it should go both ways.
At Swift SMS Gateway, we understand the importance of customer engagement. That's why we offer both inbound and outbound messaging for all of our SMS API plans. With support schemes in place, you can gain a global reach of over 800 carriers. You can take a look at SMS gateway API plans here.
Spreading the Message
Implementing SMS API can make life so much easier for everyone involved with your business. It's not just about SMS marketing benefits. Having automated messages in place reflects well on your company — not only for customers, but employees and associates as well. Where communication methods are enhanced, engagement and satisfaction also sees an increase.
Do you agree that SMS API can be a valuable solution for your business? If so, you can get in touch, or set up a demo with us for free!
