Thought for a second

Here’s the English translation of the adapted SMS marketing guide:

SMS marketing is one of the most cost-effective and accessible promotional channels today, and its low cost and convenience have made it a global phenomenon—more and more businesses and individuals are jumping on board.

Before you embark on SMS marketing, it’s crucial to understand your expenses. This guide explains the components of SMS marketing pricing and shows you how to calculate the ROI of your SMS campaigns.

1. Cost Components of SMS Marketing

For a small or medium-sized business, it’s essential to get a clear picture of all related fees before diving in. Key cost components include:

• Per-message fee

• Keyword registration fee

• International SMS rates

• Dedicated number (10DLC/toll-free) rental fee

• Optional carrier validation fee

Together, these determine your overall SMS marketing spend.

1.1 Per-Message Fee

Per-message pricing varies by country, carrier, and provider. In the U.S. market (using Textmagic rates) for example:

• Outbound SMS: $0.049 per message

• Outbound MMS: $0.080 per message

• Inbound SMS: Free

• Inbound MMS: $0.080 per message

So, sending 1,000 SMS messages costs about:

0.049 USD/message × 1,000 messages = 49 USD

MMS is priced higher because it can carry up to 1,600 characters (plus multimedia), requiring more data handling by carriers.

1.2 Dedicated Number Fees

Some countries require businesses to use dedicated business numbers (such as 10DLC or toll-free) for large-scale campaigns. Typical charges include:

• Monthly rental for 10DLC/toll-free: higher than a standard long code, varies by provider

• One-time registration fee: may apply

• Carrier validation fee (optional): ~$0.04 per validation to ensure number eligibility and optimize deliverability

While more expensive, dedicated numbers boost brand recognition and compliance.

2. Key Factors Affecting SMS Marketing Costs

When estimating your total spend, consider these major variables:

1. Country-specific rate
   SMS rates differ widely across markets—always verify local carrier pricing.

2. Message type and length

   • SMS (up to 160 characters)

   • MMS (up to 1,600 characters plus images/audio)

3. Carrier pricing model
   Pay-per-message vs. bulk/plan pricing—choose the model that best fits your volume.

4. Audience size and location
   The more recipients (especially international), the higher your cost.

5. Campaign frequency
   One-time blasts vs. ongoing drip campaigns carry different cost structures.

3. How to Calculate SMS Campaign ROI

1. Total Cost = (Per-message fee × Number of messages) + Number rental + Validation fees (if any)

2. Total Revenue = New sales + Repeat business uplift + Incremental customer lifetime value

3. ROI Formula:

   ROI=Total Revenue−Total CostTotal Cost×100% \text{ROI} = \frac{\text{Total Revenue} – \text{Total Cost}}{\text{Total Cost}} \times 100\%

Example:

• Cost: $49 (message fees) + $10 (number rental) = $59

• Revenue from the campaign: $300

• ROI = (300 – 59) / 59 × 100% ≈ 408%

Feel free to let me know if you’d like any further adjustments or market-specific details!