Finding the Best Mass Text App

Everything you need to know when choosing a mass texting app.

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what is a mass text app icon

What is a Mass Text App?

A mass text app is a mobile app or software suite that allows you to send mass text messages from a computer or mobile device. These types of apps are commonly used by businesses and organizations who need to reach large groups of people in a short amount of time.

Mass text messaging apps are different from traditional texting apps on your phone because there's no limit to how many people you can reach with a single text blast. Additionally, people can't see who else is receiving the text and all responses are kept private and one on one.

Example of a mass text app on an iPhone

Choosing the Right Mass Text App

There are several mass texting apps available today but finding the right one can be challenging. There's a lot to consider and if you're not close to the world of text messaging, there's probably a lot that you're unaware of; most of which can have a big impact on your decision. From SMS deliverability to texting compliance and features, we'll cover everything you should consider before getting started with mass texting.

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The App Should Be Easy to Use

The first thing you should look for in a mass texting app is how easy it is to use. At the end of the day, if the interface is clunky or hard to work with, it's less likely that you or your team will want to use it. The interface for sending messages should be easily accessible and the process for sending and scheduling your mass texts should feel natural. Any good mass texting app will offer a free option to get started with. This will allow you to vet the experience and all the app has to offer.

Additionally, make sure that you evaluate the mobile version of the mass texting service as well. Some services refer to their software as an "app" even though they don't actually have a mobile app in the Apple App or Google Play store. If you're like most people, you'll want the option to manage your texting from a mobile device so make sure they have a legitimate app to do it with.

Questions to Ask Yourself...

  • Is the interface easy to use?
  • Do they make sending & scheduling simple?
  • Is there a free option to test with?
  • Do they have an Apple or Android App?
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Deliverability Should be High

Text message deliverability is a huge factor in deciding on a mass text app and one that is far too often overlooked. Most people assume that a text is a text and it ends there. The fact is, there's a large range in messaging quality that people don't realize. Some apps use cheap quality "SMS routes" to send. Some don't maintain strong enough infrastructure to handle sending texts at larger scales. This can leave a lot of your messages undelivered and that defeats the entire purpose of using a mass text app.

Know that sending messages to small groups is simple and easy for most apps. That's not normally where texts begin to fail. Sending to hundreds or thousands gets more complex and where things can break down. Make sure that you choose a mass text messaging app that can prove their deliverability is high and that has a history of working with larger, more reputable companies that demand quality deliverability.

Things to Remember...

  • Not all apps have great deliverability
  • Not all apps are capable of sending at large scale
  • Ask services to prove the messaging quality
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The App Must Be Complaint With Laws

Compliance in the world of SMS is a big deal. The laws that govern unwanted text messages are much stricter than those of email. Fines for spam texts can be as high as $500 per text per person. This is why choosing a mass text app that follows SMS best practices is paramount. What does this mean for you though? Make sure that your text app provides a clear way for people to opt out. This means supporting key "stop words" that people can reply with to remove themselves. Some of these words include STOP, CANCEL and UNSUBSCRIBE.

Also, ask the service if you can upload your contacts and see if they ask any additional questions. If they simply let you upload and start sending mass texts with no questions asked, it's a big red flag that they aren't focused on compliance and therefore not focused on keeping you protected.

Additionally, the app that you choose should have strict opt out management. If someone opts out of your list, the app should prevent them from being re-added via any other method besides a "text to join." Accidentally sending texts to people after they've opted out could be a costly move and the app you choose should manage that for you.

What You Should Know...

  • Sending spam text messages can get expensive
  • You mass text app should support opt out keywords
  • A good service will not allow you to upload numbers without asking more questions first
  • A good service will have safeguards in place to prevent accidental re-optins
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The App Should Be Backed by Great Support

The chances of you knowing how everything will work is slim. You're inherently going to run into snags or have questions, especially when getting with a mass text app. Make sure that the service you choose has a great support network. You should be able to connect with real people who are knowledgeable about the app and can understand your use case. Visit their website and see if they make their phone number conspicuous. Send them an email. Do they respond in a timely manner? Can you talk to someone on live chat? You want to know that the company you choose not only supports the texting app they've built but also that they're invested in making sure you're finding success with it.

Questions to Ask Yourself...

  • Can I get help from real people?
  • Can I speak to a person on the phone?
  • Do these people know their own app?
  • Do they seem to care about my success?
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How's the Company's Reputation?

As with any purchase decision, it's important to understand the company's reputation. What are other saying about their app? What are people saying about their messaging quality? Are there real people behind the scenes? Do a little research to make yourself feel comfortable. Again, do they make themselves available for you? What does their "About Us" page on their website look like? What do 3rd party review sites say about their mass texting app? It's important to do your homework here.

What to Look For...

  • 3rd party reviews on their service
  • What people are saying about their message quality
  • An about us page on their website
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How is the App Priced?

Price is a very interesting topic when evaluating mass text apps. As mentioned above, there are cheap ways and quality ways to send messages. There's also cheap software and quality software. It's important to understand the concept of "you get what you pay for" in the world of mass texting. While you should seek out an app with competitive pricing, you should also be wary of services that have abnormally low costs. Most who choose low cost mass texting apps find that when they scale, need support, need features or just need their texts to reach their subscribers, they made the wrong decision.

Things to Remember...

  • You get what you pay for
  • Seek competitive but not abnormally low pricing
  • Most cheap apps provide no scale, support or features

Features to Look For in a Mass Text App

There are several mass text apps on the market today. All have different features, bells and whistles. While some apps may be "shinier" than others in terms of what they offer, we believe there is a core set of features that are table stakes for any solid mass text messaging app. Let's take a look at what those features look like...

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Text Message Scheduling

It's almost a guarantee that some of your messages will need to be sent at times when you're not available. That's why you should choose a mass text app that supports the ability to schedule your messages ahead of time. Any good app should support scheduling. Extra points for the ones that allow you to schedule recurring messages to put some of those regular reminders on autopilot.

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Multiple Opt-In Methods

There's no point in using a mass text messaging app if you've got no one to send messages to. Make sure the app you choose supports several different ways for people to subscribe. Some of the common ways include text to join, web-form options, and uploading of contacts (who have provided consent). List growth tools are a big part of growing a mass texting list so make sure your app offers several.

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Two-Way Texting

People are going to respond to your messages. You need to have a way to manage those responses. Make sure your mass texting app supports the ability to have 2-way text conversations with people that reply. You'd be surprised how many apps don't have that. Make sure that yours does.

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Clear Analytics

It's important to understand the performance of your texting efforts. The best mass text apps have solid analytics that give you a clear view into things like opt in rates, opt out rates, click throughs in your messages etc. The app should present all of the data in an easy to understand format for quick reference.

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SMS Automations

The best apps for mass texting offer several different options for sending automated text messages. Automation is typically found in the higher quality apps as the cheaper services usually do the bare minimum. Look for features like drip messages, birthday messages, auto-responders and recurring texts.

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iOS & Android Support

As mentioned above, many text messaging services refer to themselves as apps but they don't actually have a mobile app. This means you have to visit their website every time you want to send a message. Make sure that the mass text app you decide on offers a mobile app in both the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Who's Using Mass Text Apps?

Mass texting apps are versatile and support lots of different use cases. People in many different industries are using text messaging at scale to connect with their audiences or market to their customers. Here are just a handful of industries that make great use of SMS.

SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Churches

Churches and other religious organizations use mass texting to connect with their congregations and keep their people informed.
SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Non-Profits

Non-profit organizations use mass text apps to keep donors and volunteers in the loop on events and other happenings.
SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Restaurants

Restaurants use SMS marketing to drive foot traffic and boost customer retention through mobile coupons and special offers.
SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Ecommerce

Online stores use text messaging to retarget customers, send abandoned cart messages and create repeat buyers.
SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Retail

Retail shops use text message marketing to build customer loyalty through special offers, coupons and exclusive VIP text alerts.
SlickText gets high ratings from customers
Schools

Schools use mass text messaging apps to keep parents in the loop about closures, events and cancellations.

Why We've Got the Best Mass Text App

While everything that was covered above was completely unbiased information, we do feel that we've got the best mass text app available today. We cover all the bases outlined earlier plus many more. We've worked with over 70,000 brands throughout the years and we understand what it takes to be the best. We offer a free plan that you can use to test the waters and as always, you can chat with us, email us or call us anytime you have questions!

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Illustration of a mass texting app

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