SMS Sender ID: A Must-Have For Your Brand

Before you 'Send' your perfectly crafted SMS campaign, have you considered branding your bulk SMS messages so recipients can see your company name? If your answer is 'no', keep reading.

The importance of having a Sender ID

A Sender ID is the feature that enables you to personalise an SMS with your brand or company name. This ID is the name or number that is displayed as the sender of the SMS message to the receiver of the SMS message.

Sending a one-way SMS means you can use a shared number or a custom Sender ID. Shared numbers look like a dedicated long code, but aren't unique to your business. On the other hand, a custom Sender ID is just that; customised to your branding and business name.

With one-way SMS, you can either use a shared number or a custom Sender ID. Shared numbers are not unique to your business, but a custom Sender ID is specific to your branding and business name.

Personalise your SMS branding

Wouldn't you prefer your customer recipients to know who you are? Choosing a Sender ID is paramount for your brand. Why? Because sending SMS is paramount to any business. Because your market strategy matters. This means that your brand equity and brand loyalty is vital for your company too, as a personalised SMS generates more brand recall and recognition than a generic unknown number.

Similar to receiving a social media request from stranger, you would be less likely to click on a number that you don't know, than a number that is branded by a company that you trust. The more brand equity and trust your brand has, the more you'll be optimising your SMS open rates using strategic promotional SMS.

Below are common questions to help you get started sending bulk SMS campaigns with a Sender ID.

Related article: Sender ID Knowledge Base

Can a Sender ID include both numbers and alphabetical letters?

Yes, an alphanumeric Sender ID can send both numbers can alphabetical letters. The maximum limit is 11 characters. You can choose a combination of letters (A-Z) and numbers (0-9) for your SMS marketing campaigns. Your Sender ID also supports spaces, as well as uppercase and lowercase characters.

Related article: What is a Sender ID or 'From Address'

Related article: What is an Alphanumeric (Custom Word) Sender ID?

How do I register for a Sender ID?

Registering a Sender ID is a simple process. The best part is we do it for you, so you can sit back and relax. If you'd like to register one for your company today, simply call us today to speak to our Customer Success team.

Note: Some countries require Sender IDs to be registered with the mobile network operator(s) before you start using it in your SMS campaigns, while other countries do not have such restrictions in place.

Related article: Can I Register Multiple Sender ID's on my Account?

How much does a Sender ID cost?

The cost of a Sender ID depends from country to country. In some countries, you are required to pay a monthly fee or prepay for a year. While in others, the Sender ID is dynamic, which means you can start using it from the get-go.

Related article: Do I have to Pre-Register my Sender ID?

Can recipients respond to a Sender ID?

A Sender ID only facilitates one-way communication, so your recipient will not be able to reply to the text message. However, recipients can contact you via your phone number or any other contact information which you can specify in your message. You can reach customers with SMS marketing software such as SMSGlobal MXT platform.

Related article: Sender ID ‘From Address’ for Two-Way Communication

What kinds of businesses use custom word Sender IDs?

Custom word Sender IDs are a popular choice for any company. Some examples include airlines, insurance agencies, banks, medical and healthcare clinics, real estate and other financial institutions. Transactional SMS messages are a typical use case for custom word Sender IDs as they don't require a response. For example, an airline such a Qatar Airways can send a flight booking confirmation to a customer. The customer doesn't need to reply to the message, and they are more likely to trust that the SMS sender and content is legitimate since it has a branded Sender ID, unique to Qatar Airways.

Related article: How to change the default Sender ID in MXT

Do I need to register a Sender ID for every country I plan to send SMS text messages to?

The answer will most likely be 'yes'. Since mobile network operators in every country have their own rules and regulations, you'll probably be required to register the Sender ID for a respective country.

Related article: Are all Sender IDs supported in every Country?

Improve your CX with a unique branded ID

Interested in applying a unique branded Sender ID and greatly improving your customer experience, marketing, overall brand recognition and recall? Keep your customers top of mind.

Contact our Customer Success team today to set up a unique branded Sender ID for your business.