Three Tactics to Build & Engage Your SMS Audience

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• Uncovering three methods Blume used to build and engage SMS subscribers
• Three tweets about Paris Hilton's 10-minute TikTok ad, the power of a series and new Instagram channels

Today, I'm taking a look at Blume, a skincare company that, as an early adopter, has led the way when it came to innovative SMS engagement and outreach strategies. Today I'll break down their top tactics.

Let's jump in!

Traffic & Audience Trends

From August 2020 to July 2021, Blume generated 104K average monthly website visits. 88% of their traffic is generated from mobile devices.

Blume has seen 57% of their website audience in the 18-34 age group, capturing Gen Zs and Millennials. 

Suggestions to Test

• Optimize Beyond the Obvious: Take your mobile presence to the next level by creating a way for your buyers to contact you in a direct and intimate way. 
• Who Are You Texting?: Remind yourself who your audience is to ensure your branding, language and messaging align with the people who follow you.

SMS Tactics

1. Blume created Instagram Stories to raise awareness about the SMS communication program by treating people to a ‘first come first serve’ gift card to Starbucks if they opt-in.

2. Blume also hosted contests to incentivize people to sign up online. 

Suggestions to Test

• Keep Customer Interests in Mind: Blume recognizes who their customer is, what they do and where they shop. Using Starbucks as an incentive, they speak directly to the people who buy their products.
• Use Trends to Promote Initiatives: With trends coming and going, Blume makes an effort to stay relevant with their content. The use of flip phones in their giveaway speaks to the comeback in Y2K nostalgia. 
• Maintain Strong Branding: Regardless of what they are promoting or how they are promoting it, Blume’s purpose remains consistent across messaging. During the giveaway, participants needed to text “SELFCARETREAT” to enter. Ultimately, this reminds Blume’s audience why they exist.

3. Conversational Accessibility

Suggestions to Test

• Distribution: Roughly 55% of texts from August 2020 to July 2021 are conversational. They provide insight into how Blume started, their values, and how they’re doing better as a brand.
• Tone & Communication: Blume uses three methods in conversation:
• 1. employ a casual tone, using phrases like "Hi" and "Cool"
• 2. utilize all capital letters to emphasize subscriber prompts
• 3. incorporate emojis for formatting to enhance the readability of longer texts.

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Here are three tweets you should check out this week:

1. Paris Hilton's 10-minute TikTok ad

 2. The power of a series on social media

 3. Instagram introducing broadcast channels?

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