Email marketing has dominated digital communications for decades, but businesses are expanding their reach through multiple channels. SMS marketing delivers impressive open rates of 98% compared to email’s 20%, making it an attractive option for marketers seeking better engagement. If you’re already using Mailchimp for email campaigns, you might wonder whether you can add SMS marketing to your toolkit without switching platforms.
This guide explores Mailchimp’s SMS capabilities, pricing, features, and alternatives to help you make an informed decision about your text marketing strategy.
What is Mailchimp’s SMS Marketing Feature?
Yes, Mailchimp does offer SMS marketing, but with some important limitations. The platform introduced SMS functionality as part of its broader marketing automation suite, allowing users to send text messages alongside their email campaigns.
Mailchimp’s SMS feature enables businesses to:
- Send promotional text messages to subscribers
- Set up automated SMS campaigns
- Create targeted messaging based on customer segments
- Track basic performance metrics like delivery rates and clicks
However, Mailchimp’s SMS offering is not as comprehensive as dedicated SMS marketing platforms. The feature serves as an add-on to complement email marketing rather than a full-featured SMS solution.
Mailchimp SMS Marketing Features
Basic SMS Functionality
Mailchimp provides essential SMS marketing tools that cover fundamental text messaging needs. Users can create simple text campaigns, schedule messages, and manage subscriber lists through the same interface used for email marketing.
The platform supports standard SMS features including:
- Plain text messaging up to 160 characters
- Contact list management and segmentation
- Basic personalization using merge tags
- Simple automation workflows
Integration with Email Campaigns
One of Mailchimp’s strengths lies in combining SMS with email marketing efforts. You can create multi-channel campaigns that send both email and SMS messages, ensuring your audience receives consistent messaging across platforms.
This integration allows for:
- Coordinated email and SMS campaign timing
- Consistent branding across channels
- Unified contact management
- Cross-channel performance tracking
Automation and Segmentation
Mailchimp’s automation features extend to SMS marketing, enabling you to create triggered messages based on customer behavior. You can set up welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, or birthday messages that automatically send via SMS.
The platform also supports audience segmentation for SMS campaigns, allowing you to target specific groups based on:
- Purchase history
- Geographic location
- Engagement levels
- Custom fields and tags
Mailchimp SMS Pricing Structure
Mailchimp’s SMS pricing operates separately from email marketing costs. The platform charges per SMS message sent, with rates varying by country and message type.
Pay-Per-Message Model
Unlike email marketing where you pay for subscriber counts, SMS marketing follows a pay-per-message structure. This means you’re charged for each text message delivered to recipients.
Typical pricing ranges from $0.01 to $0.05 per SMS, depending on:
- Destination country
- Message volume
- Plan type
Additional Costs
Beyond per-message charges, consider these potential additional costs:
- Monthly platform fees for higher-tier plans
- Setup fees for dedicated short codes
- Premium features like advanced analytics
- International messaging rates
Limitations of Mailchimp’s SMS Marketing
Limited Advanced Features
Compared to specialized SMS platforms, Mailchimp’s text marketing features are relatively basic. The platform lacks many advanced capabilities that dedicated SMS providers offer, such as:
- MMS (multimedia messaging) support
- Advanced two-way messaging
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting
- A/B testing for SMS campaigns
- Advanced automation triggers
Geographic Restrictions
Mailchimp’s SMS functionality is not available in all countries. The feature primarily serves businesses in the United States, with limited international coverage. This restriction can be problematic for global businesses or those targeting international audiences.
Volume Limitations
High-volume SMS senders may find Mailchimp’s infrastructure insufficient for their needs. The platform is designed for small to medium-sized businesses rather than enterprise-level SMS marketing campaigns.
Mailchimp SMS vs. Dedicated SMS Platforms
When Mailchimp SMS Makes Sense
Mailchimp’s SMS feature works well for businesses that:
- Primarily focus on email marketing
- Send occasional promotional texts
- Want unified campaign management
- Have limited SMS marketing needs
- Prefer managing all marketing from one platform
When to Consider Alternatives
Choose a dedicated SMS platform if you:
- Plan to send high volumes of text messages
- Need advanced features like MMS or two-way messaging
- Require detailed SMS analytics
- Operate in markets where Mailchimp SMS isn’t available
- Want specialized SMS automation capabilities
Popular Mailchimp SMS Alternatives
Twilio
Twilio offers robust SMS API capabilities with extensive customization options. The platform provides:
- Global SMS coverage
- Advanced automation features
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Integration with numerous third-party tools
- Scalable infrastructure for high-volume sending
Klaviyo
Klaviyo combines email and SMS marketing with advanced segmentation and automation. Key features include:
- Sophisticated customer journey mapping
- Comprehensive analytics dashboard
- Advanced personalization capabilities
- Strong e-commerce integrations
- Predictive analytics for customer behavior
SimpleTexting
SimpleTexting focuses exclusively on SMS marketing with user-friendly features:
- Easy-to-use interface
- MMS support
- Two-way messaging capabilities
- Contest and survey tools
- Detailed performance tracking
Best Practices for SMS Marketing
Compliance and Consent
Regardless of which platform you choose, SMS marketing requires strict adherence to regulations like TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and GDPR. Always:
- Obtain explicit consent before sending messages
- Provide clear opt-out instructions
- Maintain detailed consent records
- Honor unsubscribe requests immediately
Message Content and Timing
Effective SMS marketing depends on relevant, timely content:
- Keep messages concise and valuable
- Include clear calls-to-action
- Send messages during appropriate hours
- Avoid overwhelming subscribers with frequent texts
Integration with Overall Marketing Strategy
SMS works best as part of a comprehensive marketing approach:
- Coordinate SMS timing with email campaigns
- Use consistent branding across channels
- Segment audiences based on preferences
- Track cross-channel performance metrics
Setting Up SMS Marketing in Mailchimp
Getting Started
To begin using Mailchimp’s SMS feature:
- Upgrade to a paid plan that includes SMS capabilities
- Verify your business information and phone number
- Set up your SMS sender ID or short code
- Import or create your SMS subscriber list
- Create your first SMS campaign
Building Your SMS List
Growing your SMS subscriber list requires strategic opt-in opportunities:
- Add SMS signup forms to your website
- Promote SMS subscriptions in email campaigns
- Offer exclusive deals for SMS subscribers
- Use social media to encourage SMS signups
- Implement SMS opt-ins at checkout
Creating Effective Campaigns
When crafting SMS campaigns in Mailchimp:
- Write clear, compelling subject lines
- Include strong calls-to-action
- Use personalization when appropriate
- Test message timing and frequency
- Monitor performance metrics closely
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
The decision of whether to use Mailchimp’s SMS marketing depends on your specific business needs, budget, and marketing strategy. For businesses already invested in Mailchimp’s ecosystem with basic SMS requirements, the platform’s text marketing feature provides a convenient, integrated solution.
However, companies with advanced SMS needs, high message volumes, or international audiences may benefit from dedicated SMS platforms that offer more comprehensive features and global coverage.
Consider your long-term SMS marketing goals, evaluate the features you need most, and choose a platform that can grow with your business. Remember that switching platforms later can be challenging, so invest time in making the right choice from the start.
Whether you choose Mailchimp’s SMS feature or an alternative platform, SMS marketing can significantly enhance your customer engagement and drive better results when implemented strategically alongside your existing marketing efforts.
Understanding whether Mailchimp offers SMS marketing is a great start for businesses exploring multi-channel strategies, especially when combined with the fundamentals of what email marketing is and why your business needs it.
