When running an SMS campaign, there comes a point when you need to branch out and invest in software. It enables you to bulk send, access immediate analytical information, and set up a text gateway system.
Text gateways let you send text messages from computers — get ready to reimagine everything you thought you knew about texting. It eliminates that mobile-to-mobile aspect and gives you greater freedom to orchestrate a successful campaign.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to all the SMS essentials you need to know about using gateways in texting. Expect definitions, how-tos, and all the benefits to determine why you should invest in this strategy.
What Is a Text Gateway?
A text gateway is a technology that allows marketing software to send SMS messages. You can use your software instead of mobile phones to send texts. And that includes when you’re accessing it from a laptop or computer —- it enables simplified, more flexible communication.
The gateway acts a bit like a translator. Without adjusting a message’s format, sending a valid SMS to recipients wouldn’t be possible. You prepare and send your message using your software. However, on its way out, it passes through the gateway to ensure mobile compatibility. This ensures that customers receive a valid, effective message.
Not all software has text gateways; you’ll need to check when purchasing. Look out for signs that it has text messaging capabilities and SMS compatibility.
Text gateways are what you might not notice when text marketing for small businesses. Being able to send all your SMS marketing from one place becomes more valuable when working with larger contact lists. Sending a few versus a few hundred messages a week is drastically different.
Whether you have SMS restaurant loyalty rewards or bulk SMS advertisements for retail, it’s a great way to send messages.
How To Get a Free Text Gateway
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but getting a free text gateway is impossible. That is, at least for the long term. Because an SMS gateway is a feature of text marketing software, you’ll need to subscribe to the software. It’s a little bit of a chicken and egg situation; one of the two will cost you.
There is an alternative, though, and that’s to look for free trials and demos.
A big reason why people look for free options is because they are averse to risking the financial investment upfront. It’s hard — we get it. Why should you trust something you’ve not yet seen the benefits of? What if it ends up a huge headache and more trouble than it’s worth?
Many software companies offer a free trial of one or two months. This way, you can dip your toe in without the pressure of a financial commitment.
Another option is to choose a demo. If you think a quick tour of the software would put your mind at ease, this is a great option. If the software of your choice doesn’t advertise one on its website, just reach out and request one. Most companies are happy to oblige.
So, while there’s no such thing as a free gateway (sadly), there are plenty of good options. With the help of free trials and demos, you can ensure you get bang for your buck. Start browsing for the best SMS marketing platforms.
3 Benefits of Text Gateways
Before investing in any new strategy, you must know why you should bother. Luckily, the benefits of using a gateway multimedia messaging service are straightforward. You probably know the benefits of SMS marketing, and there’s a definite overlap between the two.
There are a wide range of pros when using an SMS gateway service, but here are just the top three.
1. Bulk Sending
The first major benefit is that using text gateways overlaps with being able to send bulk SMS messages. If you invest in software for a gateway system, you get bulk sending via default. How good is that?
2. Convenience
The biggest benefit is the convenience. If your mobile phone dies, you can use your laptop to manage your SMS messages. You don’t have to pick specific devices to send an SMS text message, which is incredibly liberating.
3. Better Connection With Customers
With more flexibility, you have more options for connecting with your customers. It’s good to have a variety of contact methods and not be limited by your device type. All of this flexibility results in a better overall connection and the ability to improve customer service.
How Can I Monitor Text Messages From My Internet Gateway?
Internet gateways do not have access to SMS messages. If you utilize a text message service, it goes through a cellular network, not WiFi. It’s incredibly difficult to access this information, too. Typically, law enforcement forces like the FBI are the only ones able to do so.
In short, you should probably wave goodbye to the idea of accessing your cellular network data.
Because of these factors, we can’t answer the question, “How can I monitor text messages from my Internet gateway?”
Instead, your best option is to track text messages through your chosen SMS software. It should have an analytical dashboard that lets you track what messages you’ve sent, when, and their performance. If you send out a bulk SMS reminder, you should get insights on engagement and the date of sending.
Hold on, though: What about messages that rely on the internet? In theory, you should be able to access messages on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. You send the messages over the internet, after all.
However, the reality is that even the messages sent on internet-reliant platforms aren’t accessible from your internet gateway. These companies typically encrypt all their messages — a great defense against hackers and malicious attacks
As a general rule, if you want to monitor your text messages, you must download great SMS marketing software.
How Can I Actually Read Texts From an Internet Gateway?
You can’t. Anyone asking, “How can I actually read texts from an Internet Gateway” is about to be sorely disappointed. It’s not possible.
As we mentioned above, text messages are not sent via the Internet but via cellular networks instead. This means that SMS messages never pass through the Internet, i.e., there’s never a trace to begin with.
The likelihood of you requesting the data to actually read texts from your cellular network is next to none. You can request your cell phone records (CPR), but they don’t contain the contents of messages; they are just time stamps. And even that requires you to request the documents within the timeframe before the company deletes them.
If it isn’t for the purpose of an ongoing legal case of a certain severity, there’s no obligation to oblige. In fact, cellular network companies are more likely to refuse to uphold data protection laws.
It might be disappointing, but you won’t be reading text messages from gateways anytime soon. And that’s a good thing — nobody wants a lawsuit, including the cellular network companies.
FAQ
Don’t rush off just yet. Text gateways are quite a complex topic, so let’s consolidate what you’ve learned so far. These are a few valuable FAQ to test your knowledge on.
How does a text gateway work?
A text gateway acts as a translator for your SMS software. Usually, a text message sent from a laptop is invalid and incompatible. So, in order to prevent a colossal flop of your SMS campaign, the gateway system translates it.
When you click send on a message in your software, it automatically runs through the gateway. It’s a handy feature to have for better flexibility in your campaign.
How can I monitor text messages from gateways?
You can see the analytics and data from all of your text messages on your software’s dashboard. This is easy to find and is usually set as the system’s homepage. It often includes things like bounce rate, open rate, and other vital engagement stats.
Just make sure that you choose software that has an analytical dashboard feature.
How much is a gateway?
A gateway is a feature that some SMS software has. Therefore, the price is usually incorporated into a monthly subscription rate.
You can expect to pay upwards of $20 per month for SMS marketing software, rising proportionally to your contact list. For larger businesses, paying over $1,000 a month for extremely large contact lists is possible.
Beambox: Getting SMS Numbers
It’s all well, and it’s good to learn about gateways, but how do you get SMS numbers in the first place? There are many ways to collect numbers for a marketing contact list. However, the easiest — and most effective — is through captive portal marketing.
Captive portal marketing is where you temporarily barricade access to your guest WiFi system. It’s a fantastic solution for anyone who owns an in-person business. As guests try to click join, it transports them to a pop-up webpage. This pop-up contains a form you can personalize to request the details of your choice, including SMS numbers.
Once guests comply with the form, they get WiFi access. And, as a win-win, you get marketing details. It’s the perfect way to harness an existing service and make it more equally lucrative.
Here at Beambox, we can help. We run an all-in-one WiFi marketing platform that enables business owners like yourself to collect marketing details through unique captive portals.
You understand the function of a text gateway, so collect numbers and start your Beambox free trial today!
