How To Get Started With SMS Marketing

SMS isn’t just another channel. It’s a way to know your message gets through, to build relationships that last, and to grow without relying on algorithms or rented audiences. The tech matters, but the outcomes matter more.

We hear this all the time from marketers, journalists, podcasters, and creators:
“I know SMS matters. I know I need to build direct relationships. But where do I even start?”

The good news? SMS doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you launch. At Subtext, we’ve worked with hundreds of clients across news, media, sports, and entertainment, and we’ve learned one thing: getting started is easier than you think when you have the right strategy and the right support.

Why SMS Matters More Than Ever

Before we talk about where to start, it’s important to understand why SMS is so powerful right now:

• Ownership: Your list is yours. You decide when and how to connect.
• Certainty: When you text, you don’t hope your message gets through; you know it will. 98% of people text, and 90% of texts are read within three minutes.
• Loyalty: A direct line feels personal, which keeps people coming back.
• Revenue: Engagement at this level doesn’t just look good on a dashboard; it drives measurable growth.

Where to Start: 3 Types of Beginners

Not everyone starting with SMS is at the same place. Some teams come in with a clear vision, while others need help figuring out the basics. Wherever you fall, we’ve got you covered.

Tier 1: You Know Exactly What You Want to Do

Some clients come in with a crystal-clear strategy. They already know their goals, audience, and voice; they just need the right tools to execute.

For these clients, Subtext helps refine their plan, showcase advanced tactics like segmentation and A/B testing, and ensure they’re maximizing ROI from day one. If this sounds like you, you can start strong by:

• Defining your target audience and audience segments
• Building campaigns around your KPIs
• Leveraging Subtext’s analytics to track what’s working

Tier 2: You Know You Need SMS, But Aren’t Sure How to Use It

This is where a lot of our clients land. You want to connect directly with your audience, but you’re unsure what to send, how to structure your messages or how to grow your subscriber list.

Subtext’s customer success team works side-by-side with you to brainstorm campaigns, test ideas, and build a launch strategy. Here’s where we often start:

• Content brainstorming: Do you want your messages to feel like real-time alerts, personal takes, or end-of-day rundowns?
• Cadence: What’s realistic for your team’s bandwidth? It’s not about volume, it’s about consistency. Whether that’s a Friday roundup, daily update, or a few times a week, the key is building an expectation your audience can rely on.
• Goals: Are you optimizing for click-throughs, response rates, subscriber growth, or revenue? Defining what success means to you makes it easier to measure progress.

And here’s the part that surprises people: you don’t need to have all the answers up front because the outcome isn’t perfection, it's progress. Many clients come to us saying, “We were told to use SMS, but we don’t really have a strategy.” That’s okay. We’ll help you figure it out, one step at a time.

Tier 3: You’re Starting from a Blank Slate

Maybe you’ve never run an SMS campaign before and aren’t even sure where to begin. That’s okay, many of our clients start here.

When you launch with Subtext, we walk you through every decision step by step:

• Channel setup: Do you need multiple numbers for different hosts, shows, or editors, or will segmentation from a single number make more sense?
• Audience building: Will you import an existing list, start fresh with organic subscribers, or do a mix of both?
• Sign-up strategy: From landing pages and shortlinks to QR codes and keywords, we’ll help you design the simplest, most seamless path for your audience to join.
• Content planning: Pick one simple stream or theme to start with. It doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is offering something extra that your audience can’t get elsewhere.

And remember: it’s always okay to pivot. If something isn’t working, you can adjust your cadence, test a new tone, or try a different format. The most successful SMS strategies are the ones that evolve with audience feedback.

How Subtext Sets You Up for Success

One of the biggest reasons clients choose Subtext is our hands-on onboarding process. Our customer success team isn’t just here to get you set up; we can be your strategic partner from the start:

1. We help you clarify your goals. What do you want this channel to achieve? Growth? Engagement? Revenue? Defining success up front gives you a benchmark to measure against.
2. We simplify your messaging plan. Instead of trying to do everything at once, we help you choose a manageable cadence that works for your bandwidth and your audience.
3. We review your performance early and often. For the first 6–8 weeks, we monitor response rates, click-through rates, and messaging style to ensure your channel is resonating.
4. We encourage feedback loops. Too many brands are afraid to ask their audience what they want. We help you run quick surveys, test interactive prompts, and listen to responses so your content stays relevant.
5. We provide ongoing support. As your audience grows, we help you test segmentation, experiment with formats, and explore new engagement strategies.

With Subtext, you’re never stuck guessing. You’ll always have an expert by your side.

Rethinking Metrics: Quality Over Quantity

One of the biggest mindset shifts is realizing that your metrics aren’t just numbers. They’re proof of loyalty, certainty, and freedom from chasing social media vanity metrics. Success isn’t more people, it’s more valuable people.

• In music, we talk about the idea of the “superfan” — the smaller group of highly engaged subscribers who drive outsized value.
• In news, it’s your loyal readers who click every update and share it with friends.
• For podcasters, it could be the listeners who respond to polls or questions and then tune in more consistently.

Instead of chasing big list sizes or vanity numbers, SMS success often looks like fewer people, but more engaged. That’s where the real ROI lives and opens up revenue opportunities from people already halfway down the sales funnel.

Keep It Simple: That’s Where Success Starts

The #1 thing that holds people back from launching SMS? Feeling like they need to be perfect before they start.

Here’s the truth: you don’t. SMS works best when it feels personal, conversational, and authentic — not overproduced.

Start small. Test one idea. Ask your audience what they want. And remember, you can always pivot as you learn.

Ready to Get Started?

You’re not just buying SMS. You’re buying certainty that your audience will see you, loyalty that compounds over time, and growth you own outright. And you don’t have to figure it out alone; Subtext was built for this. Our platform has powered content and brand marketers big and small, earned recognition from Digiday and Fast Company, and proven again and again that SMS done right delivers.

Book a demo today, and let’s start building your SMS strategy together.