8 Text Message Marketing Do's and Don'ts in 2025

As SMS marketing continues to evolve in 2025, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of best practices to ensure your campaigns are successful, compliant, and well-received by your audience. With its direct, instant communication, SMS marketing remains one of the most effective ways to engage with customers, but the right strategy is key to maximizing its impact.

In this post, we’ll dive into the top 8 text message marketing do's and don'ts to help you navigate the landscape and create SMS campaigns that drive engagement and results in 2025.

The Do’s of SMS Marketing

1. Do Get Permission First

Before sending any marketing messages, it’s essential to get explicit consent from your recipients. This is not only required by law in many countries (such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the U.S. and GDPR in Europe), but it also ensures that you are building trust with your audience.

Always provide clear instructions on how users can opt-in, and be transparent about what types of messages they can expect to receive. One effective opt-in method is using a simple keyword-to-shortcode setup, like “Text JOIN to [Shortcode] to subscribe to exclusive offers.”

2. Do Personalize Your Messages

Personalization is one of the key drivers of engagement in SMS marketing. Customers are more likely to engage with messages that feel tailored to them. Use their name, reference previous interactions, or send them personalized offers based on their preferences or behaviors.

For example: “Hi [First Name], thanks for being a loyal customer! Here’s 15% off your next order—use code THANKYOU15 at checkout.”

3. Do Keep Your Messages Short and Sweet

SMS has a character limit (160 characters), so it's crucial to keep your messages concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary jargon or long explanations. Focus on the key message and ensure the recipient knows exactly what action to take.

For example: “Flash Sale! Get 30% off today only. Shop now: [Link].”

4. Do Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Each SMS should have a clear, actionable CTA that tells recipients exactly what to do next. Whether it’s making a purchase, visiting a website, or replying to your message, your CTA should be simple, direct, and easy to follow.

For example: “Text ‘DISCOUNT’ to [Shortcode] to get 20% off your next purchase.”

5. Do Test Your Campaigns

As with any marketing campaign, it’s important to test your SMS messages to see what works best. Test different messaging, CTAs, and send times to see which combinations lead to the highest engagement. Use the data to refine and optimize your campaigns over time.

For example: Test whether personalized offers (e.g., “Hi [First Name], enjoy 10% off today!”) or more generic messages perform better with your audience.

The Don’ts of SMS Marketing

1. Don’t Send Too Many Messages

While SMS marketing is incredibly effective, sending too many messages can lead to message fatigue, opt-outs, and a negative experience for your customers. It's important to strike a balance between staying top-of-mind and overwhelming your subscribers.

As a general rule, limit your messages to one or two per week, unless you have a time-sensitive offer or promotion that justifies more frequent communication.

2. Don’t Use Spammy Language or Tactics

SMS is a personal and direct communication channel, so you should never use spammy tactics or language. Phrases like “You’ve won a prize!” or “Get rich quick!” are a surefire way to alienate your audience. Always be honest, transparent, and clear in your messaging.

Avoid misleading claims or overly sensationalized language that could make your messages feel like spam. Focus on providing value to your recipients and building trust.

3. Don’t Forget to Include an Opt-Out Option

In every SMS message, it’s important to provide a way for recipients to opt out if they no longer wish to receive messages. Not only is this required by law in many jurisdictions, but it’s also crucial for maintaining a positive relationship with your audience.

For example: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe from future messages.”

4. Don’t Send Messages Without Relevant Content

Every message you send should offer value to the recipient. Don’t send generic, irrelevant content that doesn’t resonate with your audience. Whether it’s an exclusive offer, an important update, or valuable content, make sure your messages are timely and relevant to your recipients.

For example: Don’t send messages promoting products that your subscribers have shown no interest in. Instead, focus on offering them something they’ll find useful, based on their previous interactions with your brand.

Conclusion: SMS Marketing Done Right in 2025

Text message marketing is an incredibly powerful tool that can help you connect with your customers, increase sales, and drive engagement. However, to make the most of SMS marketing in 2025, you need to follow best practices, respect your customers’ preferences, and provide clear, personalized, and relevant content.

By following these do’s and don’ts, you can create SMS campaigns that deliver results while maintaining a positive relationship with your audience. And with Mobiniti, you can easily set up, automate, and manage your SMS marketing campaigns, ensuring your messages are always timely, effective, and compliant.

To learn more about how Mobiniti can help you create SMS campaigns that drive results, check out this page.