There are some situations in which a person prefers to send an SMS over a call. There are times when a person you are trying to reach is not in a network area and you just drop your information in the form of an SMS. Here in this piece we will discuss when a person can prefer to use long code text messaging and when short code text messaging.

Short code SMS: A short code is 5 to 6 digit number that is easy to remember and is used to send SMS and MMS messages. For example- 558855. One can use a short code in a case when they want to reach a large audience in a short period of time. This is because the short codes allows to send thousands of text messages in a single go, making them perfect for mass texting. These are the codes most preferred for businesses and marketing.

You can also go for virtual number SMS for business purposes as they are easy to use. It is preferable for cross borders businesses.

People can use short codes for the following reasons as well-

  1. To hold a Text to Win Sweepstake.
  2. To let your customers vote using Text to Vote.
  3. To send an image in the form of MMS message.
  4. Also, for sending alerts and updates which are not required to be customized.

One disadvantage of short code SMS is that the receivers don’t feel personal and delete the message without reading sometimes.

Long code SMS– While a short code is a 5 to 6 digit number, a long code is a typical, 10-digit number.And like a short code is used to send SMS, a long code can also be used to send SMS other than voice calling and faxing.

One of the biggest advantages of a long code is that it can be used to communicate with customers in all forms.

Another benefit of having a long code is that the message sent to the customers from this 10 digit number feels like more personal as compared to short code. It feels like the text is coming from a person and not a bot. Long codes are perfect to provide the customers with a more personalized service experience.

You can use a long code in the following situations-

  1. When you want to talk 1-on-1 with the customer.
  2. When you want to provide SMS services to the customer.
  3. Long codes can also be used when you want to set up texting network for your internal staff.
  4. And when you prefer to keep your number same across all channels, long code is the best.

Though the short code is having fewer disadvantages, a long code is still the top most choice for most of the businesses who want to bring text messages into their communication strategy.

So, by now you know the usage of both short code SMS and long code SMS. You can now choose the best one for your business.

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