Ensuring SMS within the Character Limit

As a mobile user, we tend to check our SMS inbox every day to explore the latest messages waiting for us. SMS is a convenient communication tool that allows us to connect with people regardless of their location and without facing internet barriers.

Compared to other communication tools, SMS is highly effective, with a 98% open rate, and it is also cost-effective. By using a text messaging service to send business SMS and MMS, we can efficiently broadcast messages to hundreds of customers at once.

The length of a text pattern is 160 characters, including spaces, numbers, letters, and punctuation marks. An SMS can certainly exceed 160 characters; it will, however, become a'multi-part message’ and each message may be charged separately depending on your mobile carrier's pricing plan.

When your message gets longer and becomes a multi-part message, the character limit changes from 160 to 153 characters per part. This is because additional data is required to create a sequence of messages. The remaining seven characters are used for invisible headers and footers.

The text message body limit is 5000 characters, which creates 33 ‘parts’

Customers would like to experience the look and feel of their language. Unicode SMS allows you to send messages in any foreign or regional language other than English. Unicode can represent any character in SMS but occupies more characters than English. As such, Unicode messages are limited to 70 characters and 2000 characters after concatenation.

(Example, Word: hello

Unicode encoded:00000068000000650000006c0000006c0000006f)

Maximum uses tiny, short URLs in message content rather than full, complete URLs. A complicated URL will lead to exceeding the character limit, but we can convert the same URL to tiny or shortened, which is the same as the full URL.

It's best not to copy message content directly from a word processor because it may contain hidden Unicode characters that could cause issues. Instead, copy the content from a plain text editor before pasting it into the Hub. This will ensure that any unwanted Unicode characters are removed.

Rather than using the copied message, creating a predefined template with effective short words will help to communicate with customers within the character limit and avoid using junk characters.

Direct7 Networks provides a cost-effective SMS solution that helps you easily connect with your customers By delivering important information and personalized marketing SMS, you can build trust and establish long-term customer loyalty. Additionally, our system ensures excellent performance, delivering time-critical SMS within 15 seconds.

Happy Messaging

How can I ensure my message stays within the SMS character limit?

To keep your message within the character limit, consider using tiny URLs instead of long ones, avoiding copying directly from word processors to prevent hidden Unicode characters, and using effective templated messages with concise wording.

Why should I use tiny URLs in my SMS messages?

Using tiny URLs instead of long ones helps to conserve characters in your message content, ensuring that you stay within the SMS character limit.

What is the recommended approach for copying message content?

It's best to copy message content from a plain text editor rather than a word processor to avoid hidden Unicode characters that could cause issues when pasting into the messaging platform.