Glossary
Campaigns & Marketing

SMS Campaign

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

An SMS campaign is a targeted outreach using text messages to engage supporters and promote nonprofit initiatives.
An SMS campaign is a coordinated marketing or communication effort that uses text messaging to reach a targeted audience. Nonprofits use SMS campaigns to share updates, event invitations, fundraising appeals, and important calls to action directly to supporters' mobile phones. SMS campaigns stand out for their immediacy and high open rates, making them ideal for urgent messages or reminders. Effective SMS campaigns involve clear messaging, consent from recipients, and strategic timing to maximize impact. Analytics can be used to track response rates and refine future campaigns, ensuring messages are relevant and engaging for audiences. Integrating SMS with other channels, like email or social media, can further amplify a campaign’s reach and effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

  • SMS campaigns use text messages for direct outreach.
  • High open and response rates make them effective for urgent updates.
  • Best practices include clear messaging and recipient consent.
  • Integration with CRM enhances targeting and tracking.

Why It Matters

SMS campaigns deliver timely, direct messages to supporters, increasing engagement and response rates.

Real World Example

A nonprofit focused on disaster relief launches an SMS campaign after a major storm. Within hours, they send a text alert to their donor list, explaining the urgent need for supplies and asking for immediate donations. The SMS includes a short link to their donation page. Because text messages are read quickly, the organization sees a surge in donations within the first 24 hours. They also use follow-up SMS updates to thank donors and share impact stories, maintaining engagement and encouraging recurring support. This prompt, personal communication helps the nonprofit respond rapidly and build stronger relationships with supporters.

How Keela Helps

Keela helps nonprofits streamline communications by enabling the creation, scheduling, and tracking of SMS campaigns alongside email and other outreach methods. Keela’s integrated CRM ensures that SMS messages are sent to the right audience, leveraging donor data and engagement history for targeted campaigns.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an SMS campaign?

An SMS campaign is a coordinated effort to send targeted text messages to supporters for updates, fundraising, or event promotion.

Why are SMS campaigns effective?

They have high open and response rates, making them ideal for urgent or time-sensitive communication.

How can nonprofits use SMS campaigns?

Nonprofits use SMS for donation appeals, event reminders, impact updates, and volunteer coordination.

Does Keela support SMS campaigns?

Yes, Keela allows nonprofits to create, schedule, and track SMS campaigns integrated with other outreach tools.

Is consent required for SMS campaigns?

Yes, recipients must opt in to receive SMS messages to comply with legal and ethical standards.

Related Terms

A/B Test
Accessibility Compliance
Acknowledgement Letter
Address Verification
Affiliation
Archiving Historical Donor Data

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