Abbreviations are a common part of languages around the world. They save time and space, and they often provide a perfect response to a situation when you’re simply at a loss for words. The kids all do it, too, which is why your professional text message marketing company, Textmaxx Pro is here today to talk about abbreviations in text messages, and why you should be using them. So before you start showboating your lolz and omgs, take a page from this book on text message marketing.
Text message marketing is an extraordinary new way to captivate an audience; the open rate for an SMS message is actually 99%, which is why it’s easy to see how this is the communication method of choice for restaurants and retailers alike. Texting has limits — up to 160 characters can be sent in a message, and that includes hyperlinks, phone numbers and emojis. So it makes sense to send messages that are concise. Even more importantly, TCPA compliant opt out language is also included in that 160 characters when a business is texting a client/customer, so brevity is truly the soul of text.
Use Common Text Abbreviations
If you’re new to texting, you might not know that there are common abbreviations that users can send to you to indicate their level of interest or participation. The most highly common ones are HELP, STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, and END, and are regulated by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association as meaning the same thing no matter the subscription or carrier, and they enable the user to ask for help or end the service immediately.
That sounds a bit drastic. So why are we talking about using text abbreviations at all? Using standard text abbreviations simplifies your user’s experience. If you’re interested in trying some out, here are the latest & greatest general text messaging abbreviations:
Subscribe = SUB
Sign-up = SUP
Register = REG
Join = JN
Sign me up = SMP
Hello = HO
More information = MI
Enroll = EN
Help = HP
Stop = ST
Unsubscribe = UNSUB
Question = Q
Continue = CON
Additional information = AI
Alert = AT
More = ME
Win = WIN
Winner = WNR
Start = ST
That’s an easy to reference guide for all of your text message abbreviations!
Time to Strategize
It’s important that you outline the strategy your business will use for text message marketing. Some important considerations:
- The language that you use with friends, on social media, and in chats is completely different from the language that you will want to use for your business. Remember that you are addressing a large audience.
- Speaking of which, that audience may prefer a language other than English. If a substantial proportion of your population is Spanish-speaking, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on those Spanish text messaging abbreviations and terms.
- Additionally, consider whether or not you want to or are potentially engaging an international audience, as many luxury brands use French texting abbreviations and slang.
As Twitter has become ubiquitous with text message users for all things short and tweet, it’s important to consider those abbreviations as well.
Twitter Text Abbreviations
Modified tweet = MT
Retweet = RT
Direct message = DM
Partial retweet = PR
Hat tip = HT
Carbon copy = CC
In my humble opinion = IMHO
Overheard = OH
Real-life retweet (a close cousin to OH) = RLRT
No big deal = NBD
Shaking my head = SMH
I don’t know = IDK
In real life = IRL
Not safe for work = NSFW
Safe for work = SFW
In real life = IRL
Not safe for work = NSFW
Safe for work = SFW
For what it’s worth = FWIW
Quote of the day = QOTD
Laughing my ass off = LMAO
Headline of the day = HOTD
For the win = FTW
By the way = BTW
Bye for now = BFN
As far as I know = AFAIK
Laugh out loud = LOL
Thank you = TY
You’re welcome = YW
The user is sending this post to Facebook = #FB
The user is sending this post to LinkedIn = #LI
Follow Friday (these are people you should follow) = #FF
As always, with anything you might send out into the wide world, it never hurts to have someone double-check your work for spelling or grammatical errors you might be able to otherwise avoid. FWIW, we know these platforms and systems can seem overwhelming, which is why Textmaxx Pro can manage all of this for you. We’re always happy to help, so contact us today!