If you’re like most, you may recognize the terms and have an idea there’s a difference between SMS vs MMS, but aren’t always sure what that difference is. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. Did you know that 80% of North Americans use text messages to communicate? But even if you send text messages daily, you may not know the difference between SMS vs. MMS. In this article, we’re going to explore MMS vs SMS messaging and their benefits. Read on to become a pro in SMS vs MMS messaging.
What is SMS?
SMS stands for “Short Message Service” which is an ironically long and fancy way to say text message. To put it plainly, an SMS is a simple basic text message. While most of us commonly refer to every message sent through a messaging app as a “text,” that’s actually not technically correct. An SMS has text-only capabilities and has a 160 character limit. Invented in the 1980s, this is one of the oldest messaging technologies in existence.
Pros of SMS messages
- Lightweight file size. The file size makes it easier to send over poor connections.
- No Internet necessary. SMS messages are sent over cell towers, which means you don’t need a connection to the internet to send an SMS message.
- Usually cheap or free to send/receive. SMS messaging has largely been standardized to be unlimited/cost-free from most cell providers.
Cons of SMS messages
- Text character limit. Due to the 160 character limit, long SMS messages are broken up into several parts to stay within those parameters. At times a sequence of messages may arrive out of order (or not all arrive) which can lead to poorer communication.
- Plain. There is no media in an SMS, including emojis. This can make them less appealing for business purposes because they are less attention-grabbing and customizable.
What is MMS?
MMS, on the other hand, stands for Multimedia Messaging Service. This type of message allows for pictures, videos, emojis, GIFs, etc. to be sent alongside (or in place of) standard text. While most people refer to SMS messages as text messages, they’re actually referring to MMS messages. This is because these messages are rich in media and have fewer restrictions.
Pros of MMS messages
- A larger character limit. An MMS message offers a 1600 character limit which is better for longer or more detailed messages.
- More eye-catching. Again, you can customize MMS messages to make them more interesting for marketing purposes.
- Mass-blasting. You can send an MMS message to multiple people at once.
Cons of MMS messages
- More expensive to send/receive. Because of their size, MMS messages are more expensive to send, and potentially more expensive for customers to receive.
- Not everyone can receive them. If you’re using MMS messages for business purposes, this limitation may be enough to cause you to limit MMS messaging.
SMS vs MMS: Comparing the Two
Now that you understand the benefits and drawbacks of both SMS and MMS messages, let’s compare SMS vs MMS directly to further understand their differences.
How they are sent
SMS messages are sent over traditional cellular networks and don’t need a direct internet connection to send or receive. MMS messages, on the other hand, use a combination of cellular and internet connections to send and receive. A standard cellular network isn’t strong enough to carry media.
Message limitations
As we touched on, MMS messages can carry ten times the amount of data (as much as 1600 characters in comparison to an SMS’s 160). There is much more size flexibility with MMS messages.
Compatibility
All cell phones can accept SMS messages, whether they are smartphones or not. MMS messages, on the other hand, are not accepted on all devices. There are also issues with cross-compatibility. For example, some emojis show on an Android device differently than on an Apple device, and some may not show at all.
Media
SMS messages cannot carry media, which is limiting for marketing and customization purposes. Whereas MMS messages can contain media.
SMS vs MMS: Cost Comparison
When comparing costs, it’s important to consider both the cost for your business to send an SMS vs MMS to communicate with customers and the cost for your customers to receive an MMS vs SMS message.
An SMS message is typically free to receive, with most providers including unlimited text messages in their basic packages. If it’s not included for your customers, it’s going to still be much more affordable than an MMS message.
An MMS message is data and network usage heavy, which makes it much more expensive to both send and receive. Which means an added expense for your business.
Use Cases SMS vs MMS Messaging
You may now be wondering when you would use SMS vs MMS messaging in your business. Let’s explore the use cases of each type of message.
SMS
SMS messages are very useful in business marketing due to their efficiency. Here are some example use cases for SMS messages:
- Appointment reminders and important updates
- Order confirmation notifications
- Delivery tracking and updates
- Password resets
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Opt-in campaigns. For example, text-to-donate campaigns: “text DONATE to 55555 to donate $5 to your favorite charity.” This allows both the initial message and the response to send as SMS messages
MMS
MMS messages are also very useful for different reasons. Here are some example use cases for MMS messages:
- Mobile coupons
- Visual marketing, such as showing a new product or product line
- Send a birthday message with media (like a birthday GIF)
- Branded messages
MMS vs SMS: Which Should You Use?
When creating a text message payment or marketing strategy for your business, you may be wondering whether SMS vs MMS messaging is right for you. The quick answer is that both have valid use cases, and you can create a successful strategy using either SMS messages or MMS messages. In fact, most businesses that use text marketing use a combination of the two in their strategy.
Now that you know the difference between SMS vs MMS, you can help others understand what is SMS vs MMS messaging and how to use it. No matter how you choose to set up your text message marketing, the answer is clear. It is one of the best ways to reach your customers.
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