The Harsh Reality of Owned Media: SMS Will Make You Money… and Enemies
Why high-converting SMS campaigns come with higher unsubscribe rates—and exactly how to run them without burning your list.
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1mm4wju/i_blew_hundreds_on_sms_marketing_and_it_almost/
This is the rude reality of owned media. SMS typically converts well, but you’ll irritate a chunk of your audience while you do it. Example: when I went from 1 push notification/day to 6/day, revenue tripled. The trade‑off? More unsubscribes and more annoyed users. Two things matter:
1. Be honest with yourself about brand risk. Aggressive owned channels (SMS, push) amplify your “haters.” Can your brand, and your skin, handle that?
2. Track everything. Attribute revenue to SMS correctly and watch net list growth (adds – unsubscribes). In my push example, unsubscribes rose, but new subs outpaced losses, so the revenue lift was worth it.
The No‑BS, Step‑by‑Step Guide to SMS Marketing
Step 1: Define the rules
Primary goal: pick one (new orders, repeat orders, AOV lift, list growth, reviews/UCG).
Guardrails: max weekly frequency, quiet hours, target unsub <1% per send, complaints <0.1%.
North‑star KPI: What is the KPI(s) that allow you to measure your primary goal. (revenue per message, conversion rate (CVR), unsub %, net list growth)
Step 2: Get compliant (quick checklist; not legal advice)
Explicit consent (checkout checkbox, popup, keyword join). Store timestamp/source.
Every text: brand ID + STOP.
Respect local quiet hours.
If you text US numbers, handle 10DLC/toll‑free verification; in Canada, follow CASL (express consent, identification, easy opt‑out).
Step 3: Connect the stack
Data in: Shopify customers/orders, events (viewed, add to cart, checkout started, purchase).
Data out: UTM‑tagged links into Analytics + a simple performance dashboard. I use Looker, Quicksight, or Google Sheets
Step 4: Acquire high‑intent subscribers
Checkout opt‑in: Set the user’s expectation. Why are they opting in? “Get order updates + early access.”
On‑site popup: Incentivize your consumers with something they’ll actually want (10% off / early access). Collect email + SMS (two consent boxes).
Post‑purchase invite: “Join our text club for restocks & members‑only drops.”
Step 5 Launch a 3‑message Welcome Flow (days 0–7)
Welcome #1 (immediate): thank you + code/link (+ STOP/HELP).
Welcome #2 (day 2–3): 1 useful tip or mini‑guide (no sell).
Welcome #3 (day 5–7): limited‑time offer or early access.
Step 6 Turn on the 5 money flows (automation > blasts)
1. Abandoned Cart (30–90 min, then 20–24h): reminder → social proof/low‑stock nudge.
2. Browse Abandon (2–6h): “Still thinking about {Product}? Here’s how it fits…”
3. Post‑Purchase (0d/7d/30d): confirm & shipping → care tips → cross‑sell.
4. Win‑Back (45–90d lapse): “We miss you—here’s what’s new + code.”
5. Review/UCG (7–14d after delivery): ask for rating/photo (with perk).
Use deep links to jump to exact variants or pre‑loaded carts in your mobile app.
Step 7: Broadcast cadence (earn the right to send more)
Start 1×/week (max 2); ramp only if RPM ↑ and unsub ≤1%.
Content mix: \~50% value (tips, back‑in‑stock, early access) / \~50% offers.
Step 8: Minimum viable segmentation
VIPs: ≥2 orders or above‑median LTV → early access/limited drops.
Coupon lovers: target promos/bundles.
Full‑price buyers: emphasize quality/experience.
Category fans: show them new items in their category.
Dormant: no clicks 60 days → snooze or re‑permission.
Step 9: Write texts humans like
One job per text. Click or reply—pick one.
130–160 chars, plain‑spoken, first name if you have it.
Real urgency (actual stock/deadlines), real proof (“1,800+ 5‑star reviews”).
Bad: “⚠️ HUGE SALE NOW!!! CLICK!”
Good: “Back today: {Bestseller} in {Color}. Last run sold out in 6h. Early link for SMS: {url}”
Step 10: Test weekly
Offer vs no offer; 11am vs 6pm; short vs long; emoji vs none; product A vs B.
Call winners by **RPM → CVR → unsub %**. Lock in, move on.
Step 11: Attribute properly
Tag links: `?utm_source=sms&utm_medium=owned&utm_campaign=abandon_cart_1`
Count assists (clicked SMS, purchased later).
Dashboard: sends, clicks, orders, CVR, RPM, unsub %, complaints, net list growth.
Quick math:
RPM = Revenue / Messages Sent
ROI% = (Revenue − Discounts − SMS Cost − attributable ops/returns) / SMS Cost
Step 12: Frequency & friction controls
Kill switch: pause if **unsub >2%** or complaints spike.
Snooze 60‑day inactives; run “Still want texts?” check‑ins.
Honour STOP immediately; answer two‑way replies (or route to support).
Step 13: Scale without torching the list
“Text‑only” perks: early links, surprise restocks, micro‑bundles.
Cross‑channel: coordinate SMS with email/push; don’t triple‑ping in an hour.
List hygiene: verify numbers, cull hard bounces, keep carrier trust high.
Step 14: Your 30‑day launch plan
Week 1: Compliance + opt‑ins live; Welcome + Abandoned Cart live.
Week 2: Post‑Purchase + Review requests; first VIP broadcast.
Week 3: Browse Abandon + Win‑Back; second broadcast (category fans).
Week 4: Tune winners, adjust frequency caps, publish a monthly SMS report.
Benchmarks: What “Good” Looks Like (so you can sanity‑check)
SMS conversion (by industry, ranges):**
Overall: many brands report 21–30% CVR on SMS;
Tech often higher (31–40%);
Retail/e‑commerce typically **11–20%**.
These are campaign‑level conversions from vendor surveys; treat as directional, not gospel - simpletexting.com
Push notification performance:
Typical push CTR (not conversion) clusters around \~2–5%, with
Retail near \~3% on average; platform matters (Android higher than iOS). Airship’s 2025 benchmarks break out verticals; expect wide variance by use case and personalization - clevertap.com, businessofapps.com, Airship
Email (industry context):
Email reports opens/clicks** by industry far more than conversions.
Broadly: Ecommerce averages \~**1.7–2.0% CTR**; many sectors see \~2–3% CTR with opens in the 30–40% band. Automation massively outperforms campaigns; abandoned cart, welcome, and browse flows dominate email‑driven orders. Mailchimp, MailerLite, Omnisend
> TL;DR: SMS usually beats email and push on raw conversion, push wins on immediacy but needs context/personalization, and email is a steady compounding workhorse, especially with automations. Use the numbers to set expectations, but make decisions on your RPM, unsub %, and net list growth, not someone else’s averages.
Free templates (steal these)
Abandoned Cart #1
“{First}, you left {Product}. Want us to hold it for an hour? Finish here: {link} –{Brand} (Reply STOP to opt out)”
Back‑in‑Stock
“It’s back: {Product} in {Color/Size}. Last run sold out in 6h. Early link for SMS: {link} –{Brand}”
Win‑Back
“We saved you 10% on your next {Category}—valid 48h. Code: BACKAGAIN → {link} –{Brand}”
Value Tip
“Pro tip for {Product}: {1‑line care/use hack}. Full guide: {link} –{Brand}”
Sources:
https://www.reddit.com/r/shopify/comments/1mm4wju/i_blew_hundreds_on_sms_marketing_and_it_almost/
https://simpletexting.com/sms-marketing/benchmarks/conversion-rates-cvr/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://clevertap.com/blog/push-notification-metrics-ctr-open-rate/
https://www.businessofapps.com/marketplace/push-notifications/research/push-notifications-statistics/
https://www.airship.com/blog/a-marketers-guide-to-push-notification-benchmarks/
https://mailchimp.com/resources/email-marketing-benchmarks/
https://www.mailerlite.com/blog/compare-your-email-performance-metrics-industry-benchmarks
https://www.omnisend.com/2025-ecommerce-marketing-report/