# Write and send SMS campaigns in minutes Write your message, pick a customer segment, send now or schedule. Kanal then attributes the orders to each SMS campaign. The editor below is yours: try it. Source: https://getkanal.com/sms-campaigns Last updated: 2026-10-11 ## How to run an SMS campaign, from idea to send Four moves, in this order. The first is already done for you: your customer list is your store’s. ### Pick a segment Loyal customers, first-time buyers, people who have not ordered in two months: the send list is a segment of your store, limited to customers who agreed to receive your texts. ### Write the message Your brand name, an offer, a link, the opt-out mention. Aim for a single SMS: 160 characters. ### Send or schedule The campaign goes out now, or at the date and time you set in advance. ### Read the sales Orders and revenue are attributed to the campaign. You compare your sends on what they brought in. ## One idea. One offer. One link. An SMS has no room for more, and that is what makes it readable at a glance. ## Four SMS marketing campaigns to reuse Each example loads into the editor in one click, so you can adapt it to your brand and check its length. ### The launch For customers who already bought in the same category. > Atelier Nova: the linen collection has landed. See it before everyone else: atelier-nova.com/linen ### The private sale For one segment, your top customers for example, with an end date. > Atelier Nova: private sale until Sunday, 20% off for members. atelier-nova.com/private-sale ### The last call On the last day of an offer, a short reminder with the direct link. > Atelier Nova: the private sale ends tonight. This way: atelier-nova.com/private-sale ### The seasonal sale On the first morning, for every customer who agreed to your texts. > Atelier Nova: the sale starts today, up to 40% off selected pieces. atelier-nova.com/sale ## When to send an SMS campaign Four rules frame promotional SMS. Each fits in two lines. ### Inside permitted hours In the United States, no solicitation before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in the recipient’s local time. In France, the operators’ charter allows promotional SMS between 8:00 and 21:30. Sources: [47 CFR 64.1200](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200), [af2m](https://af2m.org/charte-business-messaging-2026-laf2m-renforce-les-regles-du-jeu/) ### To customers who said yes Marketing by SMS needs prior consent: the French regulator requires it, and US carriers ask senders to obtain the consumer’s opt-in. Sources: [CNIL](https://www.cnil.fr/fr/la-prospection-commerciale-par-sms-mms), [CTIA](https://www.ctia.org/the-wireless-industry/industry-commitments/messaging-interoperability-sms-mms) ### With your name and an opt-out The message says who is writing and offers a simple way to stop receiving texts. Sources: [CNIL](https://www.cnil.fr/fr/la-prospection-commerciale-par-sms-mms), [CTIA](https://www.ctia.org/the-wireless-industry/industry-commitments/messaging-interoperability-sms-mms) ### In 160 characters Beyond that, the text goes out as several SMS of 153 characters. One character outside the GSM alphabet brings the limit down to 70. Sources: [3GPP TS 23.038](https://www.3gpp.org/dynareport/23038.htm), [3GPP TS 23.040](https://www.3gpp.org/dynareport/23040.htm) General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on the countries you send to. ## Go further - [SMS automation](https://getkanal.com/sms-automation): Cart reminders, order updates, back in stock: the texts that send themselves. - [SMS marketing software](https://getkanal.com/sms): The overview: bulk sending, rules, integrations. - [WhatsApp campaigns](https://getkanal.com/whatsapp-campaigns): The same send with images and buttons, from the same app. ## Frequently asked questions about SMS campaigns ### How do I run an SMS campaign? In four steps: choose recipients among the customers who agreed to receive your texts, write a short message with your brand name, a link and an opt-out mention, send or schedule it, then measure the orders it brought in. In Kanal, the list is a segment of your Shopify store. ### How many characters are in an SMS? An SMS holds 160 characters in the GSM alphabet. A longer text is split into several SMS of 153 characters each. If the message contains a character outside that alphabet, an emoji for example, it switches to Unicode: 70 characters per SMS, then 67. ### When should I send an SMS campaign? Inside the hours each country allows. In the United States, federal rules bar solicitations before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. in the recipient’s local time. Within that window, pick the moment your offer is useful: the morning a sale opens, a few hours before it ends. ### Do I need consent to send promotional SMS? Yes. Recipients must have agreed beforehand: the French regulator requires prior consent for marketing by SMS, and US carriers ask senders to obtain an opt-in. Each message must also say who is sending it and offer a simple way to opt out. ### How much does an SMS campaign cost? The cost depends on the destination country and on the number of SMS per message: a text longer than 160 characters counts as several SMS. It comes on top of the Kanal plan, from €89 per month. Book a demo to get an estimate for your volumes. ### How do I measure the results of an SMS campaign? By sales. Kanal attributes orders and revenue to each campaign: you see what a send brought in and compare your campaigns with one another.