In the world of Marketing Automation, SMS campaigns remain one of the most direct and effective channels to generate immediate action. But for a message to truly convert once it’s delivered, there’s one essential factor that can’t be ignored: deliverability.
In this article, we’ll explore what SMS deliverability means, the key factors that influence it, and the best practices to ensure your messages reach the right people — at the right time.
What Is SMS Deliverability?
Simply put, SMS deliverability is the rate that indicates how many of your messages were successfully delivered to recipients.
For example, if you send 1,000 messages and 950 are successfully received by your subscribers’ phones, your deliverability rate is 95%.
It sounds simple — but in practice, many variables can impact that number. From the type of sender ID you use to the message content, your technical setup, or even subscriber behaviour — all of these factors have a direct influence on the success of your campaigns.
Factors That Impact SMS Deliverability
1. The Type of Number or Sender You Use
The type of number you use to send messages can significantly affect your deliverability. Here are the most common options:
- Dedicated short codes: These are 5- or 6-digit numbers approved by mobile carriers. Because they’re verified, they’re highly trusted and tend to have higher delivery rates.
- Long codes: Ideal for two-way communication, but limited by country and may require verification.
- Branded sender IDs: Allow you to send messages using your brand name as the sender. They build trust and reinforce your identity, but not all countries support replies to these messages.
The right choice depends on the volume, frequency, and nature of your communications.
2. Message Content and Quality
Carriers filter messages to protect users from spam or inappropriate content.
If your SMS includes sensitive terms (for example, related to sex, hate, alcohol, weapons, or tobacco) or suspicious links, your message may be blocked before it even reaches the recipient.
Additionally, poorly segmented messages or those sent to contacts who haven’t given consent can harm your sender reputation — which, over time, reduces deliverability.
3. The Recipient’s Device
Even if your message is approved by the carrier, there can still be delivery issues on the user’s side:
- The phone is turned off or has no signal.
- The SIM card is inactive.
- The message is automatically filtered as spam (especially on Android devices).
While these factors are harder to control, it’s important to monitor your metrics and identify where failures occur.
How to Review and Measure Your SMS Deliverability
Monitoring performance is essential to understand whether your messages are truly having an impact. Here are three key metrics to track closely:
1. Delivery Rate and Failure Rate
The delivery rate shows how many recipients received your message, while the failure rate shows how many didn’t.
Ideally, your delivery rate should stay above 90%. If you notice failure rates higher than 10%, it’s time to investigate:
- Review your content: Are you complying with carrier policies?
- Consider a dedicated short code: Increases credibility and reduces filtering.
- Implement double opt-in: Confirms that subscribers truly want to receive your messages.
- Create error segments: Exclude contacts who can’t receive messages to save credits and improve performance.
2. Click Rate
The click rate shows how many recipients clicked on the links included in your messages.
On average, a good click rate ranges between 10% and 20%. If yours is below that, try:
- Using branded shortened links (including your company name).
- Making your message more direct and concise.
- Ensuring the destination page is fully mobile-optimized.
3. Unsubscribe Rate
A high unsubscribe rate usually means you’re communicating too frequently, too generically, or without enough relevance.
Best practices to keep your unsubscribe rate low:
- Personalise your messages (name, purchase history, preferences).
- Adjust your frequency: 1–2 campaigns per week works best for most audiences.
- Set clear expectations: Let subscribers know what types of messages they’ll receive and how often.
Best Practices to Improve SMS Deliverability
1. Find the Right Babidding Between Frequency and Timing
Sending too many messages or sending them at the wrong time is a quick way to increase opt-outs.
Stick to appropriate hours (for example, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.) and test different days of the week to find when your audience is most responsive.
2. Segment and Optimise Your Sends
Segmentation is one of the most effective ways to boost both deliverability and engagement.
- Error segment: Exclude contacts who can’t receive messages.
- Inactive users segment: Re-engage them with targeted offers or reminders.
- Recent customers segment: Send welcome messages, exclusive promotions, or feedback requests.
The more relevant the message, the lower the risk of filtering — and the higher the chance of conversion.
3. Choose a Reliable SMS Automation Platform
The platform you use makes all the difference. Look for tools that provide:
- Real-time deliverability tracking.
- Built-in consent management and compliance.
- Integration with email, WhatsApp, and other channels.
This allows you to build truly multichannel campaigns — something essential for DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) brands that prioritise consistency and performance.
The Role of Marketing Automation in Deliverability
A solid Marketing Automation strategy connects your customer data, behaviour, and preferences to create more relevant and effective communication.
Instead of standalone messages, you can build automated SMS flows that:
- Welcome new subscribers.
- Remind customers of abandoned carts.
- Reactivate inactive clients.
- Increase lifetime value (LTV) with post-purchase or loyalty messages.
If your system isn’t fully optimised yet, schedule a free marketing automation audit and find out how to improve your campaign performance.
Conclusion
SMS deliverability isn’t just about technology — it’s about the relationship you build with your audience.
Relevant, well-timed messages that respect user experience are the foundation of sustainable communication.
As a Digital Marketing Consultant, I help brands increase profits, retain customers, and boost LTV through intelligent automation systems.
We work as an extension of your team to create email and SMS campaigns that attract, convert, and retain — without technical headaches or wasted effort.
Schedule your free marketing automation audit and discover how to turn your communication into real results.
