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How to Send Hyperlink SMS

How to Send a Hyperlink (or Link) Through SMS

Sending a hyperlink in an SMS seems like an effective way to link consumers to your business site while saving precious characters.

But can you actually do that? If so, how does it work? And what is a hyperlink, anyway?

Let’s take a look at the relationship between the effective SMS marketing technique and the elusive hyperlink.

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Can You Put Hyperlinks in Text Messages?

The short answer is no, sorry, you cannot actually put a hyperlink in a text message.

Hyperlinks allow folks to click a word or phrase that then leads them to a separate site, so having the ability to use them in an SMS would be pretty awesome, but unfortunately, that’s just not possible.

If you need to link customers to something in a text message, you’ll have to use a regular old weblink or its cousin, the short link.

What Are SMS Links Used For?

There are many valuable reasons for SMS links to be included in text messages.

SMS links are used for anything from confirming appointments to leading receivers of the SMS to your website to purchase items or purchase tickets to events.

Different Types of Links

There are three different types of links. Here are the key differences between them.

Weblinks

Weblinks are literally the link that appears in the address bar at the top of your screen when you’re visiting a website.

They’re usually pretty long and appear in a different color text or underlined in an SMS to show that the link is active and “clickable.”

Understandably, they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing thing to include in your text, and they take up a lot of character space.

Short Links

Short links are shortened versions of a weblink with the same intended outcome.

You will need to use a reputable link shortening service that minimizes the number of characters in the weblink. If you don’t use a good service, you risk the link in your message getting flagged by certain phone service carriers.

Hyperlinks

Have you ever seen a word or phrase highlighted in an article you’re reading online and when you click it, it takes you to another site? That’s a hyperlink.

Hyperlinks are great for use in emails, but unfortunately, it’s just not possible to use this type of link in an SMS.

What Are the Benefits of SMS links?

There are many benefits of using SMS links.

For one thing, links raise the likelihood that consumers will answer your call to action by visiting the linked site directly from their text message. They make it easier for customers to go directly to the place they need to be, instead of opening their browser and trying the find the correct page.

They’re also trackable. You can see exactly how well your SMS marketing campaign is going and where you need to make improvements easily.

How to Send a Link in a Text?

So, how do you send a link in a text?

There are a few different options that you have, so let’s take a look at which one might be right for you.

Copy and Paste

The first and possibly most obvious option is to directly copy and paste the URL from your computer into the SMS.

Simple, easy, straightforward, and it’s less likely that your message will be flagged by the phone company as spam. It’s also less likely that your link will encounter re-direct issues since it leads directly to your site.

The downside to this is that it’s not the prettiest option, it uses up many of your valuable, limited characters, and you can’t use your SMS software’s native link tracking software to analyze the success of your SMS.

Native Link Tracking

Another easier option, if you have software that allows you to run successful SMS campaigns, is to use the software’s native link feature.

All you have to do for this method is to use in-app features to schedule an SMS, insert the link via an option in the drop-down bar of the SMS, placing it wherever in the message you want it to appear.

This option is better than copy/paste since it lets you track the success of your SMS links, but it doesn’t allow you to insert your own branding (unless you use a branded native link tracking service, which is also an option!)

Shorten Link

There are a few different ways that you can shorten a link for an SMS.

You can use a public link-shortening service like bit.ly or rebrand.ly. These options are a bit cheaper and are easy to use. All you do is copy/paste the link into the service and it will compress it into a shorter, better-looking link.

On the downside, these messages are more likely to get flagged as spam and you’re not able to track the response to these links through your SMS provider.

You could pay extra for one of these services to create branded linking, which makes your links less likely to be flagged as spam and more attractive to the eye. Unfortunately, you still cannot track the success of these through your SMS platform.

Tips for Sending a Link Through Text

Here are just a few tips for making your text links more effective.

  • Always have a call to action
  • Keep your branding clear and included in all links
  • Keep your links as short as possible
  • Track links to see success

FAQs

How do you send a link through text?

You can send a link through text by copying and pasting directly into the message, using your SMS software’s native link tracker, or using a link shortening platform.

Can you insert a hyperlink in a text message?

No, you cannot insert a hyperlink into a text message.

How do you open links in a mobile text message?

You open links simply by clicking the link itself in the mobile text message.

What are the best link shortener services?

The best link shortener services are bit.ly and rebrand.ly, or your SMS software’s native tracking service.