When setting up a short code for people to text in to, choosing the right keyword is essential to increase engagement and avoid confusion. Below are a few tips on what to think about when choosing your keyword:
Make it Easy to Remember
Your potential customers may only have time to give your keyword a few glances when on the move, making it easy to remember will ensure they can still text in without having to look up the keyword.
Make it Easy to Spell
Avoid using complex words, or words which are exceptions to rules such as ‘i’ before ‘e’, (e.g. ‘weird’), as these are often spelt wrong. It is best not to get too clever with spellings as well, such as replacing ‘s’ with ‘z’, if people don’t have time to look at your keyword properly, they may text in the correct spelling.
Keep it Short
In a similar vain to the above, keeping the keyword short will make it easier to spell and easier to remember, as well as quicker to type.
Stick to One Word
If you use more than one word, some people may use a space between the words, others won’t. This will mean you could lose out on leads; by sticking to one word you will avoid this confusion.
Don’t Use Special Characters
Make the keyword easy to type, special characters like ‘$’ can be harder to find on a phone and may reduce engagement so it is best to avoid them.
Avoid Numbers
To help make your keyword easier to remember, don’t be tempted to append numbers on the end. If you must have numbers, avoid those which can be confused with letters such as zero, as many people may type this in as the letter ‘o’.
Beware the Auto-Correct
Most phones use auto-correct or predictive text, and not everyone notices before sending, as evidenced on the popular site ‘damn you auto correct’. Always check how your keyword is picked up on your phone, and those of colleagues, and avoid using keywords which will auto-correct to something else. If you really want to use a keyword which auto-corrects, consider claiming the auto-correct keyword as well to ensure you receive all leads.
Differentiate Your Campaigns
When running multiple campaigns at once, be sure to use clearly defined keywords for each. Similarly, use clearly different keywords from one campaign to the next to avoid confusion with people texting in the old keyword by mistake.
For more information on using short-codes and choosing your keywords please visit our TextPremium product page or call our Customer Service Team 08451 221 302.