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Write Effective Broadcast Messages
Broadcast informative, useful messages to customers and employees in a standard SMS channel in Service Cloud.
Required Editions
| View supported editions. | |
This article applies to:
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Standard SMS channels |
This article doesn’t apply to:
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Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced Web Chat v1, Enhanced Web Chat v2, Enhanced WhatsApp, Standard and Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Enhanced SMS, Enhanced Apple Messages for Business, Enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own Channel |
Important Standard SMS channels were retired on February 14, 2026. To avoid
service interruptions, upgrade your standard SMS channels to enhanced channels now. Enhanced
SMS offers many of the standard SMS
features you love plus session transfers and AI agent support. See Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced Messaging.
- Create Broadcast Messaging Templates
- Write messages for broadcasters to send to recipients. Broadcasters can’t create
templates or send a message without a template, so create as many templates as you
think your team needs. For instructions, see Send Automated Messages in Standard Messaging Channels.
Tip To visually group your broadcast messages and help your team find what they’re looking for, add a prefix to your template names. For example, name your waitlist-related message templates “Waitlist - Joined,” “Waitlist - 10 Min Warning,” and “Waitlist - Removed.” - Mind the Character Limit
- Text messages are limited to 160 characters for most carriers. If your message exceeds your carrier’s limit, your message is sent in multiple text messages. Keep your message short to avoid paying for extra messages.
- Stay On Topic
- Your recipients opted in to your messages for a specific purpose. Avoid sending frequent, off-topic messages or sharing information that’s better suited for email. If recipients feel like you’re oversharing, they opt out.
- Personalize Sparingly
- It’s great to include your recipient’s name in a message here and there with a merge field. But too much personalization can be overwhelming, and it can use up your character count.
- Use a Link Shortener
- If you include links in your messages, use a link shortener to save space. Links count against the 160-character limit.
- Include a Call to Action
- A call to action makes your message more useful to recipients. For example:
- When you send an informational message, consider including a link they can visit to learn more.
- When you remind recipients about an event or appointment, provide a text reply or phone number they can use to confirm or cancel.
- When you notify recipients about their spot on a wait-list, tell them how they can remove their name if they change their mind.
Examples of Broadcast SMS Messages
See example text messages that can be sent using Broadcast Messaging for standard SMS.
Example
Important Standard SMS channels are scheduled for retirement, and we’re limiting the
ability to create standard channels. To avoid service interruptions, upgrade your standard SMS
channels to enhanced channels before February 14, 2026. Enhanced SMS offers many of the standard SMS features you love plus session transfers
and enhanced bot support. See Upgrading from Standard to Enhanced Messaging.
Bulk Customer Service Updates
Send bulk updates to your customers when you have a widespread service-related announcement.
- Service Outage
- Service maintenance window: we’ll be offline for maintenance from 1am-2am in your area.
- Change in Customer Service Availability
- Our service reps are working reduced hours due to a weather event. Expect response time up to 48 hours.
Queue Notifications
To manage a queue, we recommend sending a text when the recipient joins the list, when they are at the top of the list, and when they remove themselves from the list.
- Recipient Joined the List
- You’re in line for Business Name. We’ll send an update when you’re next in line. Text CANCEL to cancel.
- Recipient is at the Top of the List
- You’re next in line to shop at Store Name! You have 10 min to check in. Text CANCEL to cancel.
- Recipient Left the List
- You’ve been removed from the list. We hope to see you another time.
Appointment Reminders
Send confirmations and reminders for appointments. We recommend letting the recipient know that they’ve scheduled their appointment and what they can do to cancel or reschedule. Consider moving appointment confirmations to text so your staff can respond to other phone calls.
- Appointment was Scheduled or Rescheduled
- Your appointment is scheduled for WED 7/1 @ 11am. Text YES to confirm. Call 000-000-0000 to reschedule.
- Appointment Confirmation with Instructions
- Confirmed! Arrive 15 min before your appt. Call 000-000-0000 for help.
Updates for Hospitality Guests
Send updates to your hospitality guests so they know when there are changes in your facility.
- Improved Hygiene Process
- We introduced new cleaning and safety standards according to CDC and county guidance. Learn more: shortlink
- Facility is Closed
- Hotel guests: The pool is closed for cleaning until 10am tomorrow.
- Get your workout in ASAP! The gym is closed for construction starting THU 7am.
- Reduced Amenity Hours
- The Hotel Name restaurant and bar is reducing hours to 5pm-8pm. Room service is available 24/7.
Education Facility Updates
Send updates about your school’s facilities to students and their families.
- School Facility is Closed
- The cafeteria is converting to contactless pickup. Download the app to order ahead: shortlink
- Publicly-Accessible Location is Restricted
- Our public gym is restricting hours and capacity due to city restrictions. More info: shortlink
Employee Messages
Communicate important information to your employees. The Employee object is available only if you’ve purchased Work.com.
- Wellness Survey Notification
- This week’s wellness survey is ready for you. Please respond by 11/9: shortlink
- Temporary Location Closure
- We’re temporarily closing the Main St. location 1/4-1/24. Call 000-000-0000 to request a transfer.
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