7 MMS Campaign Best Practices to Nail Your Message

From watching creative TikTok videos to sending animated GIFs to friends, today’s consumers crave 24/7 stimulation. How can your brand win their attention in this crowded environment?

To get your company noticed and keep customers engaged, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) can be a tremendous opportunity. 

MMS marketing campaigns let you spruce up your text messages with multimedia elements like images, animations and videos. You can embellish your texts with high-quality graphics, company logos, short videos or creative holiday designs to showcase your brand personality and engage customers in a fresh, new way. 

However, incorporating MMS into your texting campaign can be a delicate balance. To land your message just right, it’s important to follow some essential MMS campaign best practices.

1. Consider Your Audience’s Behavior 

MMS messages offer virtually limitless opportunities for creative execution — but they aren’t for everyone. Remember that certain devices won’t be able to accept MMS messages. Not everyone has a smartphone. 

That said, if you’re marketing to Millennials and Gen Z-ers who regularly communicate in GIFs and images, MMS might be the perfect way to reach them.

2. Use MMS Only When Appropriate

Not every message warrants a fun MMS element. Think through the purpose of your message before incorporating MMS.

In general, MMS campaigns work well for creative campaigns and promotions. However, they can come across as overkill for simpler messages, such as appointment updates and transactional messages, which are better suited for Short Message Service (SMS) messages.

3. Select Multimedia Content That Reinforces Your Brand

MMS campaigns let you get creative with video, images, GIFs and animation. With so many capabilities, it’s easy to go overboard. Do a gut check with your creative team to make sure the message hits home with your brand. 

For instance, if you’re a serious, sophisticated financial firm, you may not want to lead with the latest viral meme or GIF. However, if you’re a new, hip craft brewery or a consumer lifestyle brand known for its tongue-in-cheek tone, that meme might be the perfect option.

4. Follow Requirements for MMS Images

When sending MMS, there are certain design requirements to keep in mind. 

Take time to review these, so you don’t get caught purchasing and sending an image that doesn’t meet the requirements — only for it never to be delivered.

• Portrait orientation
• JPG format
• Does not exceed 500 KB
• 640 pixels x 1,138 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio) OR 1080 px by 1920 px 

5. Correctly Size and Format MMS GIFs and Animations

Similar to MMS image requirements, your GIFs and animations must also adhere to dimension and size limits. These include:

• GIF format
• No transparency
• Maximum of 3-4 FPs
• Does not exceed 520 KB
• For animated GIFs, anywhere between 480 pixels x 480 pixels or 720 pixels high x 480 pixels

6. Adhere to Video Message Requirements

Video messages must also follow a certain set of MMS campaign best practices and parameters. Specifically:

• Aim for 2-3 MBs (3.5 MB is the maximum size that can be accepted, depending on device)
• Fewer than 20 seconds, which will ensure HD delivery on most smartphones
• Maximum frame rate of 30 frames per second 
• Can be horizontal or vertical (since most people are used to turning their phones for video, based on personal preference)
• Aspect ratio of 16:9
• Dimensions should be 640px X 1138 px in vertical and 1280px X 720 px in horizontal

7. Test Your MMS Campaign Before Sending

As with any marketing campaign, always test your MMS message before sending — no matter how eager you are to share it. 

Start by sending a test batch of messages to your marketing team, and ask everyone to preview images and graphics on their individual devices, check that links work and review for any odd formatting that comes through. 

It’s best to test with a group that owns a variety of devices, spanning Apple and Android to smartphones and tablets. That way, you can check all your boxes and be confident your message will come through appropriately, no matter which platform your customer uses.

Send Your MMS Campaign In Minutes With Textedly

When choosing your MMS campaign platform, consider Textedly’s top features — such as picture messaging and an extended 300-character limit — that can enhance your MMS campaign. Why stop at a GIF or 300 characters when you could further tailor your message to your audience?

Textedly’s easy-to-implement SMS and MMS solutions let you start messaging your customers in minutes. 

Plus, with an affordable, user-friendly platform, Textedly is ideal for any business size and industry, from retail and restaurants to real estate and nonprofit companies. 

Ready to get started?  Try Textedly for free today.