Your SMS Response Rate shows how effective your outreach is at getting people to respond. Understanding this metric helps you improve your messaging strategy.
? Response Rate Formula
Response Rate = (Number of Unique Responses / Total Initial SMS Sent) × 100
This shows the percentage of people who replied at least once to your first SMS message.
Note: Multiple replies from the same person count only once.
Why This Metric Matters
Tracking your Response Rate helps you:
- See how well your message connects with your audience
- Compare performance across campaigns and markets
- Find ways to improve your messaging
- Plan follow-up workflows more effectively
? Example Calculation
If you send 1,000 initial SMS messages and get 78 unique replies:
Response Rate = (78 / 1,000) × 100 = 7.8%
This means 7.8% of your contacts replied to your initial outreach.
What Counts as "Initial SMS Sent"?
Only the first outbound SMS sent to each contact counts. Follow-up messages, replies, or multi-step sequences are not included.
? Tips to Improve Your Response Rate
- Use friendly, short names in your messages
- Test different opening lines to see what works
- Avoid over-messaging or sending too frequently
- Keep messages short, direct, and personal
- Use A/B testing to compare templates and timing
Need Help Improving?
Your Account Manager can help you:
- Analyze which templates and markets get higher responses
- Find opportunities to improve targeting
- Set up A/B tests to refine your approach
Quick Summary
- Response Rate = (Unique Responses / Initial SMS Sent) × 100
- Shows how many people replied to your first message
- Helps track engagement and guide improvements
- Only counts first outbound message and first reply per contact
Need help interpreting your campaign performance? Contact your Customer Success Manager for personalized analysis and strategy guidance.
