“Hey…u up?” 👀
That’s the kind of message that gets your attention. And it represents exactly what brands and creators want to be: the notification people actually pay attention to.
Think about it: Most people spend over seven hours a day on screens, the majority of which is on mobile. An email in a cluttered inbox doesn’t stand a chance. But a text, maybe one with an image or GIF, meets people right where they are: on their phones, scrolling and messaging.
Ahead, a breakdown of Multimedia Message Service (or MMS) marketing — what’s working right now, where it can backfire, and the best ways to get started.
Why Aren’t More People Using MMS Marketing?
I scrolled through my messages looking for marketing texts with visuals while preparing to write this article, and it took me way too long to find one. To be fair, I do regularly delete these kinds of texts, but the last one I could find was from…2023? 🤔
MMS campaigns generate 300% more engagement and 52% higher click-through rates than SMS alone. So, why isn’t MMS everywhere? My best guess: it’s the cost. An MMS is about three times as expensive to send as an SMS. Even so, the data shows that the investment is worth it.
“To be honest, we never thought of MMS because our marketing had always revolved around email…” says Nicola Leiper, Director at Espresso Translations.
Nicola’s hesitation isn’t unusual. Many brands have overlooked MMS, assuming an email or a plain text would be enough to get more than a glance before being swiped away. But emails often get buried during busy, mobile-heavy hours when people are scrolling Instagram, TikTok, or messaging friends.
So, Nicola’s team eventually pivoted to MMS — pairing a short branded video with multilingual captions and a booking link — and the results spoke for themselves: open rates skyrocketed to 92%, and the sales cycle shortened by more than a day.
“Mobile users tend to skim, and MMS provides visuals and links in a matter of seconds without forcing the user to open an email or landing page,” she explains.
MMS marketing campaigns, on average, boast 15% to 20% higher engagement levels than traditional SMS messages. And all text messages, including MMS, have a 98% open rate — more than four times that of email.
As a writer, it hurts to admit it, but visuals sell, and plain text doesn’t always cut it.
Even so, it’s not as simple as firing off a few visual texts and watching the conversions roll in. To do MMS right, you have to play by the rules, respect your audience’s inbox, and make sure every subscriber actually wants to hear from you.
How to Use MMS Marketing Today
MMS is powerful because it lets you send visuals, copy, and links in one message, capturing more attention than plain text.
However, the cost means it’s best to keep your MMS sends to a minimum — like twice a month. Save them for the big moments (below), and use regular SMS for the rest.
- New product or merch drops: Share a teaser image or short video to promote new merch or products.
- Flash sales and exclusive offers: Pair bold visuals with urgent copy (“Only 3 hours left 🚨”) so subscribers feel the need to act fast.
- Cart abandonment nudges: Send a picture of the product left behind to (hopefully 🤞) bring them back to complete their purchase.
- Restock alerts: Notify subscribers when high-demand items are restocked.
- Event invitations and reminders: Share a flyer, map, or lineup to remind people about upcoming events.
How to Get Opt-Ins for MMS Marketing
You can’t run an MMS campaign without explicit opt-ins.
Well, you can, but the consequences of doing so are enough to dissuade you: In the U.S., the Telephone Consumer Protection Act requires prior express written consent before sending marketing texts. Each unsolicited message can cost you $500 to $1,500 in fines per recipient. Similarly, under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), sending an MMS message without consent exposes you to fines and audits — not to mention trust erosion.
To reiterate, opt-ins are extremely important.
Obtaining opt-ins
If you’re serious about text marketing, you need an SMS/MMS tool like Klaviyo, Postscript, or HubSpot.
These platforms are well-vetted and built to help you stay in compliance — not to mention, save a lot of time. They also provide ready-made tools, such as keyword sign-ups (“Text JOIN to 12345”), checkout checkboxes, QR codes, and website pop-ups that automatically capture consent.
Once you’re set up with the right tool, make it easy for people to say yes. Keep the process simple and give them a reason to go through with it (such as free shipping or 15% off their next order).
When someone opts in, send a welcome text that explains what they can expect and how they can opt out. Something like, “You’re in! We’ll send you exclusive offers once a month. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”
Documenting consent
Under laws like the TCPA and GDPR, you need proof that each subscriber opted in. Theoretically, you could keep track of your opt-ins in a spreadsheet. But should you? (No.)
Most text marketing platforms automatically log details like the timestamp, source (e.g., checkout page, QR code, whatever), and the exact wording of the disclosure, making it easy for you to maintain an up-to-date subscriber list.
Respecting opt-outs
Every message you send should also include clear instructions, like “Reply STOP to unsubscribe”, so customers know they’re in control.
When someone replies STOP, you have to honor that immediately. Your tool of choice should automatically suppress the number across all future sends the moment an opt-out comes through.
Without that automation, you’d be left manually maintaining a suppression list, which is error-prone and risky from a compliance standpoint.
Deliverability: The Slippery Fish of MMS Marketing 🐟
You can have the best visuals, the cleverest copy, and an audience ready to engage — but if your messages aren’t delivered, none of that matters.
MMS delivery is affected by a complex array of factors, including carrier rules, inconsistent registration processes across countries, and the risk of being flagged as spam. It all boils down to this:
Properly registered campaigns + clean lists + compliant message content = delivery.
In other words:
Register your campaigns correctly
✅ Choose your number type (short code, toll-free, or 10DLC depending on your carrier).
✅ Submit your brand details, use case, and opt-in/-out messages for carrier approval.
✅ Keep records of opt-ins.
Keep your lists clean
✅ Remove bad numbers, honor opt-outs, and avoid landlines.
Stay compliant with carrier and legal requirements
✅ Avoid spam triggers such as excessive caps, emojis (😔), or obscure URLs.
✅ Keep up with carrier rules and data privacy laws.
To beat a dead horse fish: You need the help of a text marketing tool to manage MMS campaigns.
It’ll make the slippery fish a lot easier to catch. On that note, getting messages delivered is just step one —building trust so people actually engage is step two.
Avoid the Spam Folder: Build Trust With Subscribers
“Hey, it’s me — your buddy! I need a last-minute favor. Can you buy me some Amazon gift cards?”
If you’ve ever gotten a text like that, beware (and don’t buy the gift cards). Scammers often pose as a trusted source, whether that be your grandma, buddy, boss, or bank.
It’s annoying, but it’s also costly. Data from the FTC shows that more than 235,000 text message scams were reported in the first half of 2025, resulting in $342 million in losses. The most common schemes include fake delivery alerts, phony job offers, and “wrong number” texts that can quickly spiral into investment or romance scams.
With fraud on the rise, trust signals are more important than ever. We’re all increasingly wary of clicking links or responding to texts from unknown numbers, so prove you’re legit from the very first message.
Use consistent branding
Keep your visuals aligned with your brand identity. Fonts, colors, and imagery should be instantly recognizable so recipients don’t second-guess who’s contacting them.
Avoid using sketchy URLs
While short links save space, they look suspicious and can tank deliverability. If you have the character count for it, use a full, branded link that customers will recognize. If you need to shorten it, use a well-recognized tool like Bitly or TinyURL.
Identify yourself at the start of messages
Don’t assume contacts have your number saved. Identify yourself (Hey, Manychat here! 👋) right away before asking them to engage.
A Parting Gift: Other Best Practices for MMS 🎁
Before you hit send on your next MMS campaign, keep these final tips in your back pocket.
Don’t overdo it
A text can feel more intrusive than a social post because it lands directly in someone’s pocket. Sending too many is a good way to get ignored or unsubscribed.
💬Use MMS for high-impact moments like launches, flash sales, and time-sensitive alerts.
💬Use SMS for quick reminders, confirmations, and ongoing updates.
This is how you maximize ROI without running up your messaging bill.
Repurpose, but refine
Yes, you can pull visuals from your social media or email campaigns, but don’t simply copy and paste the content. Keep your message short and crystal clear. MMS works best when there’s one sentence, one image, and a clear call-to-action (e.g., “Shop now” or “Claim your code”).
Make it personal
Generic blasts are forgettable. Tailor your MMS offers to different segments — new subscribers, cart abandoners, event attenders, etc. Most text marketing tools have features to help you do this.
Use Manychat to collect numbers
If you need to build a high-quality, compliant list of contacts, Manychat can be a big help. You can build a simple flow to capture phone numbers from your followers on Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and/or Messenger.
Once collected (with explicit opt-in), you can export those numbers and plug them into your MMS platform of choice — including Klaviyo, which directly integrates with Manychat.
It’s the best way to turn your social followers into a targeted mobile list. So, what are you waiting for?
✋ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I send MMS campaigns directly from Manychat?
Not at this time. Manychat is built to capture and qualify phone numbers (alongside email addresses) through channels like Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Once you have those numbers, you can export them into a dedicated SMS/MMS platform (like Klaviyo or Postscript) to run campaigns.
2. How often should I send MMS messages?
Less is more. MMS should be saved for high-impact moments — product launches, flash sales, restocks, or event reminders. For most creators and businesses, one to two text campaigns per month is a safe cadence. Anything more risks overwhelming your audience.
3. Do I need separate opt-ins for MMS vs. SMS?
Yes. Compliance rules (like TCPA in the U.S. and GDPR in the EU) require explicit written consent for any marketing texts, including MMS. If you’ve collected consent through Manychat, make sure your language clearly covers SMS/MMS marketing before exporting numbers to another tool.
4. How do I measure success with MMS campaigns?
Since “open rates” are less reliable with text, focus on click-through rates (CTR) and conversions. Track how many people clicked your link, redeemed an offer, or purchased. You can also A/B test different visuals and CTAs to see what resonates most with your audience.
