Send a Text Broadcast

What is a text broadcast?

A text broadcast sends identical messages to multiple contacts simultaneously through Text-Em-All's platform, reaching dozens to thousands of people instantly with announcements, reminders, alerts, or promotional content.

Text broadcasts achieve a 98% read rate and deliver within seconds, making them highly effective for urgent communications, marketing campaigns, and operational notifications. Recipients receive your message as a standard SMS on their mobile phones, creating direct, personal connection at scale without requiring special apps or software.

How do I prepare before sending my first text broadcast?

Organize your contact information before creating your broadcast to streamline the setup process and ensure message accuracy. Having contacts ready saves time during broadcast creation and reduces the chance of sending errors.

Contact preparation options:

Add contacts individually to your permanent contact list for ongoing communication
Upload a contact file using spreadsheet or CSV format for bulk imports
Prepare phone numbers in a document for quick copy and paste during broadcast creation
Verify phone number formatting matches Text-Em-All requirements for successful delivery

Quick option: You can add contacts directly during broadcast creation for one-time messages without saving them to your permanent contact list.

How do I create and send a text broadcast?

Text broadcasts follow a four-step creation process that guides you from initial setup through final delivery. Each step builds on the previous one to ensure your message reaches the intended recipients successfully with proper timing and formatting.

Step 1: How do I configure my broadcast settings?

Set the basic parameters that control how your broadcast behaves, when it delivers to recipients, and which phone number appears as the sender.

Click the green Create Broadcast button in the top navigation bar
Select Text Only as your message type from the available options
- Alternative options include Voice Only and Voice & Text broadcasts
Choose your broadcast type based on your messaging goals:
- Announcement: Standard one-way text messages for updates, alerts, or information
- Survey: Interactive messages that collect responses and feedback from recipients
Set your delivery timing preferences:
- Immediately: Sends as soon as you complete the setup process and click send
- Schedule for the future: Choose a specific date and time for automatic delivery within business hours
Enter a broadcast name for internal organization and tracking (recipients do not see this name)
Select your Text Number if you have multiple phone numbers configured in your account
Click the blue Continue button to proceed to recipient selection

Step 2: How do I choose my broadcast recipients?

Select the contacts who will receive your text message using the method that best fits your current workflow and contact organization system.

Method	Best for	Description
Add from Contacts	Regular communications	Select from phone numbers saved in your Contacts section for ongoing messaging
Paste from Clipboard	Quick one-time messages	Copy and paste phone numbers directly from spreadsheets or other applications
Upload a File	Large lists or new imports	Import spreadsheet or CSV files with contact information and additional fields
Add Individually	Small groups or testing	Type phone numbers manually using the provided form interface

Review your selected recipients to ensure accuracy and remove any duplicates or invalid numbers before proceeding. Click the blue Continue button to move to message creation.

Step 3: How do I create my broadcast message?

Compose your text message content using clear, actionable language that tells recipients exactly what they need to know or do. Keep your message concise while including all essential information for effective communication.

Message composition guidelines:

Write directly and personally to your audience using conversational tone
Include specific details like dates, times, locations, or contact information
Place links at the end of your message for improved readability and deliverability
Stay within character limits to control message costs and ensure single-segment delivery
Use personalization tags to include recipient names or custom fields for better engagement

Optional enhancements:

Attach images: Add photos, logos, or graphics to create MMS messages with visual impact
Save as template: Store your message as a reusable template for future broadcasts
Use saved messages: Access previously created content from your message library for consistency

Review your message for accuracy and clarity before proceeding. Click the blue Continue button when your message content is complete.

Step 4: How do I review and send my broadcast?

Verify all broadcast details before delivery to prevent errors and ensure successful message delivery to your intended recipients. This final review step catches mistakes before your message reaches contacts.

Review checklist:

Recipients: Confirm the correct contacts are selected and duplicates removed
Message content: Check spelling, grammar, links, and factual accuracy
Delivery timing: Verify immediate sending or scheduled delivery date and time
Sender information: Confirm the correct phone number is selected as sender
Character count: Ensure message fits within your plan limits to avoid unexpected charges
Compliance: Verify opt-out instructions and sender identification for marketing messages

Complete your broadcast by clicking the appropriate button:

Send Broadcast for immediate delivery to all selected recipients
Schedule Broadcast for future delivery at your specified time within business hours

What happens after I send my text broadcast?

Your broadcast enters the delivery queue and begins sending according to your timing settings. Text messages typically deliver within seconds to minutes and appear in recipients' standard SMS applications as personal messages.

Monitoring your broadcast:

Track delivery status in real-time through your account dashboard and broadcast details page
View comprehensive delivery reports showing successful sends, failures, and detailed error codes
Monitor recipient responses and engagement through the inbox feature for two-way conversations
Access detailed analytics including delivery rates, response metrics, and opt-out statistics
Handle opt-out requests automatically through built-in compliance features and keyword processing
Export delivery data for external analysis and record-keeping purposes

Your completed broadcast appears in your account history for future reference, reporting, and analysis. Use this data to improve future messaging campaigns and track communication effectiveness over time.

What should I know about message limits and costs?

Understanding Text-Em-All's credit system helps you plan broadcasts effectively and manage messaging costs. Different message types and lengths consume credits according to specific rules based on your account type.

Credit consumption rules:

Standard texts: Charged in 160-character segments for optimal carrier compatibility
Monthly plans: Include 320 characters per message base allowance, expandable to 960 characters with Enhanced Text Messaging add-on
Pay-as-you-go: Support up to 1,600 characters per message with segment-based credit consumption
MMS messages: Require additional credits for images, videos, or multimedia content beyond standard text
Long messages: Automatically split into multiple segments with corresponding credit charges

Plan your message length strategically to optimize costs while delivering your complete message effectively. Use the character counter during message creation to monitor segment usage before sending.