Launch an SMS campaign
Before sending any text messages, you need to launch an SMS campaign and ensure you have a valid sending number for the target region, including:
- Toll-free numbers for the U.S. and Canada
- Branded sender IDs for Europe and Asia-Pacific
Create an SMS campaign
You can create a campaign in two ways:
Option 1:
- Log in to your Genstore admin and go to Marketing
- Click Create campaign in the top right
- Select SMS marketing
Option 2:
- Go to Marketing > SMS marketing
- Click Create SMS campaign
Once created, you’ll be taken to the SMS editor to configure content and recipients.
Set up your message
Sender ID
- The system will use your verified sender number by default
- Changing the sender ID may affect compliance status in certain countries and require re-approval
- To maximize deliverability and brand consistency, it’s best to keep the default
Recipients
- You can select from your existing customer segments, or create a new segment
- SMS can only be sent to users who have opted in; unsubscribed users will be excluded automatically
- Make sure your contact list is legally obtained and marketing compliant
Message content
SMS messages are plain text only. No images or GIFs, but emojis and special characters are supported. Message length affects billing:
- GSM-7 (standard text): up to 160 characters per message, then split into 153-char segments
- UCS-2 (with emojis or non-Latin characters): up to 70 characters, then split into 67-char segments
Character count rules:
- Message length = signature (e.g. [YourStore]) + body content)
- Max length: 500 characters
- Special characters like
|,{},[]count as 2 characters
| Type | Encoding | Count rules | Billing rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| English (GSM-7) | GSM-7 | 1 char for standard, 2 chars for extended chars | ≤160 chars = 1 msg; >160: 153/msg split |
| Multilingual (UCS-2) | UCS-2 | 1 char per symbol | ≤70 chars = 1 msg; >70: 67/msg split |
Examples:
- 350-character English SMS → 3 messages (153 + 153 + 44)
- 150-character Chinese SMS → 3 messages (67 + 67 + 16)
Add links and personalization
- Short links: Automatically convert store links into short URLs to save space and track clicks
- Variables: Insert dynamic fields like name or phone number for personalized messages
Messages without a link cannot be tracked for click activity.
Preview and testing
Before sending, we recommend testing your message:
- Live preview: See how the SMS will appear for recipients in selected countries
- Test message: 1. Click Send test in the top right 2. Choose a country code and enter your mobile number 3. Only one test message can be sent at a time
- Preview summary: Review sender ID, recipient count, message body, and estimated cost