GoHighLevel can facilitate engaging and automated SMS campaigns for a multitude of use cases.
However, the platform has strict policies and best practices in place to avoid spam and nuisance messages.
Key Takeaways:
- Send SMS messages using GoHighLevel’s in-house phone service
- Texts cost from $0.0079/segment
- You must register with A2P 10DLC to send texts in the US and Canada
8 Things You Can Do with GoHighLevel Texting and SMS
1. Facilitate Remote Two-Way Conversations
Many individuals don’t have time to sit on the phone and talk to a customer service agent, nor do they particularly want to.
This is where SMS can step in and facilitate two-way conversations without disrupting someone’s day.
You or your client can text leads and customers, and they can reply when they have the time. This is super useful because you can always refer back to previous messages to remind yourself of the conversation.
Ultimately, this will raise your customer service levels and ensure every potential lead does not go cold.
2. Run Drip Campaigns
Drip campaigns are automated communications that nurture leads and/or customers over time.
Now, GoHighLevel has some seriously powerful automation capabilities that allow you to set up targeted messages based on a person’s engagement or actions.
For instance, if a lead completes and submits an online form, this can trigger an SMS campaign that guides them into booking an appointment.
Why is this so noteworthy?
Well, we’ve all been trained to ignore marketing emails, and email clients like Google have a habit of filtering them into separate inboxes we never look at.
In contrast, text messages have a significantly higher engagement rate than email. According to online statistics, SMS open rates are 95% to 98%, compared to only 15% to 22% with email.
Furthermore, SMS response rates are also much higher than email.
So, if you want to run a campaign that actually gets in front of people’s eyes, you need to use SMS.
3. Book Appointments and Send Reminders
Part of GoHighLevel’s automation capabilities is an AI-powered booking bot that can lead a recipient into booking an appointment.
The AI can adjust the flow of the conversation according to the recipient’s responses. You can even set the tone of the conversation so it’s in line with your brand messaging.
Once the appointment has been booked, the recipient will then receive automated SMS reminders for when their appointment is coming up.
This reduces the likelihood of no-shows and ensures you don’t waste your time.
4. Send Transactional Messages
This pretty neat feature can significantly reduce the waiting times to receive customer payments.
Essentially, you can create a payment link and send it directly via SMS (remember, someone is much more likely to look at a text than they are an email!).
There are two ways to do this:
- GoHighLevel mobile app: Create a basic Text-to-Pay link and send it directly within the conversation feed.
- GoHighLevel desktop app: Create a more detailed Text-to-Pay link, including an attached invoice.
All the recipient does is click the link, and they are then guided through the process to pay for their product or service. Easy and simple!
5. Create Opt-In Campaigns
If you have clients that primarily market offline, this is a must-have.
Examples would be restaurants that have menus containing offers or local businesses that give out business cards containing a discount code.
Those interested in the offers can text a specific keyword to the supplied phone number, and they will then be entered into an automated campaign where they are sent the offer and maybe nurtured for additional offers.
6. Combine with Multi-Channel Campaigns
One of the things I love most about GoHighLevel is its vast communication capabilities.
You have phone, SMS, social media messaging, WhatsApp, and email. Better yet, you can combine these methods into a single campaign.
For instance, you can create an automated workflow where if someone gets in touch via social media, they can then be moved onto SMS to continue the conversation.
7. Send Surveys and Polls
Want a quick opinion, feedback, or the answers to certain questions?
You can do it via SMS!
All you do is create an automated workflow that incorporates your survey questions, and recipients respond by text.
What’s smart about this is you can use the workflow to send out questions based on an individual’s responses.
For example, a question that asks “Did you like our product?” can have two paths. If the recipient responds with “No,” the next question could be “Why didn’t you like it?”
If their response is positive, the next question could be “What did you like the most?”
Doing this allows you to get relevant information while providing a convenient way for your recipients to engage.
8. Missed-Call Text-Back
Now, this is an absolute game-changer!
What do you do when you call a business to enquire about their services and they don’t answer? You move on to the next one, right?
These missed opportunities cost you or your clients money, and I’m guessing you don’t want that to happen.
Missed call text back is a great way to catch those opportunities before they go cold.
What happens is a prospect calls the business, and no one picks up the phone. This triggers GoHighLevel to send that individual an SMS automatically.
This way, the prospect feels like their needs are addressed, and they’re less likely to move on to an alternative option.
GoHighLevel SMS Pricing: Is it Expensive?
The quick answer is “No.”
GoHighLevel’s SMS pricing is not expensive and aligns with what other third-party phone providers (like Twilio) charge.
To use SMS, you have to purchase a phone number. GoHighLevel’s native phone system LC-Phone provides these, and they cost an ongoing monthly fee.
Here’s what you pay in the US and Canada:
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Local phone number | $1.15/month |
| Toll-free number | $2.15/month |
| Outbound SMS | $0.0079/segment |
| Inbound SMS | $0.0079/segment |
| Outbound MMS | $0.0200/segment |
| Inbound SMS | $0.0100/segment |
Payments for phone numbers and SMS usage are deducted from your GoHighLevel wallet.
Once the amount of money in your wallet drops below a certain threshold, it is automatically recharged. You can decide that threshold—$20, $50, etc.
If your clients are using SMS, you can rebill them for the cost and add your own markup (extra revenue, yay!).
The money for the client’s usage is still initially taken from your wallet, but the client will also be billed for the cost.
What’s A2P 10DLC?
Essentially, A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code) is a messaging system carriers require to reduce spam.
If you want to run SMS campaigns in GoHighLevel, you have to register with A2P 10DLC to ensure you comply with it. Plus, you can’t send messages to US numbers without it.
This service isn’t free and costs a one-time registration fee of $4.41. Additionally, there is a monthly fee that starts at $1.50 and may increase depending on usage.
What Is the GoHighLevel SMS Ramp-Up Model?
GoHighLevel has a strict SMS-sending policy to weed out nuisance texts.
Part of this is something called the “ramp-up model,” which ensures new users are limited to the number of texts they can send out within a 24-hour timeframe.
The system does this to prevent spam blasts from fake accounts.
The ramp-up model operates over eight days, and you have to send the maximum number of texts within 24 hours to progress to the next level.
Once you max out your current limit, you have to wait 24 hours before being allowed to send again.
| Level | SMS limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 250 |
| 3 | 500 |
| 4 | 750 |
| 5 | 1,500 |
| 6 | 2,250 |
| 7 | 3,000 |
| 8 | 3,000+ |
How to Set Up GoHighLevel Texting and SMS (A Quick Guide)
The first step is to ensure your sub-account is connected to GoHighLevel’s phone service, LC-Phone.
- From your Agency dashboard, head to Settings > Phone Integration.
- Find the sub-account listed and then click the blue link icon to connect the service.
- Now head into the sub-account and select Settings > Phone Numbers > + Add Number.
- Choose a number from the list and click to buy.
After purchasing your number, you will be prompted to complete your A2P registration. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Now, you can send an SMS to any of your contacts. Simply head to your Contacts tab, open the desired contact, and type your SMS in the space provided.
Subsequent responses can be viewed and made within your Conversations tab.
To send the same SMS to more than one contact, select the desired contacts, then select the SMS icon along the top row of options.
Bulk SMS messages can be sent all at once, at a scheduled time, or in drip mode.
If you’re sending out a lot of similar SMS messages, undoubtedly, the most convenient way to do this is by creating SMS templates that you can just drop into a message.
- Head to Conversations > Snippet > + Add Snippet > Add Text Snippet.
- Give your template a name (for your reference) and start writing the message in the box provided.
- You can personalize the message by adding custom fields and jazzing it up with emojis.
- Files can be attached or provided via a URL.
- You can also send a test SMS before you save it.
Now, when you go to send an SMS, the template will be available for you to drop into your message.
GoHighLevel SMS Automation: How Does It Work?
To build automated SMS campaigns, head to the Workflows section of your GoHighLevel account.
Here, you can add SMS messages as “actions” and then include wait steps to determine how long the period is between sending messages.
The system is clever. It can interpret the intent of the recipient’s responses to determine if they are positive or negative.
Depending on how they respond, you can send them down a specific branch of the workflow.
For example, if a recipient’s response is positive, you can direct them to an offer. If it’s negative, you can unsubscribe them from the campaign.
To create automated conversational bots, head to the Conversations AI tab in your sub-account settings. Here, you can opt between general Q&A, booking, and custom bot creation.
This takes a bit of work because you have to configure the bot settings and then perform extensive training so the bot understands the tone, intention, and goals of your text messages.
It’s worth it, though, because once you’ve set it up, you can run entire conversations on autopilot!
5 Ways to Avoid Violating the LC-Phone Messaging Policy
Like the example image above, a surefire way to get banned from sending texts from GoHighLevel is to breach their messaging policy.
If you do it mistakenly, GoHighLevel will show a certain amount of grace to ensure you adjust your messaging practices to get you back to a compliant standard.
Repeat or deliberate offenders will quickly see their accounts suspended or even terminated.
1. Use Opt-In Contacts Only
Consent is extremely important. If you send texts without consent, you’ll violate the messaging policy and privacy laws.
In short, don’t do it unless the recipient has explicitly agreed to receive communications via SMS.
2. Include Unsubscribe Option
Recipients need a way to quickly and easily opt out of receiving messages if they decide they don’t want them anymore.
Therefore, the initial message must contain the following text: Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
3. Don’t Include Prohibited Content
If you’re in the business of anything to do with firearms, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, or adult content, you’re using the wrong platform.
GoHighLevel does not allow any messages to be sent containing these subjects.
4. Identify Yourself
Recipients must know where the text came from and who sent it. There can’t be any confusion around this, so it needs to be clear.
Along with the opt-out text, the initial message must also always contain sender identification.
For instance, “Hey, this is <sender’s name> from <business name>.
Subsequent messages don’t necessarily have to contain this information, but it is best practice to include it if there has been a long gap between the previous message and the following one.
5. Don’t Try to Evade Filters
To prevent spam and banned content, GoHighLevel has filters that can detect and flag it to the system.
Often, spammers try to evade these filters by doing one or more of the following:
- Deliberately misspelling words
- Using non-standard opt-out phrases
- Using URL shorteners
- “Snowshoeing,” where similar bulk messages are sent out across multiple phone numbers
GoHighLevel bans all of these practices, so don’t even try them!
Composing an SMS: Best Practices
1. Get Consent
Always get consent from recipients before sending them an SMS message.
You can easily check the contact’s details within your GoHighLevel account to see whether or not they are willing to receive messages or not.
Additionally, don’t ever send messages if consent has been revoked.
2. Only Send When You Can Respond
There are three things to be aware of here.
- First, if you have automated a conversation, be sure that responses only go out to recipients during acceptable hours. No one wants to receive a text at 3 am.
- Second, if you are sending the messages yourself, don’t start engaging in a conversation when you’re busy and unable to respond.
- Third, if a conversation has been continuing for a while and you have to go do something else, let the recipient know when they can expect a reply. Stick to your word. If you say you’ll be back at 3 pm, be back at 3 pm. Don’t leave them hanging.
3. Personalize the Message
Don’t use boring cut-and-paste messages that don’t contain any personalization. They look like spam.
Automated messages can be personalized using custom fields, such as the recipient’s name. If you’re responding live, you can use your own initiative to personalize the text.
4. Be Clear and Concise
Get to the point and express the point of the message very clearly. This is not the time to waffle! Besides, the more segments your message takes up, the more it’ll cost you to send.
The recipients should know precisely why you’re sending the text and what they need to do.
If it’s unclear, you’ll only cause confusion and make them unsubscribe.
5. Be Exciting and Impactful
While the open rate of SMS is quite high, you must still ensure your message looks exciting enough to open in the first place.
- Good example: Hey <person’s name>! Ready for a treat? Enjoy an exclusive 30% discount on our latest sneakers—today only! Tap here to grab your pair: <link>. Step out in style now!
- Bad example: SALE! 30% discount on sneakers. Click <link> to buy. Offer expires soon.
The good example is personalized and clear and creates a sense of urgency by stating how long the sale is on for.
In contrast, the bad example sounds like spam (using text in all-caps is an indicator of this), doesn’t build anticipation, and lacks personalization and clear information (like when the sale will end).
6. Ask One Question
Asking a single question is important because you don’t want to risk overwhelming the recipient or distilling the impact of your message.
If you’re asking for too much information, things start to get confusing, and it contradicts the earlier best practice of keeping things concise. Besides, the longer your message is, the more it costs!
If you need to ask more questions, consider directing the recipient to an online survey or sending out single questions in an SMS sequence.
However, if you send a sequence, tell the recipient how many texts they will receive and what they are for.
7. Control Your Emojis
Who doesn’t love an emoji? They are incredibly useful for conveying emotion, which is hard to do with just text.
But keep them under control. Too many, and you’ll end up with something that looks spammy and something an MLM (multi-level marketing) rep would send.
- Good example: Hey <name> 🎉 Ready for an exclusive 20% off on our new arrivals? Today only! ⏰ Tap to shop: <link>
- Bad example: 🔥🔥 HUGE SALE!!! 😱😱 20% OFF EVERYTHING!!! 😜😜 What are you waiting for??? Click here NOW! 👉 <link>
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use a Third-Party SMS Provider with GoHighLevel?
Yes, you can use Twilio with GoHighLevel to send SMS messages. The platform supports direct integration with this provider.
Can I Purchase Phone Numbers in GoHighLevel?
Yes, you can purchase phone numbers in GoHighLevel. You pay $1.15 per month for a local number and $2.15 per month for a toll-free number.
How Many SMS Messages Can I Send in GoHighLevel?
You can send unlimited SMS messages in GoHighLevel. However, new users are restricted to the number of messages they can send for the first eight days of usage.
