Text messaging has evolved a lot since the first one was sent 30 years ago. Mobile users in the United States sent 2.2 trillion text messages in 2020. On a global scale, mobile messaging traffic from businesses reached 2.7 trillion that same year — a 10% growth over the previous year’s total. All of those messages were sent via MMS or SMS. But what exactly is an SMS or MMS message? And do you…, What does MMS mean?, MMS is an abbreviation for Multimedia Messaging Service . As you may have guessed from the word “multimedia,” MMS messages are capable of incorporating images, video, and audio files. That includes all of the texts we send or receive that contain emojis and website links. Considering that 90% of people open a text message within three minutes of receiving it, this media-rich form of…, Comparing, MMS vs. SMS, SMS is the common acronym for Short Messaging Service – it’s the most widely used (and one of the oldest) texting technologies in the world. In contrast to MMS, communication through SMS is more limited and consists of simple text only., Differences between MMS and SMS, The biggest difference between MMS and SMS is the capability to include rich media files such as images, GIFs, and videos. MMS can send up to 500 KB of data (up to 5,000 characters) and up to 30 seconds of video or audio. Depending on your messaging provider, MMS messages typically cost more to send than SMS messages. SMS messages are restricted to text (which includes links), and are further…, Similarities between MMS and SMS, MMS and SMS do have some things in common, which leads many people to mistakenly use the acronyms interchangeably. They were built using the same base technology – MMS was initially created so SMS users could send multimedia files. And both MMS and SMS are delivered over a cellular network which means recipients need a mobile device with a text messaging plan to receive them., 5 Business, benefits of MMS messaging, Research shows the engagement rate for text messages is 20 times higher than for emails, making MMS messaging a powerful tool for connecting with customers. Communicating through mobile phones is a fast, easy, and effective way to earn points with customers . According to PCMag , 85% of smartphone users prefer receiving text messages over emails or calls. If you’re trying to meet customers where…, 1. Your messages will be hard to forget, Images add color and depth to the messaging you share with customers . The option to use images, videos, and GIFs can make your MMS message more visually exciting compared to a simple SMS text. In fact, scientists have found that when people hear information, they will most likely only retain about 10% of that information three days later. But when a relevant image is paired with that same…, 2. The space to build relationships that last, The stark limitation of SMS texts to a measly 160 characters creates challenges for developing a message that actually connects with your audience. MMS messages provide an opportunity to craft more detailed messages of up to 5,000 characters. And adding images, videos, or audio files gives you even greater capacity to inform and engage. Support for two-way messaging means MMS isn’t simply the…, 3. Subject them to all the feels , MMS messages can also include subject lines, which not only creates a unique opportunity to spark an emotional connection with the consumer but also makes them more likely to open your text. Higher open rates for the win!, 4. No MMS? No problem , You may have a mobile number to text, but there’s no way to tell if the person’s device is MMS-enabled ahead of time. But don’t worry. If an MMS message can’t be delivered, they’ll still get an SMS fallback message. This fallback message has a dynamic URL to the original multimedia message you sent and ensures your communications are always received as you intended., 5. Personalize all the things , Google’s data scientists report that 90% of leading marketers say personalization is a major contributor to building a profitable business. With the option to add images and short videos, you can get hyper creative with sending personalized MMS ., How businesses use MMS messaging, It’s hard to imagine all the possible ways companies could be using MMS to grow their businesses. Retail, travel and hospitality, financial services, healthcare, real estate, media and entertainment, telecommunications – there are applications in every industry and there’s certainly no shortage of innovative ideas out there! Let’s take a look at some of today’s most common use cases for MMS…, MMS messaging examples, Tired of getting lost in the inbox? Give MMS a try! Marketers lead the way in using MMS to increase reach, conversions, and sales with their captivating multimedia campaigns that feature powerful calls-to-action, and they’ve got the ROI to show it. It's not just for marketing, though. For the customer-obsessed leader in any business, two-way multimedia messaging can offer simple solutions for…
Type: Blog Article
While billions of people send texts each year, there are other messaging channels that offer a lot more, including RCS messaging. But what is RCS messaging and how does it work? RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a messaging protocol that was built as a replacement for SMS and MMS . It allows Android users to enjoy many of the same features as those using Apple’s iMessage system. While RCS was…, What is RCS messaging for Android and why is it important?, RCS messaging gives Google/Android users features that are similar or superior to Apple messaging protocol. It allows businesses to create an app-like experience within its native messaging app. While more people than ever are using SMS, it’s an old system (the first text was sent in 1992!) that has its limitations. In 2006, a group set out to create the next step or evolution of SMS — RCS. RCS…, Exciting rich communication services features, What does RCS do better than SMS texting? Well, just about everything! , Better security, better branding —, Fully verified sender IDs means that mobile subscribers always know exactly who they’re talking to. Secure, branded messages build trust and drive better engagement., Higher text limits —, Instead of 160 characters, RCS allows you to send 250,000 characters at once., High-resolution images and videos —, Grab attention with gorgeous photos, captivating videos, carousels, and other dynamic features right in the native messaging app., Larger files —, Send files up to 10MB in size., Cross-app connectivity —, Send messages that open in browsers, maps, and other applications., Group chat —, Connect securely with friends, family, and team members without requiring another chat app. , Why RCS is a game-changer for your company and your customers, RCS lets you build more engaging content and provide a better CX for those with RCS-enabled devices. Time and time again, RCS has been proven to lead to higher cart values, more conversions , and higher engagement than any other type of mobile messaging., User-focused features , What does RCS mean for users? A better customer experience , more options, and increased security when messaging. , Verified senders —, Users won’t have to worry about whether or not a message is legit when it’s sent through RCS., No extra downloads —, Since the Android update Lollipop v5.1 in 2015, all new Android devices have built-in RCS. That means that messages from verified businesses can go to the native messaging inbox instead of needing a separate app., Message reactions, read receipts, and typing indicators —, These features were once only found in Apple’s iMessage ecosystem, but now they’re available on Android, too. , Larger file sharing, — Sending different kinds of files is easier when you don’t have to use email or send it through another system., Verification builds trust, To be able to send RCS messages, businesses have to be verified. This process reduces spam and increases trust in verified senders. Recently, Google announced that RCS Business Messaging will replace Verified SMS in another step towards making RCS the new standard. For your customers, when they know that you’ve been verified, they can trust the messages that they get from you. , More features means better engagement , Interactive and personalized features (as well as multimedia assets) mean better engagement . Instead of sending a link to a product on your site or directing a customer to your online booking portal, you can do it right in the message. When you make things as easy and fast as checking your texts, people will take advantage of what you offer them. For example, you can send RCS messages that…, Better reporting , Thanks to built-in analytics, you’ll be able to see who’s reading your messages and who isn’t. Handset delivery receipts give you more in-depth information about the status of messages. Knowing when, where, and if your messages are being delivered will help you keep tabs on the performance of your messages. Another benefit of better reporting is more data to use — which means better campaigns.…, Personalized UX , Personalizing your messages for individual users isn’t just a dream anymore. By using chat histories, analytics, and other data, you can design better customer profiles. With better profiles, crafting compelling messages for automated responses or designing better marketing materials suddenly gets much easier. , Reliable fallbacks , What happens if someone doesn’t have strong enough service or connection to wifi when you send them an RCS message? The messages will then be delivered through a fallback protocol or another app, including SMS, MMS, or WhatsApp . In short, your messages will always get to your customers, one way or another., How to use RCS to grow your business, Like most other kinds of marketing and support, the ability to grow your business using RCS is really only limited by your imagination and your budget. It’s good to remember just how powerful these messages can be — do you know any other form of outreach that’s as big a part of your customers’ daily routine as their text inbox? Neither do we., Promotions and specials , Provide up-to-the-minute information on sales and promotions tailored to a customer’s tastes. With the added functionality of RCS, you can send them to your website, or give them directions to your location. You can even have them choose what they want and order it right from your message!, Real-time updates , RCS allows your customers to engage with a conversational service (including live support or AI chatbots), for instance, to schedule or change appointments. You can also provide directions, sports scores, and shipping updates as they happen. , Account alerts , One of the most powerful ways to use RCS is to send account alerts. While many of these alerts have been limited to SMS or apps in the past, now you can send fraud alerts, payment posting messages, and service reminders right to your customers’ message inbox, with links and options for how to proceed., Personalized recommendations , Personalization is one of the most important parts of any communication or marketing strategy. Rich messages built around unique customer profiles lead to better engagement and sales. Create a profile for your customers based on past purchases and behavior to provide relevant, helpful recommendations. Here’s a real-world RCS messaging example at work: Nissan wanted better ways to connect with…, 3 tips to build a great RCS strategy, A good RCS strategy is similar to SMS , push notification, and messaging app strategies. But it’s also different because it combines a lot of the features found in other channels into one., Know what problems you’re solving or what you’re trying to communicate, Don’t send RCS messages without a specific purpose. Whether you’re giving access to a sale or sending an account alert, you need to make every message actionable. Luckily, the advanced features of RCS lets you create powerful CTAs. Segmenting messages by type is a good place to start:, Informational messages, — These can be fraud alerts, account balances, 2FA messages, or any other communication that provides information customers have asked for or need to be aware of., Marketing or transactional, messages, — With these messages, you can invite customers to a sale, follow up on an abandoned cart, or help them with a purchase or return. , Take cues from successful past campaigns and add new features and interactivity, If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. But there’s nothing that says you can’t (or shouldn’t) make your relevant, useful messages look and work better. That’s a good way to think of an RCS campaign — a souped-up version of an SMS or email campaign that takes full advantage of new, rich features. , Make use of the customer data you have, , Combine CRM data, chat and order histories, and the results of customer surveys to build profiles that paint a fuller picture of who your customers are. From there, your team can devise and implement marketing and support strategies., Getting started with RCS, What’s the best way to start out strong with this exciting new channel? , Research how others in your field are using RCS., If your competitors aren’t using the channel, take the plunge and get in on the ground floor of what’s almost guaranteed to become one of the most powerful tools in the upcoming years., Find an API that connects your platforms., Unifying all of your communication channels into a single omnichannel system doesn’t have to be complicated. Sinch’s Conversation API lets you add other channels and scale as needed — which is exactly what you’ll need as your RCS strategy could mean directing customer communication across channels., Build a strategy., Use your data and previous messaging use cases to build better support, marketing, and sales processes. Sinch makes it easy! Automate customer care and conversations with Chatlayer for improved efficiency and better CX. And with Sinch for Marketing , you’ll get all of the marketing tools you need to increase sales. Plus, you’ll see a 300% higher return rate compared to email. , A/B test your strategies., Once you’ve implemented new strategies, test them out. Start with a small group to iron out any major headaches and then expand out. Capture as much data as you can to inform future decisions., Roll them out and refine them., Keep improving your strategies as you gain more experience and let customers tell you directly what they’d like to see in your messages. Because Android has more than 70% of the global market share , engaging Android users with the best, most interactive messaging available is a smart move. As RCS chat continues to gain ground, you can make great strides with this new channel. Check out our RCS…
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In a world full of fraud in business communications , wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to know you’re speaking with the right person? The more we conduct our lives online, the greater our need for verification solutions that protect our identities and data. One-time passwords (OTPs) and two-factor authentication (2FA) are effective solutions for protecting users on a global scale. In fact…, What is a one time password (OTP)?, A one-time password (OTP) is an identity verification tool for authenticating users logging into an account, network, or system. A user is sent a password containing a unique string of numbers or letters that can only be used once to log in. Used or not, these password codes expire after a short period of time. As their name suggests, one-time passwords can only be used once and expire after a…, How does a user get a one time password?, For the end user, getting an OTP is quite easy, making the experience secure but effortless. Here’s a common scenario: A customer attempts to log on to their online banking account from their phone. The bank doesn’t recognize their device. To protect the user’s information they offer to send a verification code via text message , phone call , push notification, or email . After the…, How does a one-time password work? , Whenever a user tries to access a system or perform a transaction on an unauthenticated device, an, OTP generator, and an, authentication server, work together using tokens (or shared secrets) to verify their identity. First, the OTP generator uses a hashed message authentication code (HMAC) algorithm to create a new, random code for each access request. As the name implies, all OTPs only work once, but the unique password will either be hash-based (HOTP) or time-based (TOTP). , HOTP vs. TOTP , The main difference between a, hash-based OTP, (HOTP) and, time-based one-time password, (TOTP) is the moving factor that changes each time the algorithm generates the code. Hash-based OTPs: The moving factor is a counter, which is generated based on the total number of OTPs created Passwords are generated with an algorithm Like taking a ticket in line at the bakery, the number is included in the password Passwords expire after use or a new OTP is requested Are also known as…, Are one-time passwords secure? , Passwords are a vulnerable form of identity verification. In fact, in 2023, 74% of business data breaches were attributed to the “human element,” including weak or stolen credentials. So, how can businesses help their customers keep their passwords safe? Well, the first step is certainly educating them on best practices – things like never sharing a password, never using the same password for…, What are the benefits of OTPs?, OTPs are highly versatile, leveraging the widespread use of mobile devices to reach users across the globe. They can be delivered through varied and convenient channels , making them accessible and user-friendly. With OTPs, organizations can offer their users a secure, scalable, and hassle-free authentication experience, safeguarding sensitive information and instilling trust in their digital…, Stop identity thieves in their tracks, Businesses that utilize OTPs for user authentication make it far more difficult for someone to break into a customer or employee’s account and steal personal information. As a demonstration, let’s consider what happens when an unauthorized person attempts to access another’s account. The rightful user receives a code that they didn’t request. Now that seems strange. While the organization can…, Highly improbable for others to guess, For such a simple idea (four to eight random numbers), OTPs are remarkably effective at mitigating the risks that come from weak password security. Let’s look at this mathematically. If you issue a random six-digit code, an identity thief has to guess each number correctly within a short expiration window. That means 10 possibilities (zero through nine), six times (10x10x10x10x10x10). In…, Gives your IT support a break, We’ve all got dozens of passwords and usernames to remember. Who hasn’t forgotten at least one? From the streaming service account to online newspaper subscriptions, it’s no small task keeping track of all that info. It’s human to be forgetful. Without alternative verification methods , IT staff or customer care will get called in to help people regain access to their accounts, and that time…, Easy for organizations to integrate and scale , Using verification APIs , organizations can easily build OTPs into their apps and products. In just a short amount of time, these programmable verification integrations can quite literally pay for themselves by: Safeguarding against internal and external cybersecurity threats by militating risk factors for unauthorized internal access, or external threats due to bad actors trying to obtain or…, Improves the user experience, Any organization’s reputation is built on customers trusting their brand, and according to our research , 73% of consumers feel a high level of trust when their information and accounts are secure. No business wants to tell their customers that their data has been compromised, right? Multi-factor authentication solutions like Sinch’s SMS Verification API provide security at scale and a buttery…, Endless OTP use cases and examples, Okay, not exactly endless, but pretty close. With verification more critical than ever , we’re seeing more and more industries opt for two-factor authentication methods supported by OTPs to verify user identities. Some of the industries that are successfully transforming the user validation process include: , Financial services and digital banking:, In the financial realm, OTPs ensure secure login and transaction verification , safeguarding users' credit card information, funds, and sensitive data. , Retail and e-commerce :, E-commerce platforms use OTPs to validate customer identities during payment processes and confirm transactions, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions. , Healthcare :, The medical industry can use OTPs to ensure secure access to patient records and confidential information. , Insurance and employee benefit providers:, Insurers can use OTPs to validate and verify claim submissions and access to other important documents. , IT services, : Information technology services can use OTPs as an additional factor, along with regular credentials like username and password, for user authentication when employees log in to systems, networks, or applications. , Business administration:, OTPs can secure access to confidential documents, or in workflows that include approval processes; , Government services:, OTPs add another layer of security for individuals logging in to government portals or applications to access services like tax filing, permit applications, or benefits enrollment. Across industries, some additional useful applications of one-time passcodes include validating users when they take certain actions, like: Authenticating their identity Authenticating a device Registering as a…, Learn more about one-time passwords (OTPs) and user authentication, Level up your authentication and verification knowledge in an evolving cybersecurity landscape: Why you should blend 3 verification methods SIM farms and data protection The fight on phishing The importance of data protection and authorized messaging routes For those really looking to nerd-out, check out our whitepaper on Two-factor authentication. Otherwise, contact us anytime to…
Type: Blog Article
In the digital age, our identities extend far beyond our physical selves. They encompass our online personas, shaped by our activities and interactions on the internet. However, the rise of online identity fraud has cast a shadow over the security of our online identities. This article will delve into the top five online identity fraud trends, providing an in-depth understanding of each problem,…, The 5 types of online identity fraud you need to know , 1. Phishing attacks , Phishing attacks, sometimes referred to as phishing emails, are everywhere. These online identity fraud attacks cleverly disguise themselves as legitimate communications, tricking users into revealing sensitive personal information. What’s worse is that these attacks are becoming more sophisticated, making it harder for individuals to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent communications. …, 2. Data breaches , Data breaches pose a significant threat to online identity security. These incidents occur when unauthorized individuals gain access to confidential data, often leading to the exposure of sensitive personal information. The consequences of data breaches can be severe, resulting in financial losses, reputational damage, and a breach of trust between businesses and their customers. Data breaches…, 3. SIM swap fraud , SIM swap fraud is a type of identity theft has the potential to compromise a wide range of personal information and services. In a SIM swap fraud , a bad actor tricks a mobile carrier into transferring a victim's phone number to a new SIM card. Once the fraudster has control of the phone number, they can bypass security measures such as two-factor authentication , gaining access to the victim's…, 4. Bots , Bots, automated software applications that perform tasks on the internet, can pose a significant problem for businesses. While many bots are beneficial, others have been used for malicious activities such as spamming, scraping websites, and carrying out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. In the context of online identity fraud, bots can be used to create fake accounts, skew analytics…, 5. Account takeovers , Account takeovers occur when a fraudster gains access to a user's account and takes control. This can happen through various methods, including phishing attacks, data breaches, and brute force attacks. Once the fraudster has control of the account, they can carry out fraudulent transactions, send spam, and even lock the legitimate user out of their account. Account takeovers underscore the need…, Sinch's Unified Verification , While the problems of online identity fraud are complex and multifaceted, with many of the issues stemming from weak identity and authentication, solutions are available that can help businesses protect their customers and themselves. One such solution is Sinch's Unified Verification API, an online identity fraud prevention solution. Although consumer applications often rely on limited SMS 2FA,…
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Type: Webinar
Type: Webinar
