Choosing a Phone Number for Your Business: Short Codes or Long Codes?

While planning for text marketing and other communication strategies, it’s crucial to select the right type of phone number to achieve the desired objectives. Every type of sender ID comes with unique advantages, capabilities, and drawbacks. Sometimes organizations need two-way messaging to interact with audiences, but sometimes they need only one-way messaging to convey crucial information. Thus, a basic understanding of shortcodes and long codes can help business firms to pick the best-suited number depending on the goal they want to achieve. 

What are Long codes and Shortcodes?

Shortcode and long code are two types out of various types of phone numbers. Shortcodes can be 5-8 digit short numbers depending on the country from where a user is sending a message. On the contrary, long codes can be 10-16 digit long numbers depending on the country from where a user is calling or sending an SMS. Shortcodes are a bit pricey compared to long codes.

The volume of Messages from Long codes and Shortcodes

Using a shortcode, you can send 200 messages per second, whereas, using a long code, you can send 1 message per 2 seconds (1m/2sec). A long code and shortcode both support two-way Salesforce messaging. 

Types and Benefits of Long codes and Shortcodes

Types of shortcodes

Random

As the name indicates, the random shortcode is a randomly picked short number assigned to a client.

Vanity 

A vanity shortcode is a short number of the customer’s choice. 

FTEU

FTEU stands for Free to End User. It is a type of shortcode that you can use to increase engagement. FTEU numbers are free for end-users, and they can respond to FTEU without worrying about the SMS charges. Only the brand pays the cost of messages on the customer’s behalf.

Benefits of Shortcodes

• Shortcodes are best for branding as they are easy to remember. 
• With shortcodes, you can send millions of messages in a day. So, shortcodes can handle high volume too.
• Shortcode templates are pre-approved by the Government. Thus, there are no chances of messages being marked as spam.

Types of Long codes

Fixed-line

Landline numbers are fixed-line numbers. Fixed line numbers are used for calling and texting-both. These kinds of numbers start with geographically assigned area codes.

VoIP

VoIP is also a type of long code number. It is a virtual number used for calling through the internet. A VoIP number is assigned to a user instead of a telephone line.

Toll-free

Toll-free numbers are just like FTEU but with limitations of long code numbers. Users can choose toll-free numbers to increase responses as recipients can reply for free to these numbers.

Benefits of Long codes

• Long code numbers can be the best pick for customer service as they can support voice communication along with two-way messaging.
• Long codes are 10 digit long numbers that seem like a local mobile number and increase the customer’s trust.
• Users can count on long codes when text usage is limited as long code supports 300-400 messages per day.

Get the Best-Suited Phone Number for your Business and Achieve Desired Goals Faster

Long code and shortcode both are equally important for a business. Therefore, users need to understand their business requirements to make the right choice. Adequate knowledge of different types of phone numbers helps users consider various factors before choosing the sender ID. This may include audience size, per second speed of messages, per day message volume, and budget. Thus, users can identify which type of number can cater to the need of their business and choose the one for them for seamless operations.

To know more about how you can retain the old number you have invested advertising in, get in touch with our experts at sales@360smsapp.com or contact us here