What is throughput?

Throughput is the number of SMS and MMS messages a carrier can successfully deliver from a source to a destination within a specific time frame. If the throughput is low, your messages may get stuck in a queue.

SMS and MMS messages have vastly different throughput rates. While carriers have near limitless throughput for SMS, the MMS message limit is much more constrained.

How to send successful MMS messages with throughput in mind

Maximize your MMS marketing results by following the strategies below:

1. Send personalized MMS to smaller audience segments

For example, you could:

Send a personalized MMS campaign to VIP subscribers at 10 a.m. on day one of your campaign.
Then deliver a targeted MMS message to subscribers who made a purchase within the last 20 days on day two.
Send a general SMS or MMS to the remaining subscribers at 10 AM on the second day of the message breakup.

2. Don’t send MMS messages during busy days or holidays

Holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday are peak shopping events when many companies send marketing messages to their subscribers.

Carrier traffic surges during busy days and holidays, potentially delaying or blocking your MMS messages from being delivered to subscribers. This is especially true for messages sent from toll-free numbers in the U.S. and Canada and long codes in Australia.

3. Prioritize automated flows for MMS messages

Campaigns involve sending messages to a large subscriber list all at once. If you’re sending MMS, you may run into throughput issues if you’re sending a large batch in a short period of time.

Instead, use MMS for your automated flows. Automated flows are triggered by specific online interactions and go out one message at a time based on specific audience behavior. By prioritizing flows in your MMS efforts, you can avoid traffic surges and see smoother MMS delivery.

4. Send MMS messages sparingly

SMS has a much higher throughput than MMS. To circumvent any throughput issues, you can limit the use of MMS to small, specific groups of subscribers with whom you want to leave a lasting impression, like your VIP customers.

5. Use a short code for MMS within the US

If you reside in the US, consider using a short code to send your marketing messages. US carriers prioritize SMS and MMS messages sent from short codes. Note, however, that the US is the only country that allows MMS to be sent with short codes.

To create and manage SMS and MMS campaigns and automated flows that resonate with your audience, try a marketing automation platform like Klaviyo. Use the power of Klaviyo AI to segment your subscribers, get insightful reports, and send highly personalized messages.