--- updatedAt: 2026-10-09T22:30:00.000Z --- # Text Blasts Text Blasts allow you to send broadcast text messages to all People on your list for whom you have SMS permission, in their preferred language. Texts can include Merge tags for personalized content, and can be sent immediately or scheduled for a future time. ![](https://files.readme.io/2c64597-image.png) # To Edit the recipients section to create a filter targeting all people who will receive the text message. Only People for whom you have SMS permission will be eligible to, so there's no need to add additional targeting parameters for that. Unlike email blasts, text blasts have no 'Limit Sends' setting to cap the number of recipients. To text part of an audience, build a narrower filter for each part. ![](https://files.readme.io/eed09b4-image.png) Once you've set your filter, you can view a preview of all People by clicking on the targeted count link: ![](https://files.readme.io/563c2f3-image.png) # Content Edit the text content to craft the message template that will be sent to all targeted People. Here you can draft your text in all supported languages, and use merge tags to create personalized messages. Use the message preview in the right panel to see an example of what the final sent text message will look like. Check the "Message Analysis" tab for pointers on how to create effective text messages that will be read. Hover over the segments badge in the bottom right of the editor to see the 'Cost per message'. When the message has an attachment, the badge shows the MMS price. ### Understanding Segments and Cost A single SMS message can contain up to 160 characters using standard characters (GSM-7 encoding). If your message exceeds 160 characters, it is split into multiple **segments** of 153 characters each (7 characters per segment are used for reassembly headers). Each segment is billed separately. If your message contains emoji, non-Latin characters, or certain special characters, the encoding switches to UCS-2, which reduces the limit to 70 characters per segment (67 for multi-segment messages). This means a short message with a single emoji could cost twice as much as the same message without it. A message with an attachment bills as one MMS, whatever its length. A text only message over 10 segments can go out as MMS but still bills per SMS segment. The segment counter in the editor updates in real time as you type, so you can optimize your message length before sending. ![](https://files.readme.io/6b690cb-image.png) Once the message content is saved, click 'Send Test Text' to send a test to a phone number in your organization's home countries. ## A/B Testing A/B testing lets you send different message variations to a portion of your recipients to determine which performs best, then automatically or manually send the winning variation to the rest. > 📘 **Note**: A/B testing for text blasts is available on the Standard, Professional, and Enterprise plans. Link tracking must be enabled on the blast, and every variation must contain at least one link or page merge tag, since click rate is the metric used to select the winner. ### Adding Variations In the **Content** section of your text blast, click **Edit Text Content**, then click **Add Variation** to create a new message variant. You can: * **Blank variation**: write your own alternative message from scratch. * **Generate AI draft**: let the system create a variation modeled on your existing message content. Check the merge tags and links in each AI draft before you send. You can add up to 3 additional variations (4 total, including your main message). Each variation has its own message body and attachments and can be edited independently. ### Test Group Size In **Settings**, use the **Test Group Size** slider to choose what percentage of your total recipients receive the test variations. The range is 10%–30%. Recipients are distributed evenly across all variations. ### Winner Selection Choose how the winning variation is selected. The system can pick the winner by click rate automatically, when it is confident or after a fixed time. With 'Let me choose', you select the winner yourself on the text results page. > ⚠️ **Note**: Automatic winner selection picks and sends the winner only inside your organization's texting hours. 'Select as Winner' starts the send at once, at any time of day, but the texting hours rules below still apply to each recipient. ### Sending an A/B Test When you send a text blast with variations, the test phase sends to the configured percentage of recipients. After the test phase completes, the winning variation is sent to all remaining recipients — either automatically based on your winner selection settings, or after you manually select a winner from the results page. # Settings Each Text Blast has a series of settings that you can customize: ## Supported Languages & AI Translations **Supported Languages**: Add additional languages that you want your Text Blast to support. If a Person has their preferred language set to a language that your text blast supports, they will have their message delivered in that language. Otherwise, they receive the message in the default language of the blast's scope. When you save a new language, the dashboard translates the text for you. You can edit the translated text. To translate again, remove the language and save, then add it again and save. ## Other Settings **Scope**: The scope determines the available universe. **Track Links**: By default, all links will be shortened to use our URL shortener at the domain sldr.it. This keeps the link shorter and lets you track when a link is clicked. Link tracking is required when using A/B testing. **Clone text blast**: To reuse a similar text template, click 'Clone Text Blast' at the bottom of the blast settings. # Texting Hours Text Blasts respect your organization's texting hours, configured at **Settings > Chapter Structure** on your root organization. A text blast checks only the end of the texting hours window, in each recipient's timezone. Recipients past the end time are **skipped** (not queued or retried), and messages still queued at the end time expire. After sending, a notification can show how many messages were skipped due to texting hours. For example, a text blast sent at 7:00 PM Eastern time will still deliver to a recipient in California (where it's 4:00 PM) but will skip a recipient in New York if the texting hours window has closed. To override this behavior, check 'Continue delivering messages after texting hours end at \[time]' in the 'Send Now' or 'Schedule' window. The checkbox shows only when your organization has texting hours set. When you check it, messages go to every recipient, whatever the local time. # Sending When you're ready to send your Text Blast, you can either schedule the sending to begin at a pre-set time, or immediately begin sending the Text Blast. When you go to send the Text Blast, you will be given an estimate as to how much it will cost to send all messages. The bill counts every SMS message the blast creates, whatever its delivery status. The final cost can differ from the estimate, because merge tags can result in variable text lengths for each message. For example, if you're using someone's first name in the message, a longer name may force a text message to add an extra text segment. ![](https://files.readme.io/3d5924d-image.png) # Results ## Overview When a Text Blast is sent, you will immediately be taken to the results page where you can watch the text delivery happen in real-time. You can view the delivery status, alongside any delivery errors. ![](https://files.readme.io/0703bae-image.png) All delivery statuses are reported directly by our texting service partner, Twilio. A **Sent** status means the carrier accepted the message but did not report a final delivery confirmation. ## A/B Testing Results If your blast used A/B testing, the results page displays a breakdown by variation showing: * **Sent** — number of messages sent for each variation * **Delivered** — messages without a carrier error * **Clicked** — distinct recipients who clicked a link * **Opted Out**: recipients who replied STOP after receiving that variation * **Click Rate**: the metric used to determine the winner While the test runs, click **Select as Winner** next to a variation to send it to all remaining recipients. ## Activity The results activity tab breaks down the status for all People who were sent the text message. You can view a list of all recipients based on the following statuses: **Sent To**: All People who were sent the Text Blast regardless of delivery status. **Delivery Issue**: All People whose message has an error code. **Clicked**: All People who clicked on a link you included in your message. **Took Action**: All People who took an action after they clicked a tracked link in this blast. **Opted Out**: All People who replied STOP after receiving this blast. ## Resending to Failed Recipients To text the people whose message failed, create a new text blast. In its filter, use 'Text Message Blast Status' with the old blast and one status, such as Failed or Undelivered. # Sent Blasts List The **Sent Text Blasts** tab on the Text Blasts page lists all blasts that have finished delivering. It shows whether each blast was sent as SMS or MMS.