Free Mobile Marketing SMS and Push Notifications Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A marketer is setting up an SMS campaign to send promotional offers. According to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), what is the MOST critical requirement before sending the first message?
- The user must have made a purchase in the last 18 months.
- The user's phone number must not be on the National Do Not Call Registry.
- The business must obtain prior express written consent from the user. (Correct answer)
- The user must have an active account with the business.
Correct answer: The business must obtain prior express written consent from the user.
The TCPA mandates that businesses must obtain 'prior express written consent' before sending marketing text messages to consumers. This consent must be a clear, affirmative action and cannot be a condition of purchase.
Question 2: A mobile app for a coffee shop chain wants to send a notification to users who are within a one-block radius of any of its locations, offering them a 15% discount. Which technology is MOST suitable for triggering this type of notification?
- Rich Communication Services (RCS)
- Standard SMS
- Geofencing (Correct answer)
- A/B Testing
Correct answer: Geofencing
Geofencing is a location-based service that triggers an action, such as sending a push notification, when a device enters or exits a virtual boundary set up around a geographical location. This makes it ideal for targeting users near a physical store.
Question 3: Which of the following represents a key advantage of push notifications compared to SMS messages for a mobile marketing campaign?
- They have a higher open rate, averaging 98%.
- They can reach users without requiring them to have an app installed.
- They can include rich media like images and interactive buttons at no per-message cost. (Correct answer)
- They do not require any form of user opt-in to be sent.
Correct answer: They can include rich media like images and interactive buttons at no per-message cost.
Push notifications can support rich content like images, GIFs, and interactive buttons, which is a limitation of standard SMS. While SMS has higher open rates, and there's a cost associated with app development, sending push notifications is generally free. Users must opt-in to receive push notifications after installing the app.
Question 4: A marketing team is developing a new messaging protocol for their brand communications that they hope will replace SMS. They want to include features like branded sender IDs, high-resolution photo sharing, and suggested reply buttons. Which emerging technology are they looking to implement?
- Geofencing
- Bluetooth Beacons
- Rich Communication Services (RCS)
- Standard Push Notifications (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Standard Push Notifications
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the next generation of messaging protocol designed to upgrade traditional SMS with a richer set of features, including branded sender information, high-quality media sharing, and interactive elements like carousels and suggested replies.
Question 5: A mobile game company wants to determine which of two different promotional messages is more effective at bringing lapsed players back into the app. They decide to send 'Message A' to one group of users and 'Message B' to another, then measure the re-engagement rate for each. What is this process called?
- Geotargeting
- A/B Testing (Correct answer)
- TCPA Compliance Auditing
- Audience Segmentation
Correct answer: A/B Testing
A/B testing, or split testing, is a method of comparing two versions of a marketing asset (in this case, a push notification) to see which one performs better. By sending different messages to segments of their audience, the company can determine the more effective copy.
Question 6: When is it most appropriate for a business to use SMS instead of a push notification for customer communication?
- When sending a weekly promotional newsletter with images and links.
- When the message is a critical, time-sensitive alert, such as a two-factor authentication code. (Correct answer)
- When the goal is to drive engagement within a specific feature of the company's mobile app.
- When the marketing budget is extremely limited, as SMS is always free to send.
Correct answer: When the message is a critical, time-sensitive alert, such as a two-factor authentication code.
SMS is ideal for urgent, high-priority communications that need to be seen immediately, thanks to its near-perfect 98% open rate and independence from an internet connection. Push notifications are better for app engagement, and unlike push notifications, SMS messages typically have a per-message cost.
A marketer is setting up an SMS campaign to send promotional offers.
According to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), what is the MOST critical requirement before sending the first message?