Need a WordPress SMS plugin for text messaging polls and SMS voting? Formidable Forms + our Twilio SMS integration can help your site send texts the easy way.
If you are looking for a WordPress SMS marketing plugin, look no further. In this blog post we’ll show you how SMS marketing campaigns can be set up in no time!
There are many reasons for sending text messages from your WordPress site. Today, we’re going to focus on how to run an SMS poll. Text message polling is a very effective type of marketing message. You can collect valuable data and connect with audiences all at once.
According to experts, text messages have an open rate of 90+%. That’s far greater than you could hope for with email marketing! In this article, we’ll show you how to create an SMS gateway using one simple plugin for WordPress: a form builder.
SMS voting increases the effectiveness of your website
We’ve been talking in our blog about tactics for engaging your audience and users. At the base level, forms are a tool of engagement. They are essential to an effective website. Having the most powerful form builder plugin in your arsenal enables you to build better forms and manage your data. Creatively apply Formidable’s functionality to increase your website’s effectiveness.
Engage in conversation with users
As an engagement tactic, create polls and display the results. In conversation, you engage someone and listen and learn about them. The same is true of a poll.
Conversations can be opened or closed. Your user has opened the conversation by being there. What you do next can either further the conversation or close it.
Take your polling to the next level
Formidable’s Twilio Add-On makes polling more convenient, fun, productive and engaging by allowing users to vote on polls via SMS text message. The Twilio Add-On creates entries from SMS texts.
In addition, send a customized reply text to let visitors know their vote has been received and direct them wherever you’d like.
Possible uses for Twilio SMS text polling add-on
Text polling at conferences
SMS text polling works very well to increase engagement at events, services and conferences. When sponsoring events, utilize your sponsor slides and social media mentions for polling attendees. Put your text-to number on overhead screens and ask engaging, strategic questions. Polls at events will increase engagement and authority of your brand.
Collect email addresses at conferences
Ever wanted to give workshop attendees a digital copy of your presentation slides? Ditch passing the pen and clipboard and instead have attendees text their email address to your text-to number. The URL to download presentation materials can be included in the reply SMS text you have set up. Or follow up with attendees by email later.
Gauge members’ preferences at worship services and events with text polls
Spice up pre-service slides at worship services with thought-provoking polls on anything from preferred service start times to topical interests.
SMS text voting to poll association members
Membership associations are constantly serving the needs of their members. Good associations anticipate trends and stay in front of them. How to know what’s trending with your members? Polling, of course. Poll at every membership event.
Use SMS messages for real-time lead generation
Additional awesomeness: the Twilio Add-On gives you the ability to collect email addresses for list-building and lead generation. Incentivized offer sign-ups are easy.
Got a hot piece of content that you just know your prospects would value? Want to be seen as the go-to brand or organization for expertise and authority in your field? Post your text-to number anywhere your prospective audience is and offer your content to anyone who texts you their email address. Have your content available for download or perusal at a URL given in your reply SMS text. Or follow up with a personal email.
The Twilio Add-On creates entries from texts, regardless of the field you save the value to. That value can be a unique email address or an answer to a poll.
? Read more: How to Let Your Guests RSVP via SMS
Conditionally send SMS notifications
Formidable’s Twilio Add-On allows you to use conditional logic to send SMS notifications to whomever you choose. Multiple recipients are allowed. SMS notifications can be sent when form entries are created or updated or when a PayPal or Stripe payment are received (when used in conjunction with Formidable’s PayPal and Stripe Add-Ons).
Requirements for using the Twilio add-on
Formidable Pro must be installed and active.
You’ll also need a paid Twilio account and an active Twilio phone number. Twilio allows you to sign up for a free trial account with a single phone number.
How to set up your poll form with Twilio
Download and install the WordPress Twilio plugin. Copy and paste your test or live Account SID and Auth Token from your Twilio console into the Global Settings of Formidable.
Create your poll form. In this example I've used favorite things about fall.
After your form is created, find the SMS request URL in the Formidable → Global Settings page. Get the form id of your poll form and insert it at the end of the URL as shown below.
In your Twilio console, paste your SMS request URL in the Messaging area.
Users can text either the number position of the choice in your form, or the word itself. For example, if the choices are Red, Green, Pink, and Blue, the user can text any of the following: 3, Pink, pink, PINK. This vote will be applied now all fields in the form, so a text field may be good to add as a catch-all.
Voting plugin results show on the Formidable → Entries page, with the sender’s mobile number as the IP address.
Users receive a confirmation SMS text. To remove the Twilio promo message and customize your notification, you'll need a paid Twilio account.
This is how it looks to the voter when your Twilio account is in trial mode.
Enjoy your convos with your audience
Possibilities for SMS text polling with Formidable and Twilio are endless. You'll have access to the mobile numbers of the people who have voted. Permission-based marketing etiquette dictates that obtaining permission to use those mobile numbers is essential to a respect-based relationship with your users and audience. You can use your form to collect email addresses in the same way.
Read more: 8 reasons to use Formidable for your WordPress Poll Plugin
Have you used Formidable for SMS text polling? How can you see it being used to work for you? Share your ideas below. We'd love to see what you're doing with SMS messages in WordPress.
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This is a great article on taking your polling to the next level
WordPress polls and surveys are super popular, but this feature isn't utilized nearly enough. Glad you liked the article, and let us know if you end up implementing these features in your projects.
Awesome guide for incorporating this Shiny New Object into a client's website 😀
Our goal is to make you look like a rockstar for your clients. I hope some of the features outlined in this post help you do just that.
This is a really handy feature and keeps the visitors engagement up. Well done!
The purpose of Forms is all about engaging users, like you said. SMS integration just takes it to a new level. Glad you like it.
Great that you can use sms with the form, I didnt no this, and happy that you have integrated the mortgage calculator as well.
Yep, SMS integration with WordPress forms may be one of the hidden gems of Formidable Forms. Glad you like it.
I really wish FormidableForms will get an integration add-on with Telegram
Thanks for the suggestion. We are always working on improving Formidable Forms. While we don't have a direct Telegram integration, it may be possible to accomplish what you need using Zapier to connect the two platforms.
What an awesome tutorial, more such articles in future please....
Integrating Formidable Forms with SMS would be really helpful. I didn't know it was possible. Thanks for the details.
You know I've been looking for a guide on how to integrate SMS notification in my application.
This post puts me on the right path... I think I know what to do hence.
Thank you.