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Be honest. Are you proud of your SMS list?
Not just the size, but the quality.
Is it growing consistently?
Are the right people signing up?
Are they clicking, replying, buying?
Or is it a small, stale list you’ve been trying to meaningfully scale, but struggling?
If your SMS subscribers are just a tiny fraction of your social media or email audience, you’re sitting on untapped potential.
Wondering how to get more (and better) SMS subscribers who actually convert? Keep reading.
Start With the Right Goal
Before obsessing over tactics, calibrate expectations.
A healthy rule of thumb for SMS list growth is 20% of your social followers or email subscribers. Those are your most engaged fans who likely account for 80% of your business outcomes.
If you have 100,000 Instagram followers, a strong SMS list might be 20,000 highly engaged subscribers. These are the people who click, reply, buy, show up, and tell others.
The goal is not vanity growth. The goal is building a responsive audience that converts.
When you focus on quality first, growth follows. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: a big SMS list that doesn't engage is useless.
How to Get More SMS Subscribers on Your Website
Your website is prime real estate. Treat it like it.
If you want to grow your SMS list, your opt-in experience has to be visible, clear, and compelling.
Pop-ups That Make the Value Obvious
Give visitors a reason to join your list. Set the expectation.
“Join my insiders club for behind-the-scenes.”
“Sign up to get first access to drops and VIP perks.”
“Text for a chance to win exclusive merch.”
Make the benefit specific. Early access. VIP-only drops. Limited edition alerts. Flash sales. Exclusive perks.
A good example is NOCA beverages. They promote their number in a bright pop-up on its website along with a clear promise to deliver exclusive invites, deals, and merch drops for text subscribers only.
Embedded Sign-Up Units That Feel Native
If someone is already entering their email somewhere on your site, that is the perfect opportunity to opt into text. Other opportunities may include:
- Account creation pages
- Login pages
- Free trial forms
- Event registration forms
- Checkout workflow
- Restock alert
Make it frictionless. Concise. Clear consent. Clear value.
Promote Your Number Everywhere People Already Look
To grow subscribers, look at your owned channels beyond your site.
Digital channels where your phone number or sign-up link should live in:
- Your Instagram bio
- Your TikTok profile
- Your LinkTree
- Your YouTube description
- Your email signature
- Your newsletter footer
Think about the member experience. They see your number in your bio, text you, get an immediate welcome message with a perk. That’s instant gratification reinforcing the behavior.
New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk promotes his number across many of his social channels, including his Instagram bio. Front and center. When visitors land on his profile, they immediately see a clear invitation to text.
The Los Angeles Football Club does a great job at promoting their number on social media posts. They even chose a custom vanity number that spells “LAFC” to make it easier for fans to memorize it.
The Crime Junkie Podcast features their number in the description of every episode, making it easy for fans to reach out. Their number was also featured by a popular influencer on social media, prompting her own followers to sign up for text.
Offline activation works too:
- QR codes on product packaging
- In-store signage
- Event booths
- Billboards
- Out-of-home ads
Amazon's Fallout TV show promoted their personalized number on a billboard in Las Vegas ahead of the season premiere.
Dua Lipa displayed a unique QR code to capture fan opt-in during her US tour.
The Backstreet Boys famously put their number all over the Sphere during their Las Vegas residency and every night a lucky fan got to meet the band.
You don’t need a stadium. You need the right moment and your audience’s attention.
Activate the Audience You Already Have
The fastest way to grow SMS subscribers is not cold traffic. It is your existing fans.
Use FOMO Intentionally
Tell your email list and social audience that certain offers are text-only. Something like “Flash sale goes live to text subscribers at 12 PM.”
Now you gave them a reason to join, not just a suggestion.
Run Giveaways That Require Text Opt-In
Instead of “Enter your email to win,” try “Join our VIP text list to enter.”
The key is clarity. What do I get? When do I get it? Why is SMS better?
And always keep it aligned with your brand.
Turn Subscribers Into Promoters
Referral campaigns are one of the most underused SMS list growth levers.
Offer existing subscribers a reward for sharing your number with friends. Even something simple like an exclusive thank-you gift or bonus points can drive exponential growth.
And do not forget resharing. Screenshot positive replies, share testimonials, and show real messages from real subscribers who got early access or scored a limited product.
Social proof accelerates subscribers growth faster than any discount ever could.
Make the Welcome Moment Count
Growth is not just about acquisition. It is also about retention.
When someone joins, your first message should deliver on your promise, set expectations, and reinforce why being on SMS pays off.
This is also the moment to get to know your people and build a deeper relationship with them for long-term engagement.
Ask questions, invite replies, and see your connections grow.
How to Grow SMS Subscribers Without Feeling Spammy
We get it. You hesitate because you fear being intrusive.
The solution is not to hide SMS. It is to elevate it.
- Position SMS as your VIP channel
- Send high-value messages only
- Don’t text everybody the same content
- Respect their time and their preferences
That’s the beauty of two-way texting. You can get close and personal at the individual level, even at scale.
When the content is relevant, people stay, word spreads, and your SMS list grows organically.
Your Next Move: Download the Growth Checklist
Now you know key tactics to get more SMS subscribers. The next step is execution.
We created a simple, field-tested growth checklist that walks you through activation plays proven to grow SMS subscribers consistently.
It only takes a couple of minutes to review. It can transform your next 90 days and beyond.
Download the growth checklist now to turn your existing program into a growth engine and high-converting machine.
Because if you are not actively growing your SMS list, someone else is.
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