When creating SMS campaigns through Kajabi’s Twilio integration, it’s essential to understand how character limits work and how special characters impact message length.
In this article:
Standard SMS Character Limits
Using Unicode Characters
Tips for Effective SMS Composition
Standard SMS Character Limits
Each SMS message is limited to 160 characters when using the standard GSM-7 encoding, which covers most common characters, including:
English alphabets (A-Z, a-z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special characters (e.g., @, $, &, -, +)
Basic punctuation (e.g., commas, periods)
Using Unicode Characters
Unicode allows for characters not covered by GSM-7, including:
Emojis (e.g., 😊, ❤️)Accented characters (e.g., é, ü)
Foreign language scripts (e.g., Cyrillic, Chinese, Arabic)
Note:
When using Unicode, the character limit is reduced to 70 characters per message due to the increased data size required for these characters.
Tips for Effective SMS Composition
Use Simple Characters: Stick to standard alphabets and basic punctuation where possible to maximize character count.
Avoid Excessive Emojis: While engaging, emojis can quickly reduce the character limit and split messages.
By keeping these guidelines in mind, you can optimize your SMS campaigns for a concise and effective message.