What's the difference between text marketing and text messaging?

Mobile marketing is a sub-set of text messaging. Mobile marketing uses the standard interface of a cell phone's text messaging feature to communicate with potential customers. So, mobile marketing becomes a commercial channel for advertising and communicating with prospects. The strength of mobile marketing is that the prospect gives permission, or "opts in," to participate in an advertising or marketing campaign, using the cell phone already in his or her hand.

How does text marketing work?

One of the best ways to generate sales is to offer a sample of your product. A mobile marketing campaign enables you to add another way for people to contact you, besides calling, emailing or visiting. That additional form of contact shows up in your advertising in a now-familiar format: "Text DPO to 41513" Since 136 million Americans are already texting regularly, many will send that message and receive yours in reply, offering a free sample or coupon. Most campaigns involve people bringing in the cell phone to redeem the offer; others give a secret pass code to use. The benefit for you is that all cell phone numbers are stored in a database, and you have permission to send more messages later.

What is a keyword?

Keywords allow your customers to interact with your services, to receive On Demand information, e.g. business locations, today’s specials, on Demand Coupons, or join mailing list, etc. A Keyword is a short word that identifies your campaigns. For example: Text “nightlife” to 41513 to receive weekly specials; “nightlife” is the keyword in this case.

Aren't text marketing and text messaging mostly for kids?

No. Recent studies show that the fastest-growing group of texters is 25 to 54 year-olds.

What is SMS Messaging?

SMS (Short Message Service), commonly referred to as "text messaging," is a service for sending short messages of up to 160 characters to mobile devices, including cellular phones, smartphones and PDAs.

What is MMS Messaging?

Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core SMS (Short Message Service) capability which only allowed exchange of text messages up to 160 characters in length. The most popular use is to send photographs from camera-equipped handsets, although it is also popular as a method of delivering ringtones and videos.

What is a Short Code?

Short codes, also known as short numbers, are special telephone numbers, significantly shorter than full telephone numbers, which can also be used to address SMS and MMS messages from mobile phones or fixed phones. 41513 is DPO's Short Code.

What is WAP?

Wireless Application Protocol (commonly referred to as WAP) is an open international standard for application-layer network communications in a wireless-communication environment. Most use of WAP involves accessing the mobile web from a mobile phone or from a PDA. A WAP browser provides all of the basic services of a computer-based web browser but simplified to operate within the restrictions of a mobile phone, such as its smaller view screen. Users can connect to WAP sites: websites written in, or dynamically converted to, WML (Wireless Markup Language) and accessed via the WAP browser. Before the introduction of WAP, service providers had extremely limited opportunities to offer interactive data services, but needed interactivity to support now-commonplace activities such as:

  • Email by mobile phone

  • Tracking of stock-market prices

  • Sports results

  • News headlines

  • Music downloads

What is a Web Widget?

A web widget is a portable chunk of code that can be installed and executed within any separate HTML-based web page by an end user without requiring additional compilation. They are derived from the idea of code reuse. Other terms used to describe web widgets include: gadget, badge, module, webjit, capsule, snippet, mini and flake. Web widgets usually but not always use DHTML, JavaScript, or Adobe Flash.

Widgets often take the form of on-screen tools (clocks, event countdowns, auction-tickers, stock market tickers, flight arrival information, daily weather etc).

A "widget" is an application that sits on top of a Web site and offers users additional interactive features. There are thousands of kinds of widgets! Popular widgets (Google calls them "gadgets") include photo slide shows, videos, music playlists, post-it notes, horoscopes, and virtual pets that can be fed and dressed. Widgets are normally added to social networking profiles, blogs, or Web sites.

What does API mean?

An application programming interface (API) is an interface that a software program implements in order to allow other software to interact with it, much in the same way that software might implement a user interface in order to allow humans to interact with it.

APIs are implemented by applications, libraries and operating systems to define how other software can make calls to or request services from them. An API determines the vocabulary and calling conventions the programmer should employ to use the services. It may include specifications for routines, data structures, object classes, and protocols used to communicate between the consumer and implementer of the API.

DPO Mobile Q&A 

Which wireless carriers work with DPO Mobile?

DPO Mobile currently works on AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Nextel, T-Mobile, Alltel Wireless, Virgin Mobile,Cellular One, US Cellular and Boost Mobile. Updates will be provided as they become available.

Once I register a keyword, for how long do I own it?

Your keyword remains in your account for as long as you make the monthly payments. If you cancel your account or fail to make your payment, the keyword becomes available for others to register after 30 days.

If I have message credits left over at the end of the month, do they carry-over to the next month?

Message credits included in our plans do carry over. Each month on your anniversary date, the credits are added to the reset of your plan amount.

How can I upload, or enter mobile phone numbers's to one of my marketing lists?

Subscribers can be added to your list by sending a text message to your keyword, or they can enter their informatiom right on your website using our text message widget. If you have an existing list that you need imported, simply upload it through our control panel.

Can I try before I buy?

Yes, we offer a free trial account that lets you use all of the features of DPO Mobile. This free account includes 100 SMS message credits, a keyword, full DPO Mobile back office functionality, campaign & implementation consultation.

Do I need to put software on my computer?

No software is required. You configure your keywords through a simple web site that you can access from any computer that is connected to the Internet. Take a look at some screenshots of our dashboard.




















What if I just want to run a one-time 2 month long campaign?

With DPO Mobile, you sign-up on a month to month basis. There are no contracts. When your campaign is completed, simply download your data and cancel the keyword. It's that simple!

What if I need more credits than the monthly package includes?

In the DPO Mobile control panel, you can upgrade or downgrade your account at any time. If you find you are running low on credits, simply upgrade to the next package and you will be given additional credits or simply purchase more credits as you need them without changing your plan.

Can I start with a small plan and then upgrade if I need more?

Yes, our dashboard makes it very simple to upgrade or downgrade your monthly plan. It only takes a few minutes and can be done at anytime.

Do you have a reseller or affiliate program?

Yes we do! For information on our Reseller or paid Affiliate program, contact gary@dpomobile.com         
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What is mobile marketing?                                              

Mobile marketing is a groundbreaking new way of communicating with customers and prospects.