Getting started


Sending your first campaign takes just a couple of minutes. Follow the express steps in our 2-minute video below, or follow the instructions underneath it.


Once you are up and running and need more help, use the menu above to learn more about our features.



What you need 


To start, you will need:

  • Burst SMS account - you can sign up for a free trial here

  • A .csv file of all your contacts, with data organised into separate columns and no header text

  • SMS message with no more than 160 characters* checked with our character counter tool

  • (Optional) your website page URL


*160 characters is the maximum for one SMS. You can still send up to 612 characters but first read this to first learn how SMS are charged.


Adding your contacts


  • Select ‘Contacts’ from the top menu.
  • Click ‘New Contact List’ and name your list of recipients. Click the green tick button to save your list name. 
  • Select the ‘Upload’ button and upload your .csv list of recipients. Once the file is uploaded, tick ‘Yes’ to confirm you have permission to contact your recipients, then click 'Upload'.  
  • Use the drop-down fields to align with the columns of your .csv data. Once done, click ‘Upload’. Once the import is complete, click ‘Finish'.

Be a responsible sender. Read our Anti-Spam Policy if you're unsure you have permission.


Write and personalise your SMS message


  • Select ‘Send SMS’ from the main menu. 
  • Select your Burst SMS contact list.
  • Select your desired Sender ID (the 'from' number)
  • Add your message to the Message box area. Personalising your message can improve campaign results. Click the desired location in the message body, then select 'Firstname'. The name of each recipient will automatically be included in their SMS.


A preview of the message will appear inside the right graphic.



Don't delete the 'Opt-out reply STOP' from your message body. Be a responsible sender. 


Add your trackable website link


Add your website page URL using the Track Links feature. 


  • Select ‘Add a track link’.
  • Select ‘Define New URL’ from the drop-down menu. 
  • Paste your URL then select 'Activate'.


(Optional step) Schedule or split send


Schedule your SMS to an appropriate delivery time, or stagger your campaign send with Split Sending. Split sending may help your team handle inbound enquiries generated from your SMS campaign. 


Send your campaign


Select 'Next' at the bottom right corner of your screen. A pop-up will appear with a summary of the cost of your campaign. If satisfied, click ‘Send’. Or if you require more credit, select the ‘Add Credit’ button. 

Something missing? Click here for more detailed instructions. If you still have questions, our 24/7 Support team are always ready to help.


Extra Resources


This is just the start of what you can do with the Burst SMS platform! 


Need more inspiration? 

Have a read of the Burst SMS Blog for SMS templates, playbooks, reports, marketing tips and insights.


Need to integrate with your own app via API? 
Integrate Burst SMS seamlessly into your tech stack via our open API. You can start with a brief overview here or dive head-first into the full API documentation here. Or click here for FAQ.


Track your SMS link clicks in Google Analytics. 
Our Tracked Link video explains how you can identify your SMS traffic within Google Analytics. 


Subscribing contacts.
Automatically add your contacts via your website with our native Webform.


Need automation? 
Try automation or Keyword replies to forward SMS replies to email, auto-manage your lists, run competitions, and more.



Advanced Features >