Have you added an “Inquire Now” button at the bottom of your blog, but receive almost no inquiries? Did you leave your phone number in the YouTube description, but the calls are sparse?
One of the main reasons customers drop off during the inquiry process is ‘hassle’.
The simple act of checking the number, opening the messaging app, typing a message, and sending it becomes a point of friction.
In this article, we will detail how Vivoldi’s SMS link feature eliminates that friction, and how you can practically use it to boost your customer response rates. If you are a marketer, sales representative, or small business owner, we highly recommend reading until the end.
What is an SMS Link? — A Link to ‘Receive’, Not ‘Send’
When first encountering SMS links, many people misunderstand. They think, “Oh, this is a feature for businesses to send messages to customers.” However, Vivoldi’s SMS link is the exact opposite. It is an inbound link that encourages customers to send messages to you.
The operating principle is as follows. When you create an SMS link in Vivoldi, a short URL is generated. You can place this link anywhere: your blog, SNS, YouTube descriptions, or email bodies. The moment a customer clicks the link, the messaging app on their device automatically launches and opens. The amazing part is that the recipient number (your inquiry phone number) and a pre-set message are already automatically filled in. The customer only needs to click the ‘Send’ button.
This is the core advantage. For the customer, the inquiry process is compressed into just two steps.
- Click the link
- Click the Send button
They no longer need to remember the number, type it manually, or worry about what to write, as they did with traditional methods.
This simplicity directly impacts the conversion rate.
Traditional Inquiry Method vs. SMS Link Method
Let’s compare step-by-step how the customer experience changes in reality.
| Category | Traditional Method | SMS Link Method |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Check and remember number | Click the link |
| Step 2 | Manually open messaging app | Click the Send button |
| Step 3 | Manually enter recipient number | — (Auto-completed) |
| Step 4 | Type the inquiry message | — (Auto-completed) |
| Step 5 | Send | — (Completed in Step 2) |
The actions required by the customer are reduced from 5 steps to 2. In marketing, the conversion rate is inversely proportional to the amount of friction.
As friction decreases, the conversion rate increases. An SMS link structurally eliminates that friction.
How SMS Links Work on Desktop
It is easy to assume that SMS is strictly for mobile, but Vivoldi’s SMS links work seamlessly in desktop environments as well. What happens when you click an SMS link on a PC?
First, a confirmation popup like “Do you want to open this link in your messaging app?” will appear in the browser. When you click “Confirm”, the messaging app installed on your PC (such as the linked Android Messages app on Windows or the default Messages app on macOS) will launch. The recipient field will already be filled with the number you configured, and the message body will contain your pre-set inquiry text.
Why does the messaging app launch on both desktop environments and mobile devices? Because Vivoldi’s SMS links use the “sms” protocol, not the “http” protocol or “deep links”.
If you run a corporate blog or a B2B service with many PC users, this feature is especially useful. When a customer is viewing content on a PC and spontaneously decides to inquire, they can connect immediately without needing to pull out their phone.
How SMS Links Work on Mobile — iOS and Android Supported
The environment where SMS links truly shine is, naturally, mobile. Since they operate the same way on both iPhone and Android smartphones, there is no need to worry about discrepancies in customer experience across different operating systems.
When Clicking a Link on an External Service (Webpage) (Recommended)
If you click an SMS link from a blog post, YouTube description, SNS post, or email body, the messaging app launches instantly without any confirmation process (like a popup asking if the user wants to launch the messaging app). Because the app opens with the recipient number and pre-set message automatically entered, the customer only needs to click the ‘Send’ button. This is the most ideal scenario for utilizing SMS links.
When Entering Directly into the Browser Address Bar
If you manually copy and paste the SMS link URL directly into the mobile browser’s address bar, a confirmation popup asking whether to open the app will appear once. Clicking confirm on this popup will similarly open the messaging app in its auto-completed state. Because this adds an extra step, it is best to encourage customers to click the link directly from external content whenever possible.
One of the strengths of Vivoldi SMS links is the consistent user experience between iOS and Android.
There is no need to implement separate solutions or configure links differently for each OS. A single link covers all devices.
How to Create a Vivoldi SMS Link — Step-by-Step Guide
The process of creating an SMS link in Vivoldi is extremely simple. Anyone can complete it in minutes without any technical knowledge.
- Step 1: Log in and click the Create Link menu on the dashboard — Select the “SMS” tab on the Create Link popup screen.
- Step 2: Set the recipient number — Enter the phone number where you will receive customer inquiries. The basic plan allows you to set 1 recipient number, while premium plans allow you to specify multiple.
- Step 3: Enter the pre-set message — Draft the message the customer will send in advance. Set it according to your purpose, e.g., “Hello, I have an inquiry about your service.” or “I would like to request a consultation.”
- Step 4: Set the link title (Optional) — If you do not enter a link title, the recipient number is automatically saved as the title. For easier management, we recommend entering a clear title indicating its purpose.
- Step 5: Generate and distribute the short URL — Insert the generated short URL (e.g., vvd.bz/abc123 or vvd.im/sms-inquiry) into your desired channels such as your blog, YouTube, or SNS.
Once the link is created, it is immediately ready for use and can be deployed right away without any app installation or additional configuration.
How to Use SMS Links Effectively in Practice
More important than just creating the link is where and how you utilize it. Here are some strategies you can apply immediately in your business.
Rather than redirecting users to a simple inquiry link or FAQ page, you can receive inquiries instantly via text message.
You will get instant text notifications on your phone, allowing you to respond rapidly to customer inquiries.
Utilizing for Blog and Content Marketing
It is highly effective to utilize an SMS link when inserting an “Inquire Now” CTA (Call to Action) button or link at the bottom of a blog post. When readers finish consuming the content and build interest, they are connected to an inquiry with just one click. The Vivoldi SMS link introduced in this article can be applied to your blog in this exact manner.
Utilizing in YouTube Descriptions
Placing an SMS link at the top of a YouTube video description allows viewers who became interested while watching to contact you immediately. Providing an SMS link alongside a message like “Contact us if you have more questions” in product showcases, service guides, or tutorial videos can significantly improve your conversion rate.
Utilizing on SNS Profiles and Posts
You can lower the inquiry hurdle for your followers by using SMS links in Instagram profile links, Facebook page information sections, or the comments and captions of individual posts. This is an incredibly useful approach for influencers and small creators.
Utilizing in Email Signatures and Newsletters
Inserting an SMS link into your business email signature allows recipients to easily contact you at any time. It can be utilized in the exact same way at the bottom of a newsletter.
Utilizing for Offline → Online Connection
By placing the QR code of an SMS link on physical print materials like business cards, leaflets, banners, and backdrops, you can instantly connect offline visitors or event attendees to an online inquiry. It serves as a natural bridge connecting traditional offline marketing with digital channels.
Every link generated by Vivoldi automatically creates a corresponding QR code.
Printing and utilizing this QR code seamlessly converts offline visitors to your online channels.
Utilizing Premium Plans — Sophisticated Operations via Multiple Recipient Numbers
On the basic plan, you can only set 1 recipient number. However, if you are a scaled organization or a business operating multiple traffic channels, the premium plan features will be particularly useful.
The premium plan allows you to designate multiple recipient numbers. Using this feature enables the following sophisticated operations:
- Assigning representatives by channel: Automatically routing blog inquiries to Representative A, and YouTube inquiries to Representative B.
- Categorizing by inquiry type: Connecting product purchase inquiries, tech support, and partnership requests to different numbers respectively.
- Distributing by region or team: Allocating appropriate recipient numbers to each team if you have multiple branches or departments.
- A/B Testing: Creating links with different pre-set messages to compare which text yields a higher transmission rate.
Separating SMS links by channel and objective also helps you identify how many inquiries are coming from which channels. It can serve as an indirect metric for measuring marketing channel efficiency.
- Premium Plan: Can specify up to 6 recipient numbers.
- Business Plan: Can specify up to 16 recipient numbers.
Setting multiple recipient numbers ensures that if one representative is unavailable, another can check the message, allowing you to respond to the customer much faster.
Comparing SMS Links with Other Inquiry Methods
Beyond SMS links, there are various ways to encourage customer inquiries. The most effective strategy is to understand the characteristics of each method and combine them according to your situation.
Web Forms have the advantage of collecting diverse information at once, but they place a burden on the customer to fill out multiple fields. The hurdle for inquiring is relatively high.
Email Links (mailto) are a familiar method, but drop-offs can occur while the email app launches, and issues frequently arise on mobile devices if a default email app is not configured.
Phone Call Links (tel) enable instantaneous connection, but may trigger avoidance behavior among customer segments that feel burdened by phone calls. The younger generation, in particular, tends to prefer text messaging.
Messenger App Links (KakaoTalk, WhatsApp, etc.) are extremely effective for customers who already use the respective apps, but they are limited by app dependency. It is difficult to handle customers who have not installed the app.
SMS Links utilize the smartphone’s native messaging app, requiring no additional app installations and possessing zero platform dependency. They present a lower psychological hurdle than phone calls while being vastly simpler than web forms. However, SMS is generally suited for brief inquiries; if complex information collection is required, it is best used in parallel with web forms.
Precautions When Using SMS Links
To utilize SMS links as effectively as possible, it is good to be aware of a few points in advance.
Actively encourage external link clicks. Entering or pasting the URL directly into the browser’s address bar triggers an extra app execution confirmation popup. To eliminate this extra step, it is best to distribute the link so that it is clicked on external platforms like blog posts, YouTube descriptions, or SNS.
Write pre-set messages naturally. Setting a natural phrase that a customer would realistically send, like “Hello, I have a question about the ○○ service.”, prevents aversion and increases the send rate. Phrasing that is too formal or sounds like marketing copy can actually backfire.
Categorize link titles for easy management. Operating multiple SMS links can complicate management later on. When creating them, setting clear titles indicating the channel and purpose, such as “Blog_ProductInquiry” or “YouTube_ServiceRequest”, makes dashboard management much more convenient.
Use a recipient number capable of real responses. When customer inquiries come in via an SMS link, you must respond promptly. Setting it to an unmanaged number or responding late can negatively impact the customer experience.
Conclusion: Eliminating Friction Increases Conversions
One of the fundamental principles of marketing is eliminating friction from the customer’s action path.
Vivoldi SMS links replace the cumbersome aspects of the inquiry process — checking numbers, opening apps, typing messages — with a single click.
Especially today, when many customers consume content in mobile environments, enabling instant inquiry connections with a single link is a massive advantage. Thanks to cross-platform compatibility supporting iOS, Android, and Desktop, you can provide the exact same experience to customers on any device.
SMS links do not require any special technical skills. Simply placing one link on blogs, YouTube, SNS, emails, or offline print materials can significantly lower the barrier for customer inquiries. Create your first SMS link with Vivoldi right now.
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Anyone with a Vivoldi account can create Vivoldi SMS links. Premium plans allow for even more sophisticated usage, such as setting multiple recipient numbers and separating links by channel.
