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Measuring performance with benchmarking

Learn how effective your texting program can be.

Several factors determine a messaging campaign’s success, but the performance of previous projects can help set expectations. Get to know what other government texting initiatives have done as a way to benchmark your own performance.

What other texting studies have found

When the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities studied WIC, they found key learnings about the quantity of messages delivered, how people engage with messages, and how they take action.

Message delivery

Benchmark: 80% of texts are successfully delivered

You may discover that some numbers are temporarily or permanently unavailable due to service being discontinued, numbers changing, or being a landline.

Engagement

Benchmark: Engagement rates with texts ranged from 17% to 26%

The highest rate of engagement with a text comes within hours of sending. Engagement rates include any kind of action taken due to a text, including replying “STOP” to prevent future texts.

Appointment requests

Benchmark: Requesting appointments after receiving texts ranged from 4% to 9%

Requesting appointments is a specific type of engagement. Provide a phone number or link to an online appointment request form.

The Code for America’s Texting Playbook reported specific learnings around appointment reminders, completing document submission, and maintenance reminders.

Appointment reminders

Benchmark: Clients were 79% more likely to keep their appointment after receiving a text reminder.

You will likely see more completed appointments.

Benchmark: Clients were 55% more likely to complete an interview after receiving an interview reminder

You will likely see more completed interviews.

Document submission

Benchmark: Clients were 6% more likely to complete document submission after receiving a customized list of required documents via text

To encourage response, provide a custom list of the needed documents and information about how to submit them. 

Reminders

Benchmark: Text reminders improved case maintenance rates by 21%

You may see less turnover in your case rates.

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