SMS deliverability refers to how successfully your text messages are delivered to recipients’ mobile devices. In simple terms, it’s the percentage of messages that actually make it to your clients’ phones, rather than being blocked, filtered, or lost along the way.
No matter how you send a text message—whether you type it out on your phone or use a messaging tool—there will always be a small chance that some texts don’t make it through.
The good news is that when you send messages through a reliable SMS service, such as Intulse, you have more control. These systems can track whether your message was delivered and help spot problems quickly. If a message doesn’t go through, the system can try again or use a different method to make sure your client still gets the information.
By working with a trusted messaging provider and setting up simple backup steps, you can make sure your messages are delivered almost every time.
Of course, even when you follow all the best practices, a few messages may still slip through the cracks. The key is knowing how to measure your success—and having a plan to improve your results.
There isn’t a set rule for measuring how many text messages actually get delivered, but most businesses track it daily, quarterly, or yearly. The calculation is straightforward:
Deliverability = Messages that got through ÷ Messages you tried to send
The key point is that deliverability isn’t about how many messages you sent—it’s about how many actually reached the people you wanted to reach.
Knowing this lets you take extra steps to improve results. For example, you can try sending again if a message fails or use backup methods to make sure important texts get through. Services like Intulse, combined with simple checks in your system, can help make sure your messages reach clients as consistently as possible.
There are several points where text messages (SMS and MMS) can fail to be delivered, especially as they pass through different systems along the way.
Some common reasons messages don’t get through include:
The recipient’s device is one of the most frequent causes of undelivered messages. For example, messages sent to roaming or quickly moving devices may not be acknowledged, which can result in messages arriving more than once—or not at all. Even if a message is delivered multiple times, it should only count as one successful delivery. Some devices or numbers simply cannot receive texts.
It’s also worth noting that some messages are blocked intentionally. For example, messages flagged as “spam” may be stopped by carriers. Intulse provides message error codes to help track these cases.
Finally, invalid numbers are the most common reason messages fail. Changed, disconnected, or fake numbers won’t reach their intended recipients, lowering your overall deliverability rate.
There are many reasons SMS messages can fail to be delivered. You can’t control them all, but there are a few actions you can take to improve deliverability:
By following these tips, creating high-quality content, and handling exceptions gracefully, you can achieve the highest possible SMS deliverability rates.