Tatango, a group SMS service is now available to be used by the general public. The service allows users to send ad-supported text messages to large groups of people simultaneously promoting their store, organization, or other group.

In order to use the service users need to join, and then invite friends to use the service as well. Someone will have to opt-in to receiving messages from you before you’ll be able to start sending them texts, an excellent feature to keep people from sending out masses of SMS spam. Messages can be send to your group from an internet browser, or you can send them while you’re on the go from your mobile handset.

The basic SMS service from Tatango is free. Your SMS messages will all come with a 30 character advertisement that is sued to pay for the service. Ads are ro some extent contextual, so you won’t end up sending ads for phone sex lines to your pre-school carpool.

Tatango also has an ad free version, which maybe be a better fit for businesses looking to keep in contact with their customers. The ad free service starts at $35, and there are a few other options available where you can pay per SMS message.

Group SMS messaging is a great idea for marketing…for those doing the marketing. I can’t say that I would really want to ever receive any kind of advertisement via my mobile phone, for anything. People who receive the SMS messages do have to opt-in to the service however, so old curmudgeons like me can always choose to opt-out and miss out on the SMS fun.

What about you? Would you use an ad-based SMS service like Tatango to communicate with groups you’re involved with, or do you think sending ad-supported SMS messages goes a little too far?

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Entry was posted on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 9:17 pm under Advertising, Cell phones.

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