How to add link in Google SMS text messages

Google SMS Channel is one the best and reliable way you can send SMS for free any where around the world.  One of the common usage is to send updates of latest posts of you blogs or feeds. Since internet usage in mobile has increased it helps your subscribe to get instant updates on their cell phone.

How most of us use SMS Channels ?

We add our direct feed link to SMS Channel manager and it picks up the latest changes.

The problem with SMS Channels

There is no link of the post or news is sent to in text which means even if you user do get an upate they are not coming to your site instantly.

How you can add links with Text Messages ?

As a summary we will Link FeedBurner with a Twitter Account and then use Twitter Feed to update  Google’s Sms Channel to send text message.

• Open Feedburner and Select Your feed.
• Go to Publicize > Socialize and Add a twitter account by authorizing it. Read more here, Make sure you select to include links here.

• Now go to the Twitter Account you just added above and grab the feed link by visiting the profile link and grab the link which is right at the end.

• Now go to your SMS Channel and Click on Manage Channel button.
• Now update the RSS / Atom Feed Input box with the Twitter Feed you copied before.
• Now here is the catch, Twitter Update Body contains the link and not the title so make sure you unselect the Title Check box and select Body Check-box which is right below Rss / Atom Feed Input box. See below

• This was the reason I asked you to select to include link while configuring Twitter account with Feedburner in starting.
• Confirm by seeing a preview.

Now like you can see above how SMS updates include links, hash tags etc which is useful as many of t he mobile users use Twitter and facebook application which will help them even sharing quicker.

Advantages of this method :

• No third party tools used here. Since Google has introduced socializing in feedburner things are safe here.
• Using Google Link Shortner service. [ 3 Best ways to do it ]
• Sending links, hash tags in text message will boost your mobile traffic.

Disadvantages :

• As of now Google doesn’t allow you to add one twitter account for one feed i.e.  So if you add one twitter account it will be used for rest of the feeds in your account once you enable the service.