---
schema_version: "1"
id: 4fd54e7094287c9f7ee073f846b1a488ba72bc4da10623116a7a21151a127660
title: Create and Manage an SMS or MMS Message
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mktg_content_sms_create.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_content_sms_create.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: c2d2aab00c60e90f14578f5eac6d72a9bb0c3889f3cc79fa91578d2a2b6bb4f8
description: Create an SMS or MMS message for your marketing campaigns and reach your customers directly on their mobile devices. For example, use SMS messaging to promote something new or follow up on an ongoing transaction. MMS is supported only in the United States and Canada.
products:
  - Marketing
release: "264"
---
# Create and Manage an SMS or MMS Message

Create an SMS or MMS message for your marketing campaigns and reach your customers directly on their mobile devices. For example, use SMS messaging to promote something new or follow up on an ongoing transaction. MMS is supported only in the United States and Canada.

### Required Editions

[View supported editions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_editions.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Marketing Cloud Next is available in Growth and Advanced editions, and requires Salesforce Enterprise or Unlimited editions. Some features are limited by edition or purchased add-on. All functionality is available in Lightning Experience only.").

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d22432e50">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e50 ">To create or edit content:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e50 ">
              <p>Marketing Cloud Manager permission set </p>
              <p>AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">any CMS workspace contributor
                role</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e50 ">To publish or unpublish content:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e50 ">
              <p>Marketing Cloud Manager permission set </p>
              <p>AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">a CMS workspace contributor role
                of content admin or content manager</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

Before you begin, review information about message length and required opt-out keywords. See [SMS Message Length](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_content_sms_message_length.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To avoid sending multiple messages and using extra message credits, be mindful of the length of your SMS message. When you exceed the character limit for a single message, the message count increases. Using non-GSM characters, links, or merge fields increases message length.") and [Opt-Out Keywords](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mcu_content_sms_keywords_optout.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To meet consent and privacy regulations, your recipients must know how to opt-out of SMS messages. In your messages, provide specific opt-out keywords and clear instructions for using them. Include keywords in promotional or transactional messages every time you send.").

## Create an SMS or MMS Message

The SMS preview updates on the canvas while you're working. If you exceed the maximum length for a single message, the number of messages increases. Many carriers support concatenation, which combines multiple messages into a single message. Other carriers send the messages separately.

1. From your marketing workspace, create or open an SMS message.
2. Give your message a title for internal use.
3. Set the Message Purpose to **Promotional** for marketing content.
    
    The transactional message purpose is intended for one-to-one messages, such as password resets and order confirmations.
4. In the Message field, enter your message content.
5. To personalize your message, click **Add Merge Field**.
    - To insert a value from the recipient’s unified profile, select **Unified Individual**.
    - To select event data, such as a subscription confirmation or a product from a confirmed order, click **Select Event**.
    - To select from a curated list of values, such as products purchased, select **Data Graph Attribute**.
    - If saved expressions are available, select a saved expression, which includes pre-saved criteria for selecting a data graph attribute.
6. To add media to your message, turn on **MMS**.
    1. Select the preferred media type, such as images, audio, video, or contact cards. See [MMS Guidelines](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_content_mms_guidelines.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "For successful delivery across all mobile carriers, adhere to file format and size requirements.").
    2. Select from your CMS workspace, add a URL or use a merge field. Maximum file size is 500 KB.
7. To build a URL with UTM and custom tracking parameters, click **Add UTM Link**.
    1. Enter a destination URL that begins with http:// or https://.
    2. Turn on **UTM Parameters**, and then select the [UTM parameters](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_content_sms_utm_parameters.htm&type=5&language=en_US) that you want to add to the URL.
    3. Enter the values for the selected parameters or select merge fields.
    4. To append custom parameters to your URL, click **Add Row**, and then enter the custom parameter details.
    5. Preview the final URL and click **Add**.
8. In the message body, add clear opt-out instructions and an opt-out keyword.
9. Save your work.

Now you can preview and test your SMS message.

## Preview an SMS or MMS Message Variation

Use a sample recipient to verify an SMS or MMS message variation’s content, images, personalization, language, and links before sending it. You can preview an SMS or MMS message in any status. Save your changes so that the preview includes your latest edits.

1. Publish at least one segment.
2. In the message editor, click **Preview**.
3. For **Preview Source**, select **Segment (Unified Individual)**, and select a published segment and a sample recipient.
4. To provide preview data, complete the field that appears for your message. <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
            <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
              <tr><th style="vertical-align:bottom;text-align:left;" id="d22432e357-option">Field</th>

              <th style="vertical-align:bottom;text-align:left;" id="d22432e357-desc">Action</th>
            </tr></thead>
            <tbody><tr class="">
              <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-option" id="d22432e370">Content Variables</th>

              <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-desc d22432e370">Enter the values to use in the preview.
                <ul>
                  <li>To edit the values as JSON, click <strong class="uicontrol">View JSON</strong>.</li>

                  <li>To return to the standard fields, click
                    <strong class="uicontrol">View Editor</strong>.
                  </li>

                </ul>

              </td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-option" id="d22432e394">Apex Input</th>

              <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-desc d22432e394">Edit the JSON to provide values for the Apex inputs used in the
                message.</td>

            </tr>
            <tr class="">
              <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-option" id="d22432e403">Event</th>

              <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d22432e357-desc d22432e403">Enter values for the event data used in the message.</td>

            </tr>
          </tbody></table>
5. To preview the message in another language, select a language.
6. Click **Preview**.

To preview another variation, change the sample recipient and values.

## Test an SMS or MMS Message

Send an SMS or MMS message to up to five test recipients to verify its merge fields, media, links, and opt-out experience. You can test an SMS or MMS message in any status. Test sends count toward message credits.

1. In the preview window, go to the **Test** tab.
2. In Test Send Mobile Number, enter up to five mobile numbers that you can access.
3. Click **Send**.
4. For each recipient, verify that the message appears as expected and test the links and buttons.
5. When the message is ready to use in a campaign, click **Publish Now** or click **Schedule Publish**.

## Unpublish an SMS Message

To prevent a message from sending in a campaign, unpublish the SMS or MMS message.

1. From your marketing workspace, open the SMS message that you want to unpublish.
    - When you’re editing your message, from the main toolbar, click **Unpublish**.
    - From the content detail page, click **Unpublish**.
2. Review the list of related flows and content and determine if any other changes are required.
3. Unpublish the message.
    - To unpublish the message immediately, click **Unpublish Now**.
    - To unpublish the message later, click **Schedule Unpublish**, and schedule a date and time to unpublish it.

After you unpublish, the message is no longer available to campaign flows and can't be sent. You can make any necessary edits and republish it, or delete it.

#### See Also

- [Personalize Content with Merge Fields in Marketing Cloud Next](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mktg_content_personalization_merge_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use merge fields to personalize your marketing content with customer data. For example, personalize an email with your customer's name or customize a landing page with products you know they're interested in.")