In an era where social media algorithms can make or break a creator’s career overnight, a growing number of content creators are turning to an unlikely ally: the humble text message. This shift comes as creators seek to reclaim control over their audience relationships and shield themselves from the unpredictable tides of platform changes.
Mike Donoghue, co-founder of Subtext, a subscription-based text messaging platform, is at the forefront of this movement. In a recent interview with the Business of Creators, Donoghue shed light on the challenges creators face and how direct communication channels like SMS are becoming crucial in the creator economy.
The Algorithm Dilemma
“We looked at media companies and creators and artists and brands and athletes, the amount of time and money and love and effort and resources that went into building up these huge audiences and social channels, only for a lot of those same folks to come to the realization that, via algorithm shifts or monetization policy changes, they were renting the relationship with their biggest fans, as opposed to owning a direct, meaningful bilateral form of communication,” Donoghue explained.
This sentiment echoes a growing concern among creators who have experienced the whiplash of sudden algorithm changes. A single update can dramatically reduce visibility, engagement, and, ultimately, income. This vulnerability has led many to seek out more stable, direct channels to their audience.
SMS: The Unsung Hero of Creator-Fan Relationships
Enter SMS. While it might seem like a step backward in the age of sophisticated social media platforms, text messaging offers several unique advantages:
1. Near-Perfect Open Rates: “The open rate on our messaging is still 98%,” Donoghue revealed. This staggering figure dwarfs the average email open rates, which hover around 20-30%.
2. High Engagement: “The CTR, if that’s a metric that you care about, is north of 32%,” Donoghue added. For context, average click-through rates for emails are typically in the single digits.
3. Direct Communication: Unlike social media posts that may or may not be seen due to algorithmic filtering, SMS messages land directly in a fan’s most personal inbox – their text messages.
4. Ownership of Data: With SMS, creators own their subscriber list, providing a level of security that social media platforms can’t match.
Subtext: Empowering Creators Through SMS
Subtext is positioning itself as a bridge between creators and this powerful communication channel. The platform allows creators to set up subscription-based text messaging services, providing a direct line to their most engaged fans.
“Our goal always is to facilitate the empowerment of creators and give them something that they can own,” Donoghue stated. This ownership extends beyond just the communication channel – it includes valuable data and insights about the audience.
Beyond Monetization: Building Community
While the monetary benefits are clear, the true value of SMS lies in its ability to foster genuine connections. Donoghue shared an example of how musician Maggie Rogers used the platform:
“The concept was, people can call in, they can listen to a snippet of the new single, and then leave a voicemail expressing what they thought about the single.”
This level of interaction creates a sense of intimacy and exclusivity that large social media platforms struggle to match. It turns passive followers into active community members, deepening the bond between creator and fan.
The Future of Creator-Fan Relationships
As we look to the future, Subtext’s approach to creator-fan relationships could well become the new norm. With growing concerns about the dominance of big tech in our digital lives and the precarious nature of social media algorithms, creators are increasingly looking for ways to own their audience relationships.
“More and more people are looking at the social channels as sort of a top of the funnel type of execution,” Donoghue observes, “and then saying, how do I convert people to an experience that I can not only directly monetize, but also creates a portable audience for me, that I can take platform to platform?”
This shift towards owned audiences and direct monetization is likely to accelerate as creators become more business-savvy and seek to build sustainable, long-term careers. Platforms like Subtext that enable this direct relationship are well-positioned to play a crucial role in this evolving ecosystem.
In an age of cutting-edge AI and virtual reality, it might seem counterintuitive that a technology as old as SMS could be leading a revolution in creator-fan relationships. Yet, that’s precisely what’s happening. By offering a direct, intimate, and highly engaging channel of communication, SMS marketing through platforms like Subtext is empowering creators to take control of their audience relationships and build sustainable, profitable businesses.
The text message revolution is here, and it’s changing the game for creators everywhere. As Donoghue advises, “Focus on your first 10 community members. Focus on your first 100 community members, really lean into the quality of that relationship and sort of activate them as your super fans and your evangelists for what it is that you’re doing.”
