Who's opt-in email database currently powers this ability to send targeted SMS messages?
Nexxt.com (Formerly known as Beyond). Nexxt has a large database (network) of opt-in candidates, that they're able to segment by occupation, skill-set, and geographic location - for both email and SMS. Emails are always $0.10 per email send and SMS messages are always $1 per send, due to a better-than-market-rate that's already been negotiated by Symphony Talent, specifically on behalf of all Media Cloud clients.
When is SMS a good idea?
Paid SMS is great for short-turn-around "push" types of advertising needs. If you have an event to promote next week, you can't just buy google ads and hope people happen to all search for you that week. Search, Social, Job Ads, etc, are all "always-on" sorts of media types that have a cumulative impact, but that are unavoidably subject to the natural inherit ebbs & flows of jobseeker behavior online. SMS is a great way to push a message out on your own schedule to targeted candidates, such as for a timeline-focused need like promoting attendance / registration for a local hiring event.
Is there anything else I need to do to launch SMS, besides allocating a % of a campaign budget to email?
Yes, email requires the offline selection of a send date, the submitting of SMS copy, and the validation/approval of the message. See your Symphony Talent account management team to insure these aspects of the email send process once your budget and targeting are selected.
How much is it to send targeted SMS messages?
It's $1 per SMS (a special pre-negotiated rate between Symphony Talent and Nexxt). There is a $500 minimum campaign expenditure. Emails are set up from the Email Tab and are $0.10 per.