A texting program without clear goals drifts, sends for the sake of sending, chases vanity numbers, and can't prove its worth when budgets are decided. Setting goals and KPIs up front, tied to what the campaign actually needs, gives the program direction and a way to know whether it's working. Here's how to set goals and KPIs for a political texting program.
Why set goals for a texting program?
Because a program aimed at nothing hits nothing. Without clear goals, texting becomes activity for its own sake, measured by send count instead of results, which leads to over-texting and drift. Goals give the program a target, more money raised, more supporters ID'd, more turnout, so every send has a purpose and the program can be judged on outcomes. Goals also make the program defensible: when leadership asks what texting is for, "raise $X and turn out Y supporters" is an answer that earns budget, while "send a lot of texts" isn't.
What goals and KPIs matter?
Goals tied to campaign outcomes, measured by the numbers that reflect them:
- Fundraising goals, dollars raised by text, and the KPIs behind them, conversion rate, cost to raise.
- Turnout goals, supporters ID'd and moved through the chase, with reply and completion rates as KPIs.
- Organizing goals, volunteers recruited and shifts filled.
- List-growth goals, subscribers added, with opt-in rate as the KPI.
- Health KPIs, deliverability, opt-out rate, guarding against goals pursued in harmful ways.
The pattern: set outcome goals leadership cares about, and track the operational KPIs that show how efficiently you're reaching them.
How do you use goals to run the program?
As a target and a feedback loop. Set the goals at the start, tied to the campaign's needs and phase (list-building early, fundraising and GOTV later), then track the KPIs to see whether you're on pace and where to adjust. If fundraising is behind, the KPIs tell you whether it's a conversion problem or a volume problem; if turnout ID is lagging, they show where. Goals also keep the program honest against vanity metrics, you're measured on outcomes, not activity, so you resist the temptation to just send more. Review the goals and KPIs regularly, report them to leadership, and let them drive resource decisions. A program with clear goals knows what it's aiming at, whether it's hitting it, and how to prove it, which is what turns texting from a cost into an investment.
Frequently asked questions
Why set goals for a texting program?
Because a program aimed at nothing hits nothing, without goals, texting becomes activity for its own sake, measured by send count, leading to over-texting and drift. Goals give direction, let you judge results, and make the program defensible for budget.
What KPIs should a texting program track?
Outcome goals tied to campaign needs, dollars raised, supporters ID'd and turned out, volunteers recruited, subscribers added, plus the operational KPIs behind them (conversion, reply, opt-in rates) and health KPIs (deliverability, opt-out rate) that guard against harmful shortcuts.
How do you use texting goals to run the program?
As a target and feedback loop: set goals tied to the campaign's phase, track KPIs to see if you're on pace and where to adjust, keep the program honest against vanity metrics, and report outcomes to leadership to drive resource decisions.
Keep reading: the cost per vote of political texting and political texting benchmarks. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.