Draft:Subtext
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Subtext is a privately held American technology company based in New York City that was founded by Mike Donoghue, David Cohn, Harris Novick and Kevin Wong in 2019.[1]
Subtext offers a text messaging platform that connects brands, newsrooms, media companies, musicians, creators, athletes, and thought leaders with their audiences, free from the noise of social media and the clutter of email, allowing them to engage directly with their audiences through two-way messaging.[2]
The platform supports two-way messaging and is used to distribute news updates, promotional content, and subscriber alerts. Because the service operates directly through SMS, messages are delivered directly to subscribers and are not affected by social media algorithm or platform changes. Compared to email alerts or push notifications, text messages are reported to have a substantially higher open rate of 98%. Subtext has been adopted by publications and creators to maintain direct contact with audiences and support subscriber engagement in an environment increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and other changes in online information consumption.[3]
In 2025, Subtext achieved a 32% clickthrough rate and a 192% increase in overall platform revenue in the referenced year. [3]
History
[edit]Subtext was launched in 2019 under Advance Alpha Group, a tech and media incubator owned by Advance.[1] The founders of Subtext recognized that media companies, brands, creators, politicians, artists and musicians were investing significant time, money, and effort into building audiences on social media platforms, but were effectively “renting” those audiences rather than owning direct relationships with them. To address this challenge, the company introduced the Subtext SMS Platform to help organizations and individuals to build and maintain direct, personal connections with their audiences through text messaging. [1][4]
Since its founding, Subtext has worked with clients like Sony Music, the USA Today Network, Penguin Random House, The Washington Post, BMG, mTheory, and renowned artists such as Barbara Streisand, dJo, Jelly Roll, and Idina Menzel.[5]
Products and Services
[edit]Subtext SMS Platform
[edit]Subtext SMS platform is designed to help users communicate directly with subscribers through text messaging. The platform allows users to send broadcasts, engage in two-way conversations, and build subscriber communities at scale. It is used for audience engagement, community interaction, collecting feedback, and marketing communication. The platform includes campaign management tools, analytics, and features for gathering audience feedback, such as integrated surveys. Hosts can earn revenue by charging subscription fees for access to exclusive content or direct interaction.[6]
Subtext also provides a web-based dashboard where users can compose and send messages that include text, emojis, links, audio, and GIFs. Messages can be targeted to specific groups or locations, such as by zip code or country. Recipients are able to reply to messages individually, with responses appearing in the dashboard interface rather than in a shared group chat.[7]
Surveys
[edit]Subtext Surveys is an SMS-based feature within the Subtext platform that enables users to create and analyze surveys through an integrated dashboard. It facilitates the collection of audience feedback and first-party data via text messaging and includes customizable formats with real-time analytics to assist in managing responses and interpreting results. The feature is used to gather audience insights, segment users based on responses, and inform communication strategies.[8]
Recognition
[edit]Subtext has received multiple awards and acknowledgements for its work in SMS engagement and media technology. In 2022, the platform was included in Business Insider’s list of top creator economy startups[9] and received the Digiday Technology Award for Best Subscription Platform[10]. It was also recognized with the Digiday Greater Good Award for emergency aid initiatives.[11]
In 2023, Fast Company named Subtext one of its World’s Most Innovative Companies, ranking it second in the Music category for tools connecting musicians and fans through SMS. The recognition noted the platform’s growth in creator campaigns, subscribers, and revenue, as well as collaborations with major music industry partners.[12]
In 2024, Subtext was included in Inc. magazine’s Best in Business list in the media sector.[13]
In 2025, Subtext received multiple acknowledgements, including the MarTech Breakthrough Award for Best Mobile Marketing Solution[14] and the Digiday Technology Award for Best Subscription Platform[15]. Fast Company again named Subtext one of its Most Innovative Companies, highlighting the platform’s tools for audience engagement, its SMS survey feature, and its role in supporting media organizations with challenges such as misinformation and emergency communication.[16]
Use Cases
[edit]McClatchy titles Miami Herald and Bradenton Herald and Gannett’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune used Subtext’s SMS platform to provide real-time updates on curfews, food, and school openings to readers during Hurricane Ian in Florida in 2022. The platform allowed more than 8,000 subscribers to receive information even while millions were without power, highlighting SMS as a resilient communication tool independent of internet access.[7]
LA Taco used Subtext’s SMS platform to distribute daily updates on COVID-19, local sanitation schedules, vaccine information, and homelessness ordinances to Los Angeles’s unhoused community. Information collected through the service was also used to support local reporting and track public services such as hygiene stations.[7][17]
The Spokesman-Review implemented Subtext’s SMS platform to contact digital subscribers whose payments were about to lapse. The initiative resulted in a weekly reconversion rate of approximately 15.7 percent and contributed to an 82 percent increase in retention among the targeted group.[18]
The Town of Andover, Massachusetts, used Subtext to communicate with residents and provide updates on municipal projects, events, and programs. Subscribers received messages from the Town Manager and staff and could send texts with questions about town services, which were answered directly through the platform. This approach allowed the town to share information efficiently and engage residents directly in local governance.[19]
Hearst Newspapers began using the Subtext SMS platform to engage subscribers and reduce churn, using targeted text-message workflows instead of email channels. According to reports, the publisher’s senior director of new content initiatives joined a panel alongside Subtext’s CEO to discuss their strategy and the growing role of SMS in subscriber retention.[20]
In 2023, New York Times Cooking collaborated with Subtext to implement a mobile‑messaging campaign in which U.S. users could text a fruit or vegetable emoji to receive recipes and early‑access content. The publisher stated that voluntary participation via text provided an indicator of subscriber interest and facilitated audience engagement. [21]
Corporate Social Responsibility
[edit]In 2024, in response to widespread downsizing in the journalism industry, Subtext launched a program for laid-off journalists to gain free access to its platform and build a paid subscriber community.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Tameez, Hanaa' (4 February 2021). "Subtext lets journalists build deeper relationships with readers, one text at a time". Nieman Journalism Lab.
- ^ Koss, Hal (11 August 2021). "9 SMS Marketing Tools and Services to Know". Built In.
- ^ a b c Gagne, Yasmin (2025-03-18). "The most innovative companies in media and news for 2025". Fast Company.
- ^ Shepherd, Ian (2024-09-30). "Could the basic SMS save content creators from the algorithm?". Forbes.
- ^ "Subtext and SoundCloud Team Up to Bring Artists and Fans Closer Together Through SMS". Globe Newswire. 2025-07-16.
- ^ Hamill, Jasper (2025-06-16). "Revenge of the text message: A new era for SMS in the age of personalised communication". Machine.
- ^ a b c Tobitt, Charlotte (2024-09-26). "The joy of text: Publishers use old tech to reach new readers". Press Gazette.
- ^ "Subtext Expands SMS Texting Platform with New Survey Feature, Offering Customers Richer Audience-Driven Insights". Globe Newswire. 2024-12-10.
- ^ Whateley, Dan (2023-02-14). "15 buzziest New York creator economy startups, from studios changing content creation to fintech companies helping influencers get paid". Business Insider.
- ^ "Commerce Layer, Frequence and Khoros are among the 2022 Digiday Technology Awards winners". Digiday. 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Dermalogica, Audible, Zappar and Mastercard are among this year's Greater Good Award winners". Digiday. 2023-10-24.
- ^ Ifeanyi, KC (2023-03-02). "The 10 most innovative companies in music in 2023". Fast Company.
- ^ "Best in Business 2024 Meet the companies innovating, inspiring, and operating at the very top of their games. Here's how they crushed 2024". Inc. Magazine. 2024-12-03.
- ^ "MarTech Breakthrough Awards 2025 Award Winners". MarTech Breakthrough Awards. 2025-08-14.
- ^ "The Walt Disney Company, Grammarly and Intuit Mailchimp are 2025 Digiday Technology Awards winners". Digiday. 2025-08-12.
- ^ Gagne, Yasmin (2025-03-18). "The most innovative companies in media and news for 2025". Fast Company.
- ^ "L.A. TACO (COVID-19 SMS Updates For Unhoused Community in L.A.)". Anthem Awards. 2025-10-15.
- ^ Sciaudone, Christiana (2025-09-22). "Text Messaging Brings Paying Readers Back to Washington Newspaper". A Media Operator.
- ^ "Town of Andover Massachusetts". Town of Andover Massachusetts. 2025-10-15.
- ^ Marshall, Jack (2024-10-16). "How Hearst Newspapers is driving audience engagement and subscriber retention with SMS". A Media Operator.
- ^ Guaglione, Sara (2023-06-23). "The New York Times Cooking is letting readers taste test recipes over text to drive subscriptions". Digiday.