Text Messaging Etiquette - How to Text Your Friends Back When You Respond

Have you been texting friends and receiving little to no response? If so, there are several likely reasons why they have not responded.

• They don't text - They may not have a texting plan or text at all. Some people do not have X amount of texts they can send a month and get charged upwards of a dollar per text on some plans. Others simply do not like to communicate through texting. They may believe it is a waste of time, money, too difficult to do, or a poor medium in which to conversate. 
• Spam -  You send "friendly text" like a deadly assault of LOOK AT ME! Constant and frequent texts saying "Hey you", "Whats up", "Hows Life", "I'm Bored"  get extremely tiresome to receive on the recipents end. Don't send mass text messages to everyone in your inbox. Make each message personal.
• Busy - Believe it or not some of your friends may actually have a life. A life that does not revolve around constant banter through texting. These friends failure to respond to your text is not personal but simply a result of their lifestyle. Personally I often find myself reading texts when I am in the company of friends but usually not responding. When someone finds them self in a social setting it is preferable to have actual face to face interaction as opposed to a digital one. I simply do not have the time to carry a conversation via text when I am working or socializing.
• One Word Text - When the text you send is short like "DREW!", "Hi", '"Sup", "Hello", it gives the recipient little to work off to respond resulting in no response. If they do respond it is usually in an echo, say someone named Jessica sends me the text "DREW!" I may respond "JESSICA!". From experience this usually results in a typical "What's up" as a follow up to my response. These texts should be avoided because many see your attempt at communication as a result of your own boredom.
• Never received your text - Though this is uncommon, there are times when text messages do make it to their intended target. 
• Double Text - There is nothing more annoying than someone resending you the text they just sent you because you had not replied. One text is sufficient.
• Middle School Girl Texter- Are you the friend that always abbreviates when possible, even making up your own abbreviations? Text like ADAD (Another day, another dollar) cause confusion. Avoid using AIM abbreviations like imy (I miss you) and actually take the time to write out your sentences.
• "Accidental" Text" - Do not intentionally sent someone a miss text in order to get their attention. Sometimes people try this with a crush to make them jealous, don't be one of these people. 

Purpose - If you want people to respond to what you have to say, actually have some thing to say.

Be Personable - People prefer personal texts. Personal texts also eliminate the text as being one in someones campaign to kill time. Where someone sends a generic text to everyone in their phone book like "whats up". It is ok to use "whats up insert name here", but it is better to have a purpose.

Interests- Everyone has different interests and friends usually share in at least one common interest. So don't send a text about how great fantasy football is if they don't even watch football. Use your common interest to start a conversation through texting. For instance I have a friend I text when I hear a new Hip Hop song by a favorite artist of ours Drake.

Ask about them- Show concern and interest in your friends personal life. If you have a friend that is a lifeguard. Send something like "Hey insert name here, save any lifes lately?"