SMS Marketing isn’t dead – 3 reasons you should incorporate them into your Digital Strategy (2020)

Research shows that 93 percent of Americans open SMS messages, 81 percent have opened an SMS from a business, and 94 percent have clicked through a link within SMS – proving it’s an effective and engaging digital experience for consumers. 

“The battle to win consumers’ attention has never been so hotly contested. It’s paramount to the success of marketing campaigns that the right channel is used to cut through the noise and deliver the message. SMS marketing remains one of the most effective tools that marketers have at their disposal”

Chief Marketing Officer at MessageMedia, Tara Salmon

Even more, experts forecast SMS Marketing will continue to rise by 52 percent by 2023!

These are three reasons your business should implement SMS Marketing as part of their digital strategy:

1. SMS Marketing creates a sense of urgency

Do you need a guaranteed way to get someone’s attention? Have their phone’s notification go off.

We have become accustomed to dismiss a phone call or ignore an email, but the nature of texts compel us to open them at the next available opportunity. It can be curiosity or compulsion, but people react to messages differently than other digital channel.

And, depending on your message (e.g. if it includes links or sales), you can make an offer that feels much more urgent or pressing just by sending it in text message format.

2. SMS Marketing allows you to create a personalized relationship

SMS allows companies to communicate directly with users / consumers. This creates the opportunities for business to strategically define their voice and cadence tailored to their target market.

Content still matters in text messages. Don’t create bland, generic, and spammy content that only pushed sales. Instead deliver value to your user by starting a conversation, without pressuring them, sharing interesting information, helpful content, or fun conversation-starter content.

As mentioned before SMS’s create urgency and are time constrained so take this as an opportunity to tap into cultural moments. For example, during the holidays, retailers like Listrak saw an unprecedented 3.4X increase in revenue per message sent, compared to return on investment from email.

Finally, don’t neglect visual content. SMS is a dynamic medium through which you can send videos, GIFs and custom images to your users. Consider using tech like RCS to create an engaging experience for your customers within their native SMS application. 

3. SMS Marketing has the highest engagement rate

People have become more reluctant to share their phone number than their emails or even home address. We have grown accustomed to receive hundreds of emails per day, dozen of promotional offers in our home, but very phew phone calls or text messages.

There are also less obstacles to using SMS marketing tactics. Reaching your audience isn’t dependent on them having access to the internet or opening one app from the sea of content in their phones.

As long as they have a text plan and a mobile phone, they’ll receive it.

Finally, remember 81 percent of users have opened an SMS from a business and 94 percent have clicked through links send within SMS. Compare that to the average open rate of emails at 18 percent and you will understand the effectiveness of text messages.

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About me

Business Consultant | Digital Strategy | Technology Management degree at Georgetown University

Currently deepening my technical skills and experience through a master’s degree in Technology Management at Georgetown University, bringing together digital knowledge that mixed with a business outlook will enable me to transform organizations in a continuously evolving landscape.