In the age of smartphones and instant messaging, texting has become an increasingly popular method of communication. With over 6 billion people owning a mobile device globally, texting is a powerful tool that should not be ignored by marketers. In fact, it has become essential to include an SMS strategy in marketing plans. Let's break down why marketers are turning to text.
High Open & Engagement Rates
Marketers are looking to get in front of their audiences and SMS delivers, literally. SMS has an average open rate of 98%, compared to just 20% for emails and we all know the lack of reach on social media these days. This means that your message is almost always read by your audience. On top of that, customer engagement rates are close to 20% versus the leading social media at 4%.
Owning vs. Renting Your Audience
Brands invest time and money into building audiences on social platforms, only to learn they are renting those relationships. With ongoing outages, constant algorithm changes, and outright bans looming, companies need to own a direct line of communication to their audience that won't be interrupted by an algorithm. That's where SMS can step in. Texting gives marketers control over their audience communication and ensures that any of their audience data is theres.
Opt-In Only
With laws like GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and CCPA, personal data protection has become top of mind for many consumers. Eight states in the US have enacted privacy laws and another fifteen states are currently reviewing consumer privacy bills. An opt-in-only marketing tool like SMS gives you peace of mind knowing that you’re staying compliant with privacy laws across the world.
Reducing Churn
In the post-pandemic world, it's clear that the subscription era is here to stay. With ever-mounting spending on subscription services, slow inflation, and the start of a recession, Americans are starting to cancel subscriptions they don’t see value in. Marketers are looking to add features to keep subscribers happy. We've seen that adding an SMS offering can help reduce churn by up to 50%. SMS offerings can vary but most importantly they must provide something unique and compelling for subscribers.
Connect With Fans
Texting allows marketers to create a meaningful connection with their audience. Through intimate conversations, brands can personify their brand, create an effective marketing channel and ultimately build brand loyalty. Text messaging is private, direct, and troll-free where subscribers are far more likely to respond. With 95% of texts read and responded to within 3 minutes, that gives marketers the confidence that their message is seen by people that care.
Listen To Your Audience
Marketers are always looking for new ways to understand their audience’s wants and needs to help drive marketing and product decisions. With SMS, marketers are able to collect zero-party audience data through the power of conversation. You’re able to ask your subscribers questions, poll the audience, and ultimately, run ideas past your most loyal fans.
With all these factors in play, SMS is a powerful and effective channel that marketers cannot afford to ignore. By incorporating texting into their marketing plan, marketers can improve their communication and engagement with their audience, and ultimately drive brand loyalty and revenue. Book time to talk to our SMS experts to learn how best to plan out your brand’s SMS strategy.