SMS is one of the leading channels ushering in a digital revolution in the world of marketing. SMS is now paramount to any business’s customer engagement strategy, along with WhatsApp and other live chat tools.
Many companies are already leveraging SMS due to its highly interactive and ubiquitous nature and because almost every cell phone in the world can receive a text message. But don’t just take our word for it. These 18 statistics will have every marketer ready to embrace the incredible power of SMS.
1. The clickthrough rate for SMS offer messages is 9.18% higher than any other digital channel.
SMS clickthrough rate is nearly 10% higher than email or any ad placed on the web or social media. (source)
2. 60% of customers read texts within 1-5 minutes after receiving them.
Compare that number to the three to six-hour metric when contrasted with email, and it becomes apparent that if you want your content consumed quickly, SMS is the way to go. (source)
3. 75% of people aged 44 and below like contacting businesses via text.
The sweet spot of any brand is the target demo of 18-49. This stat reflects younger generations and those that grew up with technology. Logic would dictate that this number will increase as time goes on. (source)
4. Retailers increased their spending on SMS platforms by 56% in 2020.
SMS has continued to grow as a business tool over the past decade, and it shows no sign of stopping. We can look to the pandemic as brands searched for innovative ways to utilize digital channels for promotions and provided contactless alternatives to in-store shopping heavily leveraging SMS. (source)
5. When it comes to the best time to send SMS marketing messages, the early bird gets the worm. 75% of consumers say that they check their phone within 30 minutes of waking up.
Due to the customizable nature of the channel, you can set your SMS API to send automated texts based on a user’s time zone. (source)
6. SMS produces engagement rates six to eight times higher than retailers typically achieve via email marketing.
This stat speaks for itself. When you consider that the open rate of SMS hovers around 98%, and the majority of emails are sent directly to the trash, it isn’t any surprise that SMS is a much more engaging channel. (source)
7. Clickthrough rates can be as high as 40% on the SMS channel, and the conversion rates can reach 30%.
Comparing this to the email clickthrough of 1-3% and an email conversion rate at about 1%, you can infer that SMS is 30x more effective when compared to email. (Mitto)
8. 86% of small business owners who utilize text messaging say texting offers higher engagement than email communication.
SMS Marketing is for organizations of all sizes. If your business is not ready to deploy a complete API, you can still leverage SMS with low-code/no-code, browser-based options like Mitto’s Conversations tool. (source)
9. As of 2021, 67 million Americans redeem coupons via mobile phones.
One of the many use cases for SMS is that of digital promotion. It should be no surprise then that over 20% of the US population redeems digital coupons, a number that is increasing. (source)
10. SMS has an unsubscribe rate of only 3%.
Worried about your customers unsubscribing? Don’t be! SMS’s relatively low unsubscribe rate can also be linked to its low spam rate of 10% compared with the email spam rate of 50%. To make this unsubscribe rate drop even further, ensure that you deliver valuable content to your prospects and customers. (Mitto)
11. The average open rate for text message marketing campaigns is 98%, compared to 22.7% for email marketing campaigns.
The gold standard of SMS marketing statistics… if you want your customers to consume your content, SMS is the perfect channel. (source)
12. 83% of consumers would like to receive appointment reminders via text, but only 20% of businesses send them this way.
This chasm is a frighteningly large delta of 63% in supply and demand. If you are one of the 80% of businesses not sending appointment reminders via SMS, you may want to rethink your strategy. (source)
13. 66% of consumers would like to receive service notifications via text, but only 23% of businesses send them this way.
Once again, two-thirds of users want to receive service notifications via the SMS channel, but less than a quarter of businesses provide this. Separate yourself from the competition by providing an excellent customer experience. (source)
14. Only 13% of businesses allow customers to respond to their SMS marketing messages.
The beauty of SMS is that it provides a channel for engaging, two-way conversations. Businesses that are only using the channel to talk at their customers, instead of leveraging it for conversations, only realize half the value of SMS. (source)
15. The top three SMS types preferred by customers are updates on their shipping tracking for products (75%), receiving order status and confirmations (65%), and scheduling reminders (46%).
But these use cases are only the tip of the iceberg. Innovative marketers will find ways to use SMS to set up returns, push users into stores or even provide essential support. (source)
16. 75% of clients want to receive offers via SMS.
When three-fourths of your customer base wants to receive promotional offers on a particular channel, the failure to do so is marketing malpractice. (source)
17. 50% of consumers say they would opt into an SMS loyalty program if offered flash sales, deals, or coupons in return.
Your business likely has a loyalty program; why not expand it to the SMS channel if half your users are willing. This opt-in could also open the door for more SMS-based use cases. (source)
18. 85% of consumers prefer to receive an SMS over a voice call or an email.
When was the last time anyone looked forward to a phone call? SMS is the simplest way to engage directly with your users. It creates a paper trail that is easy to follow and doesn’t get lost in the email inbox quagmire. (source)
The time to harness the power of SMS is right now. Your customers and prospects are eager to hear from you on this channel, and the Mitto team is prepared to help. Contact us today and learn how to leverage digital channels such as SMS and WhatsApp to achieve your customer engagement goals.