Even though social media dominates the online world, there is a more traditional way to use digital marketing—good old texting. The process may seem a bit outdated, but it’s still a rewarding strategy.
Let’s take a look at the latest SMS marketing facts and figures.
Essential SMS Marketing Statistics in the US | Editor’s Choice
- SMS has a 98% open rate.
- 26 billion texts are sent every day.
- Texts have a 209% higher response rate than Facebook, phone, or email.
- Eight out of ten consumers like to track their orders via text.
- Americans aged 18–24 send and receive the most text messages per day—128.
- 56% of customers would rather message a business than call them.
- Customers click 19% of all links in SMS messages.
Interesting SMS Marketing Facts
How involved are people in SMS texting? Here are some of the most interesting figures to get you acquainted with some of the crucial ways SMS can be used as a part of your marketing strategy.
1. 98% of Americans send text messages regularly.
Sending text messages is one of the easiest ways to communicate with other people. Text messages statistics show that 232 million Americans use texting to communicate regularly. This massive number of people shows the potential of using texts for marketing purposes.
2. SMS has a 98% opening rate.
Text message marketing for a small business can take advantage of the urgency people feel once they see text notifications. Since people are most used to receiving marketing content on social media or via email, texts give them a sense of urgency.
The text message open rate sits at a booming 98%, compared to only 20% of all emails, showing its effectiveness as a marketing strategy.
3. Every minute, 18.1 million texts are sent.
Even though there are many new communication apps, SMS is still relevant. A booming 18 million texts are sent every minute, translating into over 26 billion texts a day.
The average number of texts sent per day sits around 94 text messages. This number is an average and also takes into account those who have lengthy conversations via text.
4. 59% of smartphone users prefer using communications that don’t require installing third-party apps.
Most people use their phones daily, but not all phones are the same. Some applications need installing or don’t run efficiently on specific devices. The majority of users like to use pre-installed messaging apps rather than installing a third-party app.
5. SMS marketing conversion rate varies between 1.1–9.1%.
The clickthrough rates can get up to 30.3%, but it typically varies between 7.5–30.3%. A single message can bring as much as $8.18, with the lower margin being $0.69.
The most likely reason for texting being this successful—at least, compared to emails—is of a practical nature, as texts are one click away.
2021 SMS Marketing Statistics in the US
Response rates for SMS texts are some of the highest across all industries. As people are more and more attached to their phones, it seems that texting is the fastest way to get your message through.
6. Text messages have a response rate higher than email, phone, and Facebook by 209%.
SMS marketing benchmarks show that nearly one out three people tend to respond to SMS marketing messages. Out of that 30%, around half will proceed to make a purchase or do business with your company.
7. 67% of Americans choose to get service-based text messages from their banks.
Texting facts and statistics indicate that, as Americans are busy people, many choose to get notifications from their banks through SMS. US smartphone users find it more convenient to receive a text with meaningful information than continually checking an app.
8. 73% of businesses expect their budgets for text message marketing to increase next year.
More businesses are starting to use SMS marketing as part of their strategy after seeing the successes it could bring. The majority of companies expect their budget for text message promotions to increase in the next year.
9. Eight out of ten consumers like to track their orders via text.
As online shopping quickly becomes the new normal, shipping companies are using texts to offload customer service. Customer experience statistics show that almost 80% of buyers like to receive text updates about their parcels and their estimated delivery time.
One of the advantages of text messaging is its high opening rate, ensuring that customers are always up-to-date with their parcels’ whereabouts.
10. 55% of consumers prefer SMS for appointment reminders compared to 35% who prefer email.
When looking at customer preferences, more than half prefer to receive appointment reminders via text. Only 35% prefer email reminders.
SMS marketing stats show that the smaller text size usually makes it easier to digest than email notifications. As people see texts as more urgent, they open them quicker than emails. Especially for appointment reminders, this is a must.
11. 65% of brands lack an SMS marketing strategy.
Even though we spend a lot of time on our phones every day, many brands still haven’t invested in an SMS marketing strategy.
Companies may be worried about the disadvantages of text messaging, as texts have to be concise, and people respond negatively towards unwanted texts. Due to the rise of texting fraud, customers are also wary of fraudulent text messages.
12. Smartphone users aged 18–24 send 2,022 text messages per month.
According to Business Insider, the average number of text messages per month for smartphone users aged 18–24 is around 2,000. They receive an average of 1,831 texts per month.
This statistic shows that SMS is much more popular than email among this age group. Even though most people use many different social media accounts, they still use text messages to communicate with friends and family.
Texting Statistics by Age
How much does age influence texting habits? A lot, it seems. The next stats introduce the most willing texters, as opposed to demographics that all but avoid it.
13. SMS marketing and millennials statistics show over 83% of this generation spend more time texting than talking on their phones.
Millennials tend to live fast and want to achieve things more quickly than the generations before them. Due to millennials’ fast-paced nature, SMS marketing trends show that they prefer texting as a communication mode. Texting is more flexible, as you can respond at a time more suitable for you.
According to text messaging statistics in 2021, SMS marketing will be more effective than calls when targeting millennials, as they tend to reject calls due to their hectic schedules.
14. Americans aged 18–24 send and receive the most text messages per day—128.
The US population over the age of 55 is the demographic that use this form of communication the least. They exchange 16 texts per day on average—a figure that fades compared to the youngest population’s usage.
More Text Message Figures
In case it’s not already clear—SMS texting is still very much alive and plausible for a successful marketing campaign. Here is some additional data that confirms it.
15. 70% of businesses used texting to communicate with customers and employees in 2020.
Previous data for SMS marketing shows that this marks a three-percent growth compared to the year earlier. A lot of it has to do with the ongoing pandemic, as 34% of the businesses said they decided to implement text messaging as the need for quicker and more efficient communication was immediate.
16. 56% of customers would rather message a business than call them.
Phone calls are not as popular anymore in a world that is shifting towards a more digital life. More than half of customers would prefer to message a business instead of calling them.
Texting is less intrusive and can be much more flexible than making a phone call, which is one of the many benefits of text marketing.
17. 58% of consumers reported that they perceive businesses better if they offered SMS notifications.
Customers perceive businesses more positively if they have an SMS notification option. An increasing number of customers look for more engagement over text message, whether this is to confirm appointments or make them aware of a sale.
18. Only 10% of SMS marketing messages are spam.
While some customers may be wary of fraudulent texts, only 10% of all SMS marketing messages are spam. Almost half of all emails (48.7%) are spam, making SMS marketing much more trustworthy.
These text message marketing stats indicate that there is much potential for SMS marketing.
19. Customers click 19% of all links in SMS messages.
The average click-through rate in email marketing sits around 2%. Compared to the 19% click-through rate in SMS marketing, that isn’t very high.
SMS text marketing statistics show how SMS marketing could be a great way to grow website traffic and get your products in front of your customers.
20. Text response rate for the finance and banking industry is 57%.
And this is only in the first 15 minutes of the text delivery. Industry average SMS response rates for some of the more successful sectors are as follows:
- Travel and transportation—54%
- Entertainment—37%
- Betting and trading—33%
- Retail—32%
21. A single SMS costs 12 Indian paise (equivalent to 0.0016 USD).
This might be the reason why, according to statistics, SMS marketing in India still isn’t used to its fullest potential in 2021. This means that a retail company, for example, could end up spending 15–20 thousand rupees ($205–$273) to reach customers in a single campaign.
One promotional email, on the other hand, costs somewhere between 2–4 paise.
More Text Message Figures
Knowing the statistics of SMS marketing gives businesses an edge on how they can gain new leads and keep their customers hooked at the same time. SMS text advertising may be one of the old marketing methods, but it has not yet lost its effectiveness. Additional perks such as cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and less production time make SMS advertising a fascinating marketing strategy.
As people are locked up in their homes during the pandemic and spend even more time on their phones, it is advisable to take this as an opportunity to use these SMS marketing statistics for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions | FAQ
More than 65% of Americans tend to check their phones over a hundred times a day. Text messaging marketing could play an essential role in your marketing strategy. SMS marketing efficiency is still rising, as text messages require minimal time and effort from customers.
According to global mobile marketing statistics, 23 billion text messages are sent every day. Nearly 26% of those come from the US. By the moment you’ve finished reading this, approximately two million more text messages have been sent.
According to other SMS marketing stats, there are five factors to why SMS marketing is vital in a marketing strategy. First, it is mobile-friendly, meaning all phones have an SMS feature. Secondly, the planning time is shorter than other marketing methods, making SMS marketing cost lower.
Thirdly, it helps reduce a company’s carbon footprint by not using resources such as paper and tarpaulins. It also gives a company a chance to create a personal connection with their customers, as text messages can be personalized. Lastly, it is direct and less time-consuming.
Text messaging marketing statistics show that 98% of SMS messages are read. This statistic shows that SMS marketing is more effective than emails, which are only opened 20% of the time.
In addition to this, when comparing SMS vs. email marketing, SMS marketing shows a much higher click-through rate. We can conclude that SMS marketing is effective and should be considered as part of a successful marketing strategy.
The content of the messages plays a massive role in making SMS marketing effective in 2020. SMS stands for “Short Message Service,” indicating that the message should be concise but informative. Customers often ignore boring texts with plain templates. While there is no recommended number of words, a few characteristics make eye-catching text messages, including uniqueness, wittiness, and clarity.
According to SMS marketing statistics, the ideal time to send SMS marketing messages is between 9 AM and 12 PM or between 5 PM and 9 PM on weekdays. On Saturday, the best times to send these texts are between 10 AM and noon. On Sunday, texts that are sent between 4 PM and 7 PM will catch more attention from potential customers.
