The world is quickly progressing into the digital era, due to people’s increasing need to have an online presence. The connection brought by the latest advancements paved the way for marketers to take on new challenges. This improvement helped various companies expand their reach and increase revenue.
Even though social media dominates the online world, there is a more traditional way to use digital marketing—good old texting. This process may seem a bit outdated, but it’s still a rewarding technique. Let’s take a look at the latest SMS marketing statistics.
Top SMS Marketing Statistics in the US (Editor’s Pick)
- 59% of smartphone users prefer using communications that don’t require installing a third-party app.
- SMS has an 98% open rate.
- 98% of Americans send text messages regularly.
- Only 10% of SMS marketing messages are spam.
- Over 83% of millennials spend more time texting than making phone calls.
Interesting SMS Marketing Facts
1. 59% of smartphone users prefer using communications that don’t require installing third-party apps.
(Mobile Monkey)
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.
2. 98% of Americans send text messages regularly.
(Txtra)
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.
3. SMS has a 98% opening rate.
(Campaign Monitor)
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.
4. Every day, 20 billion texts are sent.
(Adobe Blog & Text Request)
Even though there are many new communication apps, SMS is still relevant. A booming 20 billion texts are sent every day, which results in 7.3 trillion texts per year. 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.
SMS Marketing Statistics 2020 in the US
5. 67% of Americans choose to get service-based text messages from their banks.
(Txtra)
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 important information than continually checking an app.
6. 73% of businesses expect their budgets for text message marketing to increase next year.
(SlickText)
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.
7. Eight out of ten consumers like to track their orders via text, according to customer service statistics.
(Mobile Monkey)
As online shopping quickly becomes the new normal, shipping companies are using texts to offload customer service. Almost 80% of customers 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.
8. 55% of consumers prefer SMS for appointment reminders compared to 35% who prefer email.
(Text Magic)
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.
9. 65% of brands lack an SMS marketing strategy.
(SlickText)
Even though we spend a lot of time on our phone 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.
10. Smartphone users aged 18–24 send 2,022 text messages per month.
(Business Insider)
According to Business Insider, the average 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.
More Text Message Figures
11. Over 83% of millennials spend more time texting than talking on their phones.
(Text Magic)
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 2020, SMS marketing will be more effective than calls when targeting millennials, as they tend to reject calls due to their hectic schedules
12. 56% of customers would rather message a business than call them.
(Mobile Monkey)
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.
13. 58% of consumers reported that they perceive businesses better if they offered SMS notifications.
(Text Magic)
Customers perceive businesses more positively if they have an SMS notification option. An increasing number of customers look for more engagement over text, whether this is to confirm appointments or make them aware of a sale.
14. Only 10% of SMS marketing messages are spam.
(Mobile Monkey)
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.
15. Customers click 19% of all links in SMS messages.
(Mobile Monkey)
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. This statistic shows how SMS marketing could be a great way to grow website traffic and get your products in front of your customers.
Conclusion
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.
