SMS Marketing: Why use mobile messaging as part of your marketing strategy?
Integral to our modern lifestyle, smartphones are here to stay. Incredibly, around 5 billion people worldwide now use a mobile phone.
In its study of global mobile trends, finance giant Deloitte describes mobile devices as a ‘fixture of modern life’. In 2020, every developed country has at least 90% mobile phone penetration.
The report found that more than a third of consumers worldwide look at their phone within five minutes of waking up in the morning and around 20% check it more than 50 times a day! Given how attached consumers have become to their hand-held devices, it is clear to see why marketers have turned to short message service (SMS) messaging for a direct, personal and instant way of reaching a huge, mobile audience. In fact, for many companies, SMS marketing is now an essential part of effective multi-channel marketing activities. They allow brands to drop messages – quite literally – into their customers’ hands.
What is SMS marketing?
Put simply, SMS marketing allows businesses to contact customers with marketing messages through SMS, more commonly known as text messaging.
The technique uses permission-based bulk SMS messages to spread the word. These can be anything from appointment reminders to surveys, promotions, product launches, new lines, sales, offers and more.
To receive messages, customers opt-in to an automated system by texting an SMS short code. Once the code is sent, the user’s number is stored and a confirmation is sent, giving an opt-out code for unsubscribing. In addition to its practical applications, SMS marketing builds a database of subscribers, developing customer relationships and increasing loyalty.
Here we look at 5 reasons to consider SMS as part of an overall marketing strategy.
1. High engagement levels
According to global media company Forbes, more than 60% of consumers prefer SMS to email marketing services. As a result, SMS messages achieve open rates of over 98%, outperforming email and offering a highly effective communication channel.
2. Real-time communication
Consumers’ engagement with their mobiles means that SMS connects with them in a way that is quick, personal and direct. Text messages are an ideal way of employing close range marketing tactics – notifying people within a vicinity of immediate offers.
3. Versatility
Mobile messaging is extremely versatile in that it suits all kinds of uses, from promotional messages to appointment reminders. They can work for all kinds of businesses, from micro firms to global companies. One of the most powerful tools available to marketers, SMS can be used to conduct surveys, encourage bookings, advertise special promotions and send reminders.
4. Cost efficiency
You may think that mobile marketing requires heavy investment. In reality, simple software intermediaries, or application programming interfaces (APIs), are available through suppliers like MessageCloud. An SMS API helps keep costs low and makes mobile marketing a highly economical way to reach customers worldwide.
5. Integration
As well as being a great stand-alone tactic for SMS advertising, text messaging can also enhance and support other marketing channels, such as social media and email. Given consumers’ attachment to their devices, likelihood to check updates regularly and preference for SMS over email communications, it is easy to see how a simple SMS reminder can increase email open rates. SMS is also effective in obtaining feedback from customers, delivering increased open and response rates that produce great results in a short period of time.
About MessageCloud
MessageCloud is a multi-award-winning mobile messaging provider. Its cloud-based SMS and messaging products enable companies to set up and manage one-way and two-way communications effortlessly. Plus, it offers products to analyse phone numbers, verify users and accept payments by mobile. With its ‘Send’ product, MessageCloud delivers bulk SMS marketing that is fast, simple and filled with valuable features. And with more than a decade of delivering messages for diverse markets around the globe, it is a service you can rely on.