If you’re a marketing manager or business owner, you may be interested in hearing the news from MessageMedia – that sending a text (SMS marketing) is currently the most effective marketing method.
Today, people are time-poor and have a short attention span – we all know this first-hand. Add those two things together, and it can be puzzling to know how to get your brand recognised and well-known.
The answer to the question posed in our headline looks like a resounding yes, based on new research.
MessageMedia surveyed approximately 1000 consumers over 2019 to create the new report, which aim to show insights into how small businesses can better connect with their customers.
The key finding is that almost three quarters of consumers (73 per cent) agree that a text message is much more likely to get their attention when compared with an app notification or an email.
Small businesses are actually leading the way in terms of recognising the importance of taking the customer’s communication preference into account, and they are already leveraging this effective text channel.
Other findings
- 72 per cent of respondents have received a reminder about an appointment or a booking confirmation from, for example, a hairdresser, via SMS
- Nearly half (47 per cent) of respondents find it useful to receive a reminder about an appointment or a booking confirmation via SMS
- 67 per cent of respondents would like to reschedule an appointment via SMS
Around the world, many small businesses are already reaping the benefits of SMS-driven customer interactions, as demonstrated by the incredible growth in SMS statistics.
In 2017, there were 8.3 trillion texts sent worldwide – or 16 million per minute. Of those, approximately 1.67 trillion were business messages sent through a provide.
By 2023, this figure is set to increase dramatically to 3.5 trillion – a rise of 52 per cent.
MessageMedia’s research found that 97 per cent of Australians open SMS messages, 87 per cent have opened an SMS from a business, and 83 per cent have clicked through a link within SMS – proving it’s an engaging mobile experience for consumers.
Chief Marketing Officer at MessageMedia, Tara Salmon, says SMS marketing remains one of the most effective tools that small businesses have at their disposal.
“The battle to win consumers’ attention has never been so hotly contested. It’s paramount to the success of marketing campaigns that the right channel is used to cut through the noise and deliver the message.”
Types of text marketing and their effectiveness
The findings also reveal key insights into interest levels and engagement with various types of SMS marketing.
Seven in 10 consumers (71 per cent) reported that they would be more likely to respond to a message if it was delivered via a richer messaging option such as MMS.
Ease, convenience and visual appeal were strong factors contributing to consumers’ attitudes towards SMS marketing.
According to the research, 51 per cent of respondents believed that next-gen messaging protocol RCS looked like an appealing platform to use.
Consumers indicated that this format would reduce frustration with the need to download a brand’s app to access important information, with 43 per cent liking the fact they can use RCS without downloading another app.
