The year was 2005. Mobile marketing began with simple text messages being sent to customers by businesses and brands they signed up with to receive these messages that ranged from notification of sales to new product announcements. At that point, mobile marketing was born! Over a decade later, it has flourished into a booming business. Just how, you may wonder.
We now live in a world of instantaneous demands at any time for information, updates, news, ideas, better products, and improved services. That may explain why globally, 33% more people have access to mobile phones than to toilets! According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of Americans own some type of cell phone. Experience has proven that a business can become a success, seemingly overnight, thanks to these handy mobile devices.
Did you know that texting is literally the most used form of communication on earth? Over 6 billion texts are sent everyday in the U.S. It’s the most used “app” on any smartphone and a basic service of any digital phone. Texting is part of the human fabric. Therefore, it makes sense then that SMS marketing is the best way to reach customers all around the world.
For a fact, no marketing manager can afford to ignore SMS marketing as they plan their marketing activities. Are you one of those who haven’t considered its effectiveness? In a previous post, we unmasked 5 Myths About Text Messaging Marketing. But today we’ve put together 10 unbelievable but true text message marketing stats that will convince you why it should be part of your marketing menu.
1. Over 560 Billion Text Messages Are Sent Every Month
That would translate to almost 80 text messages for every living person on earth or more than 5.5 million messages per second globally! You might know a few teenagers who might be responsible for a big chunk of these messages! But consider the texting frequency. Texting isn’t something you just do once a week, or once a month, no. You do it all day, every day! Research tells us that the average American adult spends a total of 23 hours a week texting and checks their phone 46 times per day! What does that mean to you as a marketer? You’ve got to get yourself into this communication channel; get inside the conversations your customers are having.
2. 91% of All AmericansHave Their Mobile Device Within Reach 24/7
True to that statistic, most of us don’t leave our homes without our mobile phone. It’s probably within arms-reach every time, all the time. Consider that research has established that over one-third of mobile users are attracted and read their mobiles immediately after waking up. Besides, in a single day, the average American uses more than 90 minutes a day on their smartphone, and about 25% of that time is spent text messaging. 35% of Americans check their mobile phones within 5 minutes of waking up in the morning, with 70% use their mobiles during meal times. You now know where and how you can get your customers.
3. 90% of All Text Messages Are Read Within 3 Minutes of Their Delivery
Given that mobile devices have now become an integral part of the society, you can guarantee that when you send a text message, it will be received. This is an important statistic for any marketer! It means that any message sent to your customers will be read almost immediately.
4. Text Messages Have a 98% Open Rate and a 45% Response Rate
Indisputably, SMS marketing is heads and shoulders above any other communication method in terms of read-rate. Compare these statistics to those of email at a 20% open rate and 6% response rate. It is no wonder that SMS marketing campaigns have over 7 times greater performance than email campaigns. And the reason is pretty basic: they are simple, personal and easily accessible on the phone.
5. 77% Of Consumers Have a Positive Perception of Companies Who Use Text Messaging
Since most people send and receive text messages on a daily basis, it follows to reason that your customers will definitely like, have access to and know how to use text messaging. Indeed, 90% of mobile device users who were enrolled in SMS loyalty clubs felt they had benefited from being involved in the program. And the more positive the impression of your company, the more likely they’ll buy from you, or recommend you to friends and family. Think of this: Only 10% of SMS marketing messages received are considered spam.
6. 70% of Consumers Want Their Queries Resolved Without Ever Talking to Anyone
In this age of convenience, consumers want information on demand. This research finding indicates most customers would prefer to get answers to their questions without talking to a live person. Messaging is even a more powerful customer care tool for millennials, with 83% of them preferring
7. 50% of Adults Under 30 Years Old Consider Text Messages As Meaningful As Phone Calls
This research finding means that texting is an important method of communication for many people. As a marketer, therefore, you want to ensure your text marketing plans are well thought out and organized because they matter to your recipients.
8. Approximately 50% of Consumers Make Direct Purchases After Receiving an SMS Branded Text
Such a branded text may contain a discount coupon or QR code. Stats prove that 29% of targeted customers will respond to text messages; 47% of those responders will go on and make a purchase. Also, consider that 34% of Millennials acknowledge they look for online coupons on a weekly basis. Hence you will not be surprised to know that mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons.
9. 84% of People Worldwide Use Text Messaging
While the dramatic rise of new communication apps has overtaken SMS, the latter still remains so popular. Text messaging is the most widely used feature on any phone, smartphones included. Don’t be surprised that more people use their smartphones for texting than they do for phone calls. There are over 4.2 billion texters worldwide! According to some studies, more people are texting than who are watching television, listening to the radio, or even are using the internet. Further proof you need to be sending text messages for your business!
10. Businesses Are Only Operating The SMS Channel at 38% Capacity
Considering the power and range of features of SMS marketing, it’s inconceivable that businesses are lagging behind in leveraging this trend. Applying SMS marketing techniques is predicted to contribute to 40% growth rate of revenues. There are so many opportunities that should be taken advantage in using texts to communicate with your customers.
What Do These Stats Mean For Any Business in the Future?
The motto of marketing in the present world is to hit the specific target. The statistics we have provided indicate that SMS is a very viable and effective means of communicating directly to each customer. It is a more effective way than the business website (64%) and display advertiser (59%). Businesses that have successfully utilized SMS marketing indicate that they plan to continue to increase this form of marketing over the next few years.
What is more, 75% of mobile phones worldwide are enabled to receive SMS. This means that pretty much every mobile phone is compatible with texting, so you won’t need to worry about alienating some users, or getting your customers on board with brand new technologies. That’s why SMS is currently the most effective communication tool available for business effectiveness and efficiency in the U.S. It has been tried, tested and has been around for over 20 years; using it to communicate with customers will ensure your business keeps up with market trends while using a reliable method.
Let’s Face It: Text Message Marketing is The Future
How do you turn those statistics into something actionable? Whatever your product or service is, it’s vital to ensure its visible wherever your customers go. With a ratio of 4 mobile devices to every computer, you’re not left to guess where your customers are. SMS marketing is no longer something you can afford to put on the to-do list for the future; you need to make sure you’re on a mobile device, now! Don’t miss the opportunity to improve your sales and be in touch with your customers.
Developed by a dedicated team of engineers and mass communication marketing professionals, Pocketstop’s Straightxt offers businesses across the U.S. access to professional, results-driven SMS marketing software options. It’s a simple, flexible, and easy-to-use SMS marketing digital communications channel for businesses. Initial setup takes only a few days, with no new hardware or development. Send text messages, communicate, and gather insights from anywhere using any digital device. Our intuitive dashboard makes it easy to monitor activity at a glance. Why not request a demo now?
