With the impressively rapid growth of rich communication services (RCS), understanding the role SMS plays in the implementation of marketing strategies is of utmost importance for all companies that want to keep up with new trends and solutions. With more and more people returning to the comfort and security of text messaging, not implementing SMS marketing plans means not tapping into a significant section of your target demographics.
In 2018, the number of application-to-person and person-to-application text messages reached the impressive figure of 1.76 trillion, thus making SMS marketing one of the most reliable marketing methods of our time. Whether we are speaking of retailers, restaurants, shopping malls, or any other business, text message marketing can significantly improve your position in the industry you are operating in, by creating a trustworthy relationship between you and your customers. Yet even before the implementation of technologies such as RCS, text messaging is becoming more and more inclusive in its methods and reach.
SMS Marketing and Its Role in Modern Marketing Industry
Customers are becoming less interested in standard marketing methods and more drawn towards the type of marketing that speaks of the authentic values of a brand. Therefore, companies need to implement marketing strategies that offer a more personalized relationship than traditional methods such as commercials or billboards. This is where text message marketing truly shines, as it provides marketers with a simple, intimate, and highly effective communication channel. With SMS, you can promote your products and services, invite people to your company’s invents, send information about your brand, or create customer loyalty programs. Modern marketing solutions such as Straightxt come with a wide range of benefits and features that can help you not only make the most of text message marketing, but also easily integrate it with your other marketing strategies.
According to a research report from Adobe, consumers in the United States spend an average of 7.8 hours engaging with digital content. And even though most of that time is spent on smartphones, other devices are gaining more and more attention from consumers, such as laptops, wearable devices, or IoT devices. Given that people are spending with their devices almost as much time as they do sleeping, reaching out to them through those devices is a wise marketing decision in our digitally-driven times. But can SMS marketing do more than connect brands and customers just through a mobile or smartphone?
SMS Marketing Isn’t Just for Smartphones
If you are not familiar with text message marketing or you are still drafting your strategies based on the assumption that your customers only read and text from their smartphone, then you need to update your knowledge of it before other companies reach out to your target audience.
Today, multi-device solutions are highly appreciated by customers, as technologies are making it possible for them to connect with family, friends, and favorite brands through more than just a computer or a smartphone.
Devices That Support SMS Marketing and Why They Matter for Your Campaigns
When you are drafting your text message marketing strategies, you need to keep in mind not just the messages you are broadcasting, but also the device you are broadcasting it to, aside from a smartphone. Since the main purpose of SMS marketing is to engage with customers and have them engage back with your brand, knowing the devices they are using will help you achieve better outcomes.
Wearable Devices such as Smartwatches or Fitness Trackers
After smartphones, the most used mobile devices are smartwatches and fitness trackers. These devices connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, and can display information from a wide array of apps, including text messages.
Laptops and Tablets
Most people who own a laptop or a tablet have connected their smartphones via native or other kind of apps, in order to synchronize their data, and have all the necessary information at hand, without having to change devices. This includes SMS, therefore drafting your campaigns with the idea that your messages can also reach laptops and tablets, thus expanding the time and places you can connect with your customers in.
Internet of Things Devices
It is projected that in 2020, the number of IoT devices connected worldwide will reach 31 billion, with some of those devices – such as smart hubs – being able to connect to a smartphone, and further to the text messaging app.
Why Other Devices Aside from Smartphones Matter
When it comes to developing a SMS marketing campaign, the most important thing companies and marketers need to have in mind is the personalization of the message. Therefore, knowing the devices your customers are using will also allow you to have a better understanding of their lifestyle, their needs from your brand, the way they might interact with your messages, and when. The more information you gather from your customers, the easier it will be to properly tailor your messages, so make sure that you are requesting feedback regularly and segmenting your audience correspondingly.
According to studies, the majority of smartphone users are excited about getting their texts on their smartphones, and since this is a device they have on for most of the day, it will increase your chances of interactive with on-the-go customers. The same goes for fitness trackers and bracelets, since some of them have text reading capabilities. For example, if your stores are located in an area known for outdoor exercise, you can use proximity marketing to target your audience, with an increased chance of them seeing your notification while they are in the vicinity of your business.
SMS marketing is no longer reserved for old mobile phones, it has long passed over the single-device use threshold and, if implemented properly, can reach customers no matter what device they are using. Upgrading your current marketing strategies and drafting your new ones based on this knowledge will give you a competitive edge over other businesses in your industry or community, therefore increasing your text marketing ROI.
Also, make sure that your implementation is done in compliance with industry rules and guidelines, and that you are always using a comprehensive text marketing solution in order to get the most from your campaigns.
