With long-term projects temporarily on hold, the focus for many has been on clear communication and customer experience…

This year has certainly been an interesting one for marketers. We’ve seen budget cuts, rapid changes, and a shift toward digital ad spending. According to Reach Interactive, one marketing channel that is sometimes overlooked but has risen in popularity this year is SMS marketing.

Businesses have been sending texts for all kinds of different reasons, with some examples including updated opening hours, stock updates, safety measures, and more. On top of that, a high CTR means that it is a great option when sending out promotional offers. So why have businesses been turning to SMS more frequently this year?

1. It’s direct

An advantage of using SMS is that it is direct. You send a text, and it goes directly into the recipient’s inbox, staying there until they open it. And, unlike social media, you don’t have to fight other businesses to be seen. Studies suggest that only 8% of a Facebook page’s total likes will see any given post. And engagement for accounts with 100,000 followers on Instagram is just 1.1% and 0.3% on Twitter. Compare that with SMS, which has a 98% open rate, and there is no competition. 

2. It’s cost-effective

Running multi-channel campaigns that typically have video, production, and design requirements can be expensive. As a result, many businesses have had to reduce budgets this year. SMS doesn’t fall into that category. Depending on your contact list size, most companies can send an SMS marketing campaign for a few hundred pounds. This investment can quickly turn into revenue with a small conversion percentage.

3. It’s quick

This year has presented many unexpected tasks and responsibilities for marketers by reducing our free time and impacting our daily schedules. However, this isn’t an issue when it comes to SMS marketing because you can send out updates within minutes. All you need to do is write out a 160-character message, select your contact list, and hit send. There are no video or design requirements involved. For businesses that need to send regular updates, such as those in education or healthcare, texting has been extremely helpful.

4. It’s personal

A key benefit of texting your customers is that it is personal, unlike website updates or social media posts that are seen by everyone. Therefore, allowing you to speak to customers one-to-one. With so much uncertainty right now, this provides businesses with a great platform to connect with customers on a personal level by keeping them in the loop about business activities and promotions.

5. It’s targeted

When GDPR launched in 2018, there were many valid questions from businesses about the legalities around SMS, email marketing, and more. What happened was that it ensured that companies are only targeting customers with a genuine interest in their product or services, which benefits all parties. Businesses now text targeted offers to existing customer groups as opposed to sending mass texts to people with limited interest. Not only does this support CRO, but it also reduces costs. After all, we all know that it’s cheaper to generate sales from your existing customers.

https://www.reach-interactive.com/