Whenever I share a screenshot of a friend’s funny text on social media, someone always points out how many unread text messages I have.
“Why do you have so many unread texts? And who are you ignoring? ”My friends often ask.
The truth is, most of the lyrics that I ignore are not written by real people. It’s usually quick marketing messages that I signed up for at some point and that I ended up forgetting.
Whether you signed up for a mobile service, pharmacy alerts, furniture store promotions, or some other list, you’ve likely received a few text messages that you either deleted, unsubscribed, or obviously ignored.
With experiences like the above in mind, you may think that SMS marketing is no longer effective. But in 2021, when people are more hooked on their phones than ever, we might be wrong about the strength of SMS advertising.
As it turns out, a recent study by SimpleTexting shows that SMS marketing may still be alive.
The study, which surveyed over 1,300 consumers and marketers, found that more than 76% of brands want to invest in SMS marketing in the next year, while 62% of consumers subscribed to texts from at least one brand in the last year.
Below, we’ll dive into the study’s research, explain why some marketers may still be considering SMS strategies, and jot down some insights for an effective campaign.
Why SMS Might Come Back Strong
While members of our blogging team once said that due to all the other messaging tactics in the world, text messaging needed to be “freed from their misery” at the time, no one could foresee the changing landscape caused by COVID-19. During the pandemic that left most people stuck in their homes, people turned to their phones and electronics more than ever, with 76% of consumers reporting increased screen time.
When it comes to texting, 61% of consumers have either increased or significantly increased the daily time they spend on their text apps.
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SMS Marketing Effectiveness in 2021
According to SimpleTexting, 62% of consumers have chosen texts from at least one company, while 43% of consumers have specifically subscribed to one to three brands.
When it comes to text messaging effectiveness, consumers respond to marketing texts that require a response much faster than email. While most people reply to emails within half an hour to an hour, 72% of consumers reply to SMS within 10 minutes.
Aside from fast response rates, text messages can also achieve very high engagement. 43% of business owners and digital marketers surveyed who use SMS marketing report click-through rates between 20% and 35%.
An interesting piece of the SimpleTexting survey shows that 52% of brands reported higher opt-in rates between 2021. However, almost 10% reported fewer opt-ins in the same year.
While the increased opt-ins are consistent with increasing screen and text messaging time, the increase in opt-outs suggests that consumers can unsubscribe from text messages as quickly as they can subscribe to them.
The SimpleTexting study and other research suggest reasons why people might opt out.
- Too many text messages from one brand: 60% of SimpleTexting respondents say they have opted out of SMS notifications from brands they send too often. In addition, 56% of these consumers prefer to receive only one text per week from a brand.
- Too many texts from multiple brands: As you increase your text cadence to two, keep in mind that your subscribers may be inundated with tons of copy from other brands as well. While your texts may still be meaningful, you may become more sensitive to opt-outs simply because subscribers are fed up with all the text warnings.
- Pointless content: As with email marketing, you need to keep your readers engaging and engaging them with the content they signed up for. Sending too much ads, boring content, or content that they haven’t signed up for could result in you being unsubscribed.
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Tips for starting a great SMS strategy
While SMS are certainly not dead, SMS or conversational marketing platforms can be tough to master. If you are considering or developing a text-based strategy, keep these quick tips in mind.
- Do you know your personality: Even though people can quickly sign up to get your messages, it doesn’t take much to get them to unsubscribe. Make sure you know exactly what your viewers are looking for and how often they want to receive this content to avoid sending meaningless texts that are ignored.
- Give subscribers what they signed up for: Remember, subscribers trust you with their contact information, and if you’re not transparent about what you send or how often you text them, they may make up their minds quickly. out. Make sure you stay tuned for what to expect.
- Remember less is more: Nobody wants to blow their phone up with tons of meaningless tests with over-the-top advertising. Before starting an SMS campaign, ask yourself questions like “Do I contact people too often?” and “Are you going to bother with this content at all?” If you are concerned that the content is ineffective, then optimize your SMS schedule and send only the most important textual content.
To learn even more about message-based marketing and SMS strategies, check out the great resource below.
