With the prevalence of social media marketing, many people mistakenly believe that SMS messaging and marketing are on the decline. In reality, the opposite is true. The SMS market as a whole has continued to expand, and not just because consumers are messaging friends, businesses are increasingly taking advantage of its potential as a seamless communication experience with their customers.
Why the SMS Market Is Still Expanding
Having an abundance of choices may seem appealing, but at a certain point, consumers experience choice fatigue. The current dilemma for consumers is deciding how many apps they can juggle before getting frustrated.
Apps require constant updates, they may fail or crash on older phones, and they can frequently experience outages. Companies have realised that not everyone needs an app to correspond with customers, and have opted for simpler communication methods.
When time is of the essence, customers are likely to be agitated if they’re unable to communicate with a company. SMS shines in this respect–although it is more than thirty years old, it remains extremely reliable. Business communication through online SMS is used widely and continues to expand.
The most prevalent example of this can be seen in two-factor authentication text messages when logging into security-intensive websites, such as banks. Cellular data plans can run out, apps can crash, but SMS messaging rarely fails as it requires no internet connection.
Receiving a simple text message is so much easier than waiting for an app to load only to tell the customer that “the service is temporarily unavailable.” For the consumer, ease of access makes all the difference.
How Many People Subscribe?
While precise numbers are unavailable due to that information belonging to the companies themselves, it is clear that people from all walks of life frequently opt-in to receive messages. Delivery notifications, transaction alerts, and critical communications all frequently rely on SMS messaging.
The instantaneous nature of SMS is what makes it so appealing for consumers. Missing a flight because the departure change notification email got sent to spam highlights how alternate communication methods frequently fail.
As for SMS marketing messages themselves, large numbers of people are often enticed to opt in and sign up. Thanks to exclusive offers and the fear of missing out on a great deal, consumption-oriented customers seek ways to be kept in the loop.
Receiving a text that informs a customer their abandoned shopping cart item has been reduced in price can easily trigger an impulse purchase. While an app notification can serve the same purpose, it is the immediacy of the SMS message and its clear separation from the app ecosystem that make it a superior choice.
Enhanced Communication Leads to Loyalty
Customers who receive communications other than when something has gone wrong often feel more appreciated. Personalised messages using customer names is a perfect example of this. A birthday or seasonal discount specifically tailored for that particular customer’s preferred products or service makes the customer feel valued, and individuals who believe a company cares about them are likely to remain loyal customers.
New Use for an Old Tool
The size of the market and the number of people who sign up are dependent on the services being offered by each business and their ability to communicate with their customers clearly and concisely. However, the instantaneous, reliable, and personalised nature of SMS is a key reason consumers continue to sign up and opt-in to business-related marketing and messages.