December 3, 2024
From SMS messages to SMS marketing: how and why short texts became an incredible tool for business
This year SMS messaging celebrates its 40th anniversary! It was born in 1984 when first research and developments began. However, final implementation took place in 1992 when the first text message reached its recipient. And nowadays many of you hardly remember times without mobile phones and can not imagine at least one day without text messaging exchange. And relatively fast smart businessmen revealed that it is a huge power not only for personal, but for customers’ communication. If you still do not use SMS channel to reach and attract your audience, you lose plenty of opportunities. We will prove this statement in our todays’ article.
SMS business messaging evolution
In today’s digital age, marketers have in their disposal a wide range of mobile messaging tools to reach and engage their target audience. But a little bit less than 30 years ago when most of them did not exist, SMS messaging already offered direct and quick communication possibilities for brands and their clients.
How did it begin and develop?
1. Before smartphones introduction – first use cases were for notification purposes – bookings/orders confirmations, shipment/delivery updates. SMS is still widely used for transactional purposes to share with customers confirmations, reminders, one-time-passwords, etc.
2. After smartphones became widely spread SMS business messaging significantly evolved. Multimedia elements became available, and it brought new opportunities for businesses to interact with the audience and create attractive marketing campaigns.
2000s – was a great time for small businesses to grow and develop thanks to SMS marketing. As traditional ads tools, such as TV, radio and outdoors advertising were extremely expensive for them and with SMS promotional messaging they got an affordable channel to attract customers, increase sales and profitability.
3. After e-commerce rapid development SMS marketing made an incredible leap. Brands selling online finally and irrevocably made text messaging more business than personal communication tool.
4. After high-tech digital technologies come to the stage – Artificial Intelligence, automation, integration with other tools and software. Now SMS campaigns become smart and less human dependent. AI enables businesses to personalize their messages, analyze customers’ data, schedule campaign delivery, collect feedback and analyze the outcomes, etc. Automation saves time, resources and also ensures communication at appropriate time and with well balanced frequency.
As the result of evolution above SMS became and still is a working tool for timely, personalized, data-driven and effective customers’ communication for businesses of all sizes and spheres. And impressive current statistics demonstrate the success.
What opportunities businesses obtain with SMS messaging today
- Targeted messaging
- Great audience reach and fast delivery
- High deliverability and open rates
- High-level customers’ engagement
- Easy customization and integration with other tools
- Convenient campaigns monitoring
SMS for business today in numbers
“Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have become integral tools for communication, news, and entertainment. As these handheld electronics have become ubiquitous and almost half of the global population now uses them to access the web, businesses from around the world are seizing this opportunity to promote their products and services online.” (Statista)
- ¼ of businesses are currently using SMS for marketing and promotions
- 68% of businesses use some form of texting today
- 70% of consumers think that SMS is a good way for businesses to grab their attention
- 58% of consumers said texting is the most effective way to reach them quickly
- 90% of SMS are read within the first 3 minutes after delivery
- 33% of people that receive a CTA by text act on it
- By 2027, the SMS market is expected to reach 78 million U.S. dollars in revenues worldwide.
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The present of text messaging looks solid and impressive, and the future also looks optimistic. What makes the expectations so positive?
Future trends of SMS messaging
Humanity has gone through the evolution from carrier pigeons to smartwatches. One technology was substituted by another. Who remembers telegraph, fax machines or pagers? SMS messaging is not the most modern technology, but still effective. Will it become outdated? Maybe somewhen, but not in the foreseeable future. Why? Because it is widely spread, familiar and very popular among the majority of the population worldwide, user friendly and convenient. And engineers and technologists, understanding the above, do not slow down its modernization and development.
What is the future of SMS marketing? Catch and follow the hot trends:
- Adoption of RCS messaging. Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an advanced protocol that allows media-rich and interactive messaging.
- Omnichannel approach. SMS marketing implementation within an omnichannel strategy can significantly contribute to messaging effectiveness and revenue growth. As per ImLink CEO Alexey Sergeev opinion – companies focusing only on one channel approach will go into shadow rapidly. Omnichannel approach will gain the force, no doubt.
- Deeper AI integration for more human-like interactions. AI stands above all other emerging trends and technologies as it will add full automation and human mimic into text messaging interactions.
- Hyperpersonalization. Will enable outstandingly tailored consumer experiences. Brands that successfully implement advanced personalization see improved customers’ interaction, engagement and loyalty.
We clearly demonstrated SMS messaging power, however, note that for the instrument to become working smart handling is crucial.
TOP 10 best practices for effective SMS messaging campaigns
- Start with compliance
- Avoid being spammy
- Message at appropriate time
- Identify your brand
- Personalize your messaging
- Think over your language
- Make your offers valuable
- Implement creativity and exclusivity
- Add clear call-to-action
- Always answer text messages
ImLink messaging platform for business knows all and even more about effective SMS campaigns, as it is one of the most popular services our clients order. In our Cases section we share how our customers successfully implement the channel and achieve incredible results.
To start effective customers’ communication already today, fill in the form and our manager will contact you and provide a detailed description of the features and prices of our platform.