10 Reasons to Leverage on SMS Marketing Trend in 2022

Table of Contents

• Why Is SMS Marketing Growing?
• 10 Reasons that Show SMS Marketing Trend Is Here to Stay
• Is SMS Marketing Outdated?
• Conclusion 
• Key Takeaways
• Frequently Asked Questions

The last few years of a global pandemic have had a tremendous impact on many aspects of our life. Due to worldwide lockdowns, we were compelled to adopt new digital behavior and shop online.

This created an opportunity for businesses to reconsider how they communicate with customers and apply some tried-and-true marketing tactics. SMS marketing was one of them, and they are steadily regaining power in the digital marketing game.

In this article, we will take a deeper look at why SMS marketing is growing, the reasons why it is regaining power, and 10 SMS marketing examples that show text message marketing is here to stay.

Why is SMS Marketing Growing?

After years of economic uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, customers have become more value-driven and indicated that discount offers and freebies from brands were more likely to entice them.

More often than not, they’re looking to have a say in how they communicate with brands. Many customers have stated that they want to be able to text their favorite brands. Hence, if you don’t offer text messaging, you’re throwing money (and customer goodwill) away. 

Customers consider signing up for messages from the brands they care about more than ever. They’re also putting their money where their mouth is, with more than 55% opting in to get SMS and around 66.5% of consumers are already signed up to get SMS from more brands than they did the year before. There is a backlog of requests from customers willing to sign up for text messages from their favorite businesses. 

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Due to the dramatic growth in SMS subscribers, brands embrace the opportunity to engage each of their prospects strategically. Many brands are sending personalized text messages to their current and prospective customers. Personalized text messaging is seen as a high-value channel that may be used for a variety of purposes by customers.

Firstly, customers appreciate receiving offers and gifts via text message, which saves them time that might otherwise be spent searching for discounts online. Secondly, the personalized, one-on-one aspect of SMS makes them feel valued by the company, which strengthens their loyalty over time.

Customers want to use text messaging throughout the consumer lifecycle, from finding bargains before purchasing to staying in touch after purchasing. SMS marketing is also beneficial to brands. It is a great way to engage mobile users and turn them into devoted customers.

Hence, communicating with customers via SMS has become a significant differentiator for organizations that do so—and a huge missed opportunity for those who don’t.

10 Reasons that Show SMS Marketing Trend Is Here to Stay 

1. SMS will continue to expand as a stand-alone marketing medium

According to Forrester, customers have seen an increase in marketing communications since the pandemic. The same study predicts that the volume of marketing messages will continue to increase by 40% in the future year. As businesses strive to create tighter relationships with their clients, text message marketing will account for a significant percentage of this figure. 

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SMS is considered different from other forms of marketing since it is such a direct and intimate channel usually utilized for personal communication. It is viewed with trust and less potential for spam.

Furthermore, SMS is still less commonly used than other marketing channels, making it easier for organizations that employ text message marketing to stand out. In today’s competitive market, quick connectivity is quite appealing, not to mention the numerous diverse SMS use cases, ranging from updates to promotions, that allow text messages to function perfectly on their own.

2. SMS marketing will be integrated with other marketing channels

Some people work best both in groups and on their own, and SMS is similar. What does this signify? 

The short nature of SMS makes it an excellent addition to other marketing channels. SMS can be utilized to boost the performance of other channels that aren’t doing as well as intended.

For example, if you’ve been having trouble getting consumers to check your email newsletters because they’re getting lost in the clutter of competitor promotions, send an SMS reminder. SMS is known for having a 98% open rate. Therefore it will almost certainly be read. 

To achieve your aim, you must first pique the curiosity of a subscriber. It’s one of the many ways to use text messages to your advantage. Expect to see (and include in your strategy) more cooperation, not just with emails but also with social media, which you may leverage to increase visitors to your website.

Do you think your most recent SEO blog writing will interest your readers? Send them an SMS with a direct link and see what they say.

3. Automated SMS will help keep customers informed

As stated earlier, customers’ expectations have also evolved dramatically during the past few years. As a result, many brands are moving online, which gives rise to competition and customers’ demands for speed, personalization, and transparency.

Because of the increased burden, there’s a rising need to keep customers informed as swiftly and effectively as possible, and text messaging can help. Brands can use automated SMS marketing to keep customers in the loop.

SMS marketing can (and should) be automated to increase customer interaction, keep them informed, and even prevent a sale from being lost. Manually doing everything takes a lot of time and human resources, and you can’t afford to fall behind in 2022 just because of this.

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Expect to see and send more of the following in the coming year, in the form of SMS: 

• SMS reminder about abandoned carts 
• SMS reminder for appointments 
• Updates on the status of orders 
• Confirmations 
• Requests for review, etc.

4. SMS marketing will be used to collect feedback

Because many buyers examine reviews before making a purchase, reviews are a vital tool in e-commerce and business. They rely on the opinions of other consumers as much as personal recommendations, according to 88% of them.

Thus, sending a feedback request to your customers by SMS will increase your odds of receiving one and demonstrate that you care about their experience with your company. Furthermore, you will be able to use those customers’ feedback to display on your website and benefit from it in the future.

To persuade your visitor to buy from you rather than your competition, you’ll have to put in more effort to demonstrate that you’re superior.  So, how does SMS work as the best marketing tool here?

• Text messages are more frequently opened and read, rather than being ignored for a long time and forgotten. As a result, you’re more likely to receive what you want.
• Customers are happiest shortly after delivery, so taking advantage of high open rates and sending a request for feedback and the delivery announcement can get those good feelings flowing right away.
• One of the quickest ways for customers to share their experience is to provide a review link in a text message, as it usually only takes one click to reach the desired platform for feedback.

With so many different offers hitting our inboxes, SMS remains a practical and time-saving tool for customers and companies to communicate.

5. SMS is more likely to expand as a customer service medium

SMS marketing should not be limited to customer service only. Sure, text message marketing now allows brands for two-way communication and real-time engagements, but there’s much more to it. 

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The use of SMS as a customer service tool is intimately linked to rising customer expectations for quick responses. Text messages are preferred by 90% of people over phone calls from businesses.

However, this does not rule out the possibility of not asking the questions at all; SMS can offer customers answers ahead of time, enhancing their experience.

For example, sending a link to a video tutorial on how to assemble a new desk with a delivery confirmation can quickly boost customer satisfaction. Even better, SMS allows you to easily rearrange appointments, track orders, and respond to typical inquiries, among other things.

Since customer service quality has already become a game-changer, many brands will employ various SMS solutions for convenience and better results.

6. Influencers will become more receptive to SMS

Influencer marketing is still going strong, and brands are always seeking new methods to improve it. SMS is likely to become one of them in the coming years. 

The most difficult aspect of influencer marketing is assessing the campaign’s return on investment (ROI). Without more precise action, companies rely on UTM parameters (which don’t represent the whole scope of the campaign), views, likes, clicks, or shares, which are very valuable.

Here, SMS will serve two purposes: 

• It will make calculating your Return on Investment much simpler. 
• You will be able to expand your list of subscribers.

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Influencers, for example, can provide a keyword connected with their name that their fans can text to a phone number to receive a discount (another automation usage). You’ll be able to track each influencer’s results more effectively and add a new subscriber to your list.

This way, you’ll also be able to track a few additional crucial metrics, such as subscriber growth, redemption rates, and click-through rates, using SMS (if you aim for that by including relevant links in your text messages).

7. SMS messaging will be adopted by a growing number of industries

If you’ve already formed an SMS marketing strategy or are the recipient of promotional text messages, it may appear that everyone else has done so. However, you might be surprised to learn that many brands have yet to discover the advantages it provides. 

But this condition is likely to change in the upcoming years. Promotional communications will have to compete for attention with confirmations and updates, which will come not only from businesses but also from various industries.

• SMS can be used by retailers to deliver coupons and promotions and keep customers informed during times of uncertainty. 
• SMS can be used to improve security or provide information about incoming and outgoing payments in banks.
• Text messaging is mostly used in the travel sector for coupons, reminders, updates, and scheduling arrangements.
• The beauty and healthcare industries are two areas that are growing rapidly. Appointment reminders and rescheduling are popular smses uses in the healthcare and beauty industries.
• Booking confirmations, updates, and offers to acquire extra services can all be sent by hotels via SMS.
• Restaurants might offer menu updates or information about special events in addition to promotions and coupons. 
• Nonprofit groups frequently use SMS to raise donations for specific causes and keep supporters informed.

8. SMS interaction will become a norm

Consumers will naturally demand the capacity to communicate with their favorite brands as transactional messages become more conversational. Brands will need to get more creative in how they deliver transactional-like messaging.

Customers will have higher expectations of being able to respond to these messages and engage in dialogue. SMS marketing will play a vital role in rapidly and smoothly resolving customer experience issues.

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9. SMS marketing will become the most popular revenue generator

SMS will overtake email as the most popular method of generating income for eCommerce businesses. With significant privacy changes putting a damper on ROAS, SMS has emerged as a critical tool for nurturing individuals who are interested in your brand toward purchase. 

Brands will be more inclined towards SMS marketing. And brands that already do this successfully have had enormously good outcomes, to the point where SMS has become or will become their most profitable marketing channel in coming years.

10. SMS marketing will turn interactions into a sales opportunity 

Brands will provide customers with new experiences to navigate the internet experience, and these unique experiences will allow brands to acquire zero-party data to utilize in their marketing. Moreover, brands will be able to transform their customer care department from a cost center to a revenue generator.

Is SMS Marketing Outdated?
As stated earlier, in the last couple of years, the SMS marketing trend has made a comeback and has become one of the most popular and successful digital marketing techniques. 

According to Attentive outlook 2021, 9 out of 10 customers prefer texting brands, and SMS open rates are as high as 98% compared to barely 20% of all emails. Despite these impressive figures, SMS is a mostly overlooked marketing strategy.

With the emergence of instant messaging and social networking platforms, many marketers assume SMS is outdated. The truth is that SMS marketing remains one of the most efficient digital marketing methods. The SMS marketing technique is anticipated to help brands engage with customers in 2022 and beyond.

Following the COVID-19 crisis, stay-at-home restrictions across the globe had a huge impact on all industries, including the mobile marketing industry. As a direct result, a global poll conducted in 2021 indicated that 70% of internet users, particularly the younger age, were using their mobile phones more.

In addition, more businesses are turning to SMS campaign marketing to reach out to people who are becoming more receptive to mobile outreach. This text message marketing trend is expected to grow in the near future.

Conclusion

Short text messages are used in SMS marketing to convert leads, boost sales, and retain customers. If you’re not already texting your customers and prospective customers, now is a good time to get started.

With the insights, guidance, best practices, and examples provided in this article, you too could be successful in SMS marketing.

Key Takeaways

• SMS marketing will continue to rule in the mobile-first world.
• It is a direct marketing channel.
• SMS has higher open rates than emails.
• SMS marketing is a good medium to engage and build loyal customers.

FAQs