In a world of overflowing inboxes and deafening notifications, cutting through the digital noise is the ultimate marketing challenge, but the solution might already be in your customers' hands.
Key Takeaways
- 98% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of delivery
- SMS open rates average 98%, compared to email's 20-30%
- 95% of SMS messages are opened immediately upon receipt
- SMS marketing generates $0.11 revenue per message sent on average
- Average ROI for SMS campaigns is 29:1 in retail
- 30% increase in conversions from SMS reminders
- 67% of consumers prefer SMS for promotions over email
- 83% of users opt-in to SMS marketing alerts
- 58% of millennials engage more with SMS than apps
- SMS marketing market size reached $8.2 billion in 2023
- Global SMS marketing users projected to hit 4.5 billion by 2028
- US SMS marketing spend grew 25% YoY to $5.1B in 2023
- SMS has 98% open rate vs email's 20%
- SMS response rate 45% vs push's 7%
- SMS converts 5x better than email newsletters
SMS marketing boasts remarkably high open and engagement rates compared to other channels.
Channel Comparisons
- SMS has 98% open rate vs email's 20%
- SMS response rate 45% vs push's 7%
- SMS converts 5x better than email newsletters
- 8x higher engagement than Facebook ads via SMS
- SMS ROI 6x social media marketing average
- 190% more clicks than email with SMS links
- SMS recovers 3x more carts than email flows
- 10x faster response than app notifications
- SMS opt-out rate 1.3% vs email's 0.5% but higher value
- SMS drives 4x foot traffic vs Google ads
- 95% SMS delivery vs 85% WhatsApp business
- SMS cheaper at $0.01/msg vs $0.05 for push
- 7x higher redemption than app coupons via SMS
- SMS personalization beats email by 25% engagement
- 3x more sales from SMS than Instagram DMs
- SMS has 98% reach vs 60% email inbox placement
- 12x ROI advantage over traditional direct mail
- SMS faster influence than TV ads by 50%
- 6x better than voice calls for confirmations
- SMS loyalty retention 2x email programs
Channel Comparisons Interpretation
SMS marketing might be the overachieving underdog of digital strategy, quietly stomping across every engagement metric while email and social media are still lacing up their boots.
Consumer Behavior
- 67% of consumers prefer SMS for promotions over email
- 83% of users opt-in to SMS marketing alerts
- 58% of millennials engage more with SMS than apps
- 90% of consumers want SMS for order updates
- 73% read all SMS from trusted brands
- 62% of Gen Z prefers SMS for quick deals
- 78% of shoppers save SMS coupons immediately
- 55% unsubscribe rate drops with relevant SMS
- 84% act on SMS from favorite stores
- 69% prefer SMS over phone calls for business contact
- 76% of users aged 18-34 use SMS daily for shopping
- 81% trust SMS more than social media ads
- 64% share SMS deals with friends/family
- 88% of parents prefer SMS for school alerts
- 71% redeem SMS offers within 24 hours
- 59% of boomers opt-in to SMS newsletters
- 85% feel SMS is more personal than email
- 66% block spam SMS but keep marketing ones
- 79% expect SMS responses within minutes
- 74% of urban consumers use SMS for local deals
- 92% of inactive customers re-engage via SMS
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
Despite the digital din, the humble text message has quietly become the town square of commerce, where trust is traded, deals are devoured, and even the most distracted generations stop to listen when their phones whisper something worth hearing.
Conversion and ROI
- SMS marketing generates $0.11 revenue per message sent on average
- Average ROI for SMS campaigns is 29:1 in retail
- 30% increase in conversions from SMS reminders
- SMS drives 8x higher conversion rates than email
- $7.50 revenue per $1 spent on SMS marketing
- 23% conversion rate for SMS flash sales
- Abandoned cart SMS recover 22% of lost sales
- SMS promotions yield 10.6% conversion uplift
- ROI of 95:1 reported for SMS in hospitality
- 45% sales increase from personalized SMS offers
- SMS click-to-conversion rate averages 15%
- $12 billion annual revenue from SMS marketing globally
- 5x ROI multiplier for MMS over standard SMS
- 18% conversion from SMS appointment reminders
- SMS loyalty campaigns boost repeat purchases by 25%
- 32% revenue lift from post-purchase SMS upsells
- Average order value increases 20% via SMS
- 28:1 ROI for e-commerce SMS win-back campaigns
- SMS drives 4x more conversions than push notifications
- 15% conversion rate for SMS coupon redemptions
Conversion and ROI Interpretation
These numbers prove that while customers may ignore your emails and block your push notifications, a simple text message is still the charming, wallet-opening best friend every marketer wishes they had.
Engagement Metrics
- 98% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of delivery
- SMS open rates average 98%, compared to email's 20-30%
- 95% of SMS messages are opened immediately upon receipt
- Text messages have a 90% open rate within the first minute
- 97% of consumers read SMS marketing messages within 3 minutes
- Average SMS engagement rate is 45% for promotional campaigns
- 82% of SMS recipients engage with the message content
- Click-through rates for SMS links average 19%
- 64% of users interact with SMS offers within 24 hours
- SMS opt-in rates reach 70% when promoted via social media
- 75% of SMS campaigns see immediate user replies
- Delivery rates for SMS exceed 99% globally
- 88% of texts prompt a user action like clicking a link
- Average time to open SMS is 3 seconds
- 92% engagement for personalized SMS messages
- SMS response rates hit 45% for conversational campaigns
- 79% of recipients share SMS promotions with others
- Link clicks in SMS average 25% for e-commerce
- 68% opt-in confirmation rates via SMS
- 85% of SMS see profile views or store visits post-send
- 91% open rate for time-sensitive SMS alerts
- 47% reply rate for two-way SMS conversations
- 94% of loyalty program SMS are opened
- SMS carousel messages boost engagement by 30%
- 76% interaction rate for location-based SMS
- 83% of abandoned cart SMS get opened
- 89% engagement for birthday SMS campaigns
- 62% click rate on MMS images in SMS
- 96% delivery success for carrier-approved SMS
Engagement Metrics Interpretation
SMS marketing is like whispering in a crowded room and having 98% of the crowd immediately turn to listen, proving that while everyone’s inbox is a graveyard, their text messages are a living conversation.
Market Growth
- SMS marketing market size reached $8.2 billion in 2023
- Global SMS marketing users projected to hit 4.5 billion by 2028
- US SMS marketing spend grew 25% YoY to $5.1B in 2023
- 75% of brands now use SMS as primary channel
- SMS traffic volume increased 15% to 2.4 trillion messages in 2023
- E-commerce SMS adoption rose 40% post-2020
- Asia-Pacific SMS market dominates with 55% share
- 300% growth in conversational SMS since 2019
- Retail sector accounts for 42% of SMS campaigns
- MMS marketing segment growing at 28% CAGR to 2027
- 65% of SMBs adopted SMS in last 2 years
- Enterprise SMS spend to reach $10B by 2025
- UK SMS market expanded 18% with 1.2B campaigns
- Healthcare SMS usage up 35% for patient comms
- 50% rise in A2P SMS volume in Europe 2022-2023
- Latin America SMS CAGR 22% through 2030
- 82% of Fortune 500 use SMS marketing tools
- RCS messaging to disrupt with 20% market shift by 2026
- India sends 20% of global SMS marketing volume
- SMS platform providers grew 30% in revenue 2023
Market Growth Interpretation
While the digital world is awash with flashy new channels, these numbers prove that SMS marketing is the steadfast, booming megaphone that businesses, from corner shops to corporate giants, simply cannot put down.
Sources & References
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- Reference 5TEXTMAGICtextmagic.comVisit source
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- Reference 7ATTENTIVEattentive.comVisit source
- Reference 8SMSBUMPsmsbump.comVisit source
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