Mobile text marketing is proving a more valuable promotional tool than ever because of the sheer number of people who utilize text on a daily basis for purposes ranging from the personal to the commercial.
Worldwide, there are currently 7 billion mobile subscriptions active, which constitutes about 95.5 percent of the global population. In contrast, only about 2.5 billion people use email. SMS messaging has quickly outpaced other technologies in scope and use, and consumers are increasingly demanding that their needs be addressed via their mobile phones rather than through any other medium.
Although email marketing remains a valuable and lucrative strategy, executives now find themselves leaning towards the mobile market. Aine Doherty of Business 2 Community reports that SMS messages enjoy a 98 percent open rate, while email has only a 22 percent open rate. This means that marketers who target customers by email begin the entire process with less chance of ever reaching an individual. Additionally, email as a technology was quickly manipulated by spammers, making valuable offers and information even more difficult for consumers to find.
Doherty remarks, "The popularity of email marketing meant that it very quickly became over populated with spam, thus reducing the chance that your email will be interpreted as a legitimate one and actually opened and read. SMS Marketing alternatively is 99 percent legitimate, with only 1 percent spam text messaging (and) this communication tool is still highly regarding by mobile phone users." Customers do not want to go through the hassle of sorting through illegitimate material, and so it only makes sense for businesses to start out on the right foot by making things easy for them.
Business Review USA adds that SMS marketing can be highly personalized, which makes consumers more likely to respond. The opt-in nature of the technique also empowers customers to create and choose their own experience, making each exchange interactive and positive.
