SMS (short message service) has been a part of our lives since the 1980s, but it wasn't until 2003 that SMS marketing emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their customers. Despite its proven track record, many business owners still haven't harnessed the full potential of SMS marketing. Shockingly, recent research shows that 61% of business owners are yet to adopt SMS marketing strategies, missing out on the many benefits it offers. For small business owners like you, this presents an incredible opportunity to get ahead of the competition and reap the benefits of SMS marketing.
Learn more about SMS Marketing: What is SMS Marketing? Is it Legal?
If you're curious about SMS marketing and want to gauge its effectiveness, take a look at some of the impressive SMS marketing statistics we've gathered below. These statistics paint a clear picture of the power of SMS marketing and how it can help businesses like yours achieve their marketing goals.
SMS Marketing Statistics | Ratio / Numbers |
1. The number of mobile phone owners in the US | 270 million |
2. The number of times that Americans look at their mobiles in a day | 47 times |
3. SMS open rate | 98% |
4. SMS click-through rate (CTR) | 36% |
5. SMS open time | 3 seconds |
6. SMS response rate | 45% |
7. SMS conversion rate | 45% |
8. Customers who have a positive perception of businesses using SMS messages | 91% |
9. Customers who accepted to receive SMS messages | 55.9% |
10. Customers who become eager to purchase more if they get MMS messages | 51.1% |
11. Customers who think SMS marketing is the best way of communication for businesses | 58% |
12. Marketers who are not using SMS marketing channels yet | 61% |
13. Retailers who enhanced customer experience or raised profits using SMS marketing | 79% |
These SMS marketing statistics are impressive, right? If you need more convincing, let’s look at these SMS marketing stats in detail together!
1. The number of mobile phone owners in the US: 270 Million
The US population is 332,403,650. And 270 million US citizens are mobile phone owners, which is 81.2% of the US population. Just think about it; you have 270 million potential customers. To be clear, do you think any of your customers do not own a mobile phone? Maybe 1 or 2? Why wouldn’t you use this opportunity to reach your customers instantly and consistently?
Also, if you are targeting an elder target group, you might believe that mobiles are not effective in their life. Sorry not sorry, but you are entirely wrong. :)
Here are the mobile phone ownership distributions regarding age groups:
Age Groups | Mobile Phone Ownership Rate |
18-24 | 93% |
25-34 | 91% |
35-44 | 90% |
45-54 | 82% |
+55 | 67% |
As you can see from the table, 82% of people aged between 45-55 and 67% of people aged more than 55 have mobiles. These SMS marketing statistics prove the high potential of SMS marketing to reach your target audience.
2. The number of times that Americans look at their mobiles in a day: 47 times
We believe that it is much more than 47 in reality. Even I checked my mobile 30 times while writing this article. However, let’s rely on the SMS marketing statistics and research for now. This high number means that if you send bulk text messages to your customers, they will see it.
In the worst-case scenario, they may not read the whole message, and they will not be converted, but, more importantly, they will keep seeing your brand name in their daily lives.
Which will make a lasting impression and boost brand recall. In the best-case scenario, they may read your whole text, get the information (discount, campaign, etc.), and it can turn out to be a sale. In both scenarios, SMS marketing offers immense benefits to those who are looking to connect with their target audience.
3. SMS open rate: 98%
If you start to send bulk SMS messages today, 98% of them will be opened. Isn’t it great? In other marketing methods, i.e., e-mail marketing, Google or Facebook advertising, you can not know whether your ads will reach customers or not. In SMS marketing, almost every text message is seen. This SMS marketing statistic shows that SMS marketing is a great chance for small business owners if it is used properly.
4. SMS click-through rate (CTR): 36%
Text marketing is a great opportunity to direct customers to your e-commerce store because SMS CTR is 36%. You can share your online shop link via your SMS marketing messages easily and enjoy increasing web traffic and sale!
5. SMS open time: 3 seconds
Yes, you read that right! 3 seconds. Do you know of any other marketing tool this fast?
6. SMS response rate: 45%
SMS marketing provides the flexibility to communicate with your customers either in a one-way or two-way format, depending on your business needs. However, using SMS marketing in a two-way format can unlock its full potential for engaging with customers. This SMS marketing statistic highlights the power of text marketing in establishing a real-time dialogue with your customers, allowing for better communication, problem-solving, and, ultimately, stronger customer relationships.
6. SMS conversion rate: 45%
Did you know that SMS marketing has a conversion rate of 45%? That's right, almost half of your target audience will take some sort of action after receiving your SMS message. This can range from using a coupon code to making a purchase or even attending an event. And get this: the conversion rate for social media is only 1%. So if you want to see real results and engage with your audience in a meaningful way, SMS marketing is the way to go!
7. Customers who have a positive perception of businesses using SMS messages: 91%
Are you hesitant to use SMS marketing because you're worried your customers might not appreciate receiving promotional messages? This SMS marketing statistic may ease your concerns: 91% of customers have a positive perception of businesses that use SMS messages. Most of your customers would be happy to know about your special offers via text messages.
These are your customers, so they will make purchases regardless of whether or not you send marketing messages. However, by informing them about exclusive opportunities and promotions, you can enhance their overall shopping experience and incentivize them to take advantage of the benefits, ultimately leading to increased customer engagement.
8. Customers who accepted to receive SMS messages: 55.9%
55.9% of customers have accepted to get bulk messages from businesses already. This SMS marketing statistic is substantial. However, this statistic is lacking because you haven’t asked your customers to opt-in for text messages yet. Let’s start collecting opt-ins from your customers, using text marketing, and enjoying growing your business day by day. There is a huge potential in text marketing for your business!
Discover more: The Top 6 Reasons People Opt-in to Branded Text Messages
Discover more: 5 ways to increase SMS opt-in rates
9. Customers become eager to purchase more if they get MMS messages: 51.1%
SMS marketing includes both text messages and MMS messages (with images, videos, or GIFs). And according to this SMS marketing statistic, more than half of customers are motivated to purchase if they get MMS marketing messages rather than text messages. It is not surprising because visuals get 40% more attention.
On the other hand, we recommend you use both text and MMS messages to make the most of SMS marketing. Both of them have different advantages. If you're not sure about the differences between SMS and MMS, don't worry. We've got you covered. Check out our detailed post at https://www.getponyexpress.com/post/can-you-spot-7-differences-between-sms-and-mms to learn about the unique features and benefits of each messaging type.
10. Customers who think SMS marketing is the best way of communication for businesses: 58%
Don't miss out on the opportunity to connect with your customers through SMS marketing! Don't be afraid to ask them to opt-in to receive text messages - you might be surprised at how eager they are to receive discount messages and other special offers. Even if a few customers opt out, that's okay. You've made an effort to engage with them, and the majority will likely say yes. In fact, research shows that 58% of customers are willing to opt-in to receive text messages, making it a valuable marketing tool for businesses.
11. Marketers who are not using SMS marketing channels yet: 61%
As we mentioned in the beginning, a major part of people hasn’t realized the importance and power of SMS marketing. You can take advantage of this opportunity and be among those who use SMS marketing. Take action before them, and share your special offers through bulk text messages.
12. Retailers who enhanced customer experience or raised profits using SMS marketing: 79%
Until now, we shared SMS marketing statistics about targets, but this one is about business owners. According to the research, 79% of retailers raised profits or enhanced their customer relationships. These are the long-term goals of every business in every industry. You can reach this goal with SMS marketing, too. :)
When text marketing is compared with other marketing channels, the success rate of SMS marketing is quite impressive. We are not saying it; SMS marketing statistics speak for themselves. If you want to try SMS marketing for free, you can sign in from the link below and get 100 bonus text message credits:
Or, if you want to start to use SMS marketing directly in your marketing strategy, here are our prices: SMS Marketing Prices
If you have further questions about SMS marketing, leave a comment below. Pony Express would be happy to answer your questions and contribute to your business. Good luck with your marketing! 🌈
The Pony Express HQ Team
*Sources:
US Department of Commerce
Statista
Adobe
Journal of Accountancy
Gartner
99firms
Mobile Marketing Watch
Wikipedia
Deloitte
Pew Research Center