As 2015 draws to a close, now is the time to reflect back on the past year and propose what the future holds for SMS Marketing in 2016.
The International Telecommunication Union (ICT) report that by the end of 2015 there will be 7 billion mobile subscriptions. Moreover, Techcrunch claim that 2 billion of these are smartphone, equivalent to 30% of the world’s population meaning the potential reach via SMS is now larger than ever! The value of engaging customers via text is now more prominent than it ever has been. In fact 70% of phone users now feel that receiving a text is the best way to grab their attention, while 76% of people surveyed say that they are far likelier to read a text message than email. Furthermore, 64% of consumers believe business should utilise the method of communication via SMS more frequently. These results show the ever growing potential for SMS marketing strategies, which are sure to grow further during 2016.
The current perception of SMS marketing is very positive, with Zoomerang reporting that 90% of people who have joined a mobile loyalty scheme feel that the contact they have received has been valuable. This demonstrates the potential benefit SMS Marketing strategy has with attracting and retaining customers.
It’s vital that an SMS Campaigns offers value and incentivises to customers – for example special offers and exclusive invitations to events. Ipsos report that the best methods to engage customers are price/location based, or text-messages sent that are time sensitive. For example, if you are a restaurant that is running a 2 for 1 lunchtime deal – why not take advantage of this and target your text message at a time when everyone is likely to be hungry i.e just before lunch or dinner time.
SMS marketing is also an effective tool to help improve other marketing strategies you may have, including online and social media. This allows new users to opt in to the service. Take a look at how it is possible to gain ROI using SMS and improve your email open rates at the same time.
The success of any Mobile Marketing campaign in 2016 will be linked to assessing previous sent campaigns. With TextAnywhere you can download a full report which will allow you to analyse and will assist in improving engagement for future campaigns. Mobile phone usage for online activity is increasing every year making it crucial that your messages are accompanied by a clear call to action, directing users to the relevance page on your site. In the busy world we live in today time is precious and if this page is not relevant, the customer will unlikely search to find the relevant page!
For more information or to learn how your business could benefit from SMS marketing in 2016, call us today on 0845 122 1302 or email us at [email protected].