As smartphones became connected to email and social media sites, many thought that SMS would soon become obsolete. So many marketers began to focus their efforts on reaching their mobile customers via Facebook, Twitter and email. There are, however, built-in limitations and not so obvious flaws with these platforms.
Facebook and Twitter posts can easily become lost in users’ feeds. The average open rate for emails is usually between 20 percent and 25 percent. By contrast, 98 percent of text messages are read within minutes of receipt. SMS is simply the most reliable way to engage with audiences. People are far more responsive to text messages than to any other type of platform.
While there are undeniable benefits to social media marketing, businesses are starting to realise that just amassing likes and followers is no guarantee of success, especially as these can easily be manipulated. For example, Facebook and YouTube likes, Twitter followers and retweets can all be purchased. Even genuine engagement on social media is often fleeting, with people liking a page and then forgetting about it.
SMS, on the other hand, provides businesses with a more reliable way to engage with customers who have opted-in to receiving messages. Text messages are direct and do not get lost on users’ social media feeds or overflowing inboxes.
This is why once more, businesses are turning to SMS for direct engagement.
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