Hello There! Let‘s Explore the Latest SMS Marketing Statistics for 2024

Wondering how SMS marketing is performing lately? Want to know the latest trends and predictions? As a marketing professional with over 10 years of experience, I‘m excited to share the most important SMS marketing statistics you need for 2024.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore industry growth, open rates, response times, usage data, and more. I‘ll provide detailed analysis and insights around these numbers – as well as tips to improve your own SMS campaigns. Let‘s dive in!

SMS Marketing Industry Continues Impressive Growth

The SMS marketing industry shows no signs of slowing down. Here are some key stats:

• Global SMS marketing industry size was $3.5 billion in 2018. Experts predict 20% growth from 2019 to 2025. (MobileMarketingWatch)
• 6 billion SMS messages are sent daily in the US alone. (CTIA)
• 16 million SMS messages are sent worldwide every minute. That‘s over 8 trillion per year! (Text Anywhere)
• In 2020, 48.7 million US consumers opted-in to receive mobile marketing messages, up from 40.1 million in 2016. (Statista)

This data clearly demonstrates the massive scale of SMS marketing. Industry revenues and opt-in subscribers continue rising steadily. With such impressive growth, it‘s no wonder SMS marketing is an essential channel for modern brands.

Nearly Everyone Opens SMS Messages

Now let‘s explore why SMS achieves such stellar results. The open and response rates say it all:

• 95% of SMS messages are opened within 3 minutes. (MobileSquared)
• SMS boasts 45% open rates, while email lingers around 20%. (SmallBizTrends)
• 90 seconds – that‘s the average time to respond to an SMS message. For email, it‘s 90 minutes. (Forbes)
• 58% of people respond to a text within 5 minutes. Only 20% are that quick with email. (SignalWire)
• 8 in 10 consumers have received an SMS from a business. (Twilio)

These metrics reveal the unique power of SMS marketing. Unlike email, people tend to read and respond to text messages very quickly. This presents an unrivaled opportunity to connect with your audience in real time.

Clicks and Conversions Outpace Other Channels

It‘s not just opens – SMS also drives impressive click-through and conversion rates:

• In 2020, the average SMS CTR was 10.63%. (Simply Measured)
• Conversion rates for SMS campaigns are 6-8% higher versus email. (SmallBizTrends)
• 75% of consumers want to receive SMS offers from brands they use. (SignalWire)
• 48% like receiving sales and promotions via text from brands. (SignalWire)
• On Black Friday 2020, SMS-driven sales hit $10.8 billion in the US alone. (Melissa)
• 33% subscribed to SMS notifications specifically to receive better offers. (Mobile Marketing Watch)

This data reveals that SMS isn‘t just a supplemental channel. For sales and promotions, it consistently outperforms email and other digital channels. SMS should be a primary component of any multi-channel marketing strategy.

Wide Reach and Heavy Usage Across Demographics

What makes SMS so dominant? A few key stats:

• 67% prefer booking appointments or purchases via text over calling. (SignalWire)
• 59% favor texting over app-based messaging. (Twilio)
• People check their phones every 5.5 minutes on average. (Dscout)
• The average person sends 13 SMS daily, compared to just 3-4 emails. (Text Request)
• 83% used texting to stay connected during COVID-19 lockdowns. (Twilio)
• 15% of Americans lack internet access. But 97% own mobile phones. (Pew Research)

It‘s clear that SMS is widely used by all major demographics. With such impressive reach and usage, SMS marketing campaigns can successfully connect with consumers en masse.

Customers Want SMS for Service and Support

SMS marketing isn‘t just about promotions. It‘s become the preferred channel for service-related communications:

• 80% feel more positive about a brand when receiving SMS notifications. (Impact)
• 90% want order updates and delivery alerts via SMS. (Statista)
• 54% say businesses don‘t respond quickly enough to text inquiries. (SignalWire)
• Appointment reminders reduce no-shows by 50-60%. (Mr. Number)
• Bill payment reminders cut late payments by 60-80%. (Textedly)

This reveals how customers want to engage with businesses via text message. They appreciate SMS alerts, reminders, notifications and support. Make sure to incorporate service communications into your SMS marketing strategy.

The Future of SMS Marketing

Wondering where SMS marketing is headed next? Here are my predictions as an industry insider:

• Global mobile users will hit 18.22 billion by 2025, up from 14.02 billion in 2020. The audience is growing! (Statista)
• AI will help automate more SMS campaigns and workflows. (MobileMarketer)
• MMS and RCS messaging will become more popular, enabling richer media content. But SMS will still dominate. (Textedly)
• More messaging apps will bake in native SMS capabilities. But standalone SMS will remain essential. (SignalWire)
• Stricter regulations around consumer consent will emerge. Marketers must follow best practices. (Mobile Marketing Watch)

While SMS marketing is already mature, it will continue evolving. As a marketer, stay on top of trends and regulations to ensure your program succeeds through the next wave of innovation.

Tips to Improve Your SMS Marketing Results

Want to maximize your SMS marketing results? Here are my top tips as an industry veteran:

• Gather double opt-in consent before sending any texts. Never buy lists.
• Allow subscribers to select message types to receive. Granular options are best.
• Keep messages short, personalized and actionable. Get to the point fast.
• Use time-limited offers and incentives to boost engagement.
• Make it easy to opt out – and honor unsubscribes immediately.
• Avoid oversending. Limit your frequency and keep messaging relevant.
• Test different copy, offers and send times to determine optimal approach.
• Automate cross-channel workflows with your SMS campaigns.

Follow these best practices to ensure your program stays permission-based, respectful and revenue-driving.

Key Takeaways for Your 2024 SMS Marketing Strategy

The stats reveal that SMS marketing delivers phenomenal reach, open rates, and conversions. This channel is essential for modern brands thanks to ubiquitous mobile usage.

For 2024, refine your SMS approach by capturing opt-ins, segmenting subscribers, automating workflows, maximizing relevance, and optimizing your messaging strategy. Apply the tips I shared to amplify results and align with evolving best practices.

If you have any other SMS marketing questions, feel free to reach out! I‘m always happy to share additional insights and advice. Just let me know.