Text marketing vs Email marketing: Which one is better?

Email marketing has been used for several years as a reliable marketing channel. However, once mobile phones came on the scene, the SMS market quickly gained popularity.

Thanks to text messages and direct messaging software, people have a shorter attention span. Now, their attention is divided between emails and SMS messaging. This can make it hard for you to know the best communication channel for your business. What marketing channel will give you the greatest return on your investment every time you launch a campaign?

In some instances, SMS messaging is more successful. In other cases, email wins out. There is a hybrid scenario where both SMS and email marketing are combined to achieve powerful results.

Email Versus SMS Open Rate

In this scenario, SMS messaging wins out every time. People will open 98 percent of their SMS messages. However, they only open 20 percent of marketing emails. Since more people open SMS messages, the response rate for text messages is higher than those for email.

When a person gets a text message, they are instantly notified on their phone. People have a connection to their cell phones that causes them to instinctively check their text messages even before they know that they are doing it. Text messages are usually opened less than two minutes after delivery. However, email open rates can take closer to two hours.

Deliverability

Close to 270 billion emails are sent daily. An employee may get over 120 emails every day. Half of these emails find their way into the spam folder.

Conversely, 22 billion text messages are sent daily. Millennials can get up to 70 notifications a day. When you look at these numbers, it could seem like a slam dunk for text messaging. Users are immediately notified when they get a message on their phone as opposed to getting a delayed notification or no notification at all with their email.

However, users must opt-in to get SMS communications from your company. Once this happens, you can incentivize customers with small rewards. Little by little, you increase your brand’s database of potential customers. This metric is a tie between email and SMS marketing.

Click through Rate

When your organization uses a text marketing service, you can expect a higher click-through rate than you would get with email. This is because SMS messages are concise and straightforward to read. Nineteen percent of people will click on links in text messages, whereas only 3.2 percent will click on links in emails. Part of the problem is content writers leaving the link so far down on the email that the reader doesn’t stick around long enough to see it.

Customization

It is much easier to customize an email than an SMS message. With SMS messages, you have to get your thoughts across in just 160 characters. SMS campaigns need to be lean. There is no fluff. If you want to provide more details, it is better to use email. Email lets you send hyperlinks, videos, attachments, images forms, etc. It also gives you the power to speak to your customers in your brand’s voice. You can include logo designs, colors, and other design elements.

Can SMS Marketing Be Effective?

Absolutely. You need the SMS message to capture your user’s attention immediately. Most people say they opt to receive promotions via text. Most marketers agree that SMS marketing is exceptionally effective. No matter if it is from someone they know or from a marketing agency, about 82 percent of people open every message they receive.

Should You Pick Email Marketing over SMS Marketing?

Both mediums work exceptionally well. However, if you are looking for a campaign designed to drive customer engagement and improve brand recognition, email marketing should be your go-to. SMS marketing might work if you are content with a short and personalized message. However, it will not be successful for every campaign you run.

Adapt to the Changing Habits of Your Customers

Customer habits are continuously changing. Both SMS and email marketing can be effective. However, they are more powerful when used as a dynamic. SMS marketing can help you increase your email list. Emails give you more insight into your customers and their needs.