Facts About Texting

Even with OTT platforms making their way in business communications, SMS marketing still has a strong hold over geographies like the United States. Text blasts are still a popular use case and the following facts justify it being so.

1. The first text message was sent using Vodafone network and said, “Merry Christmas”. Neil Papworth, who was a 22 year old engineer had sent the SMS.
2. 85% of people check a text within 5 minutes of receiving it, emphasizing SMS's role in instant communication​.
3. SMS’s reach can be gauged by the no. of people who have smartphones – it is 6.94 billion. This is where SMS vs WhatsApp debate comes in where WhatsApp boasts of its high conversion rates and SMS its reach.
4. The average person sends around 13 SMS text messages per day​.
5. In 2024, 23 to 27 billion texts were sent each day across the world.
6. Text message marketing including text message invitations can boast a 98% open rate, significantly higher than email marketing campaigns​.
7. In 2024, the US SMS marketing market is estimated to be worth $12.6 billion​ with an annual growth rate of 1.9%, reaching US $310.40 million in 2024.
8. More than 90% of customers express a preference for receiving or sending SMS over Wifi over phone calls or emails from businesses​​. ‍
9. Transactional texts such as appointment reminders and order status updates are the types of messages most likely to encourage customer opt-ins​.
10. According to a report by Mobilesqaured, text verification makes at least 60% of the total A2P messaging traffic.
11. 70% of businesses recognize the high engagement rate of SMS marketing as a primary reason for its adoption​.
12. SMS usage is prevalent among nearly 5 billion people globally, representing about 65% of the world's population​.
13. The most popular industries for SMS opt-ins are e-commerce and retail, healthcare, and finance​. Abandoned cart SMS notifications are a very popular use case of SMS marketing.  
14. AI is increasingly being used in SMS marketing, with 40% of business owners planning to integrate AI technologies into their SMS strategies​. Leveraging SMS API providers is an easy way to enable the same.  
15. 60% of consumers appreciate the ability to text back businesses, enhancing two-way communication​. Businesses also use SMS discounts to encourage this.  
16. In sectors like real estate, 73% use SMS for various purposes including appointment reminders and client communications​. WhatsApp marketing for real estate has also started becoming very popular.  
17. 64% of SMS subscribers feel curious when receiving a text from a business, indicating a high level of engagement with SMS content​. ‍
18. 74% of people report they have zero unread texts, showing the high attention texts receive compared to other forms of digital communication​.
19. An average click-through rate for SMS marketing is impressively high at 19.3%​.  
20. As of 2024, 48% of consumers prefer direct SMS communications from businesses for offers and updates​.
21. 58% of consumers are inclined to receive multiple texts from brands weekly, which can include promotional SMS and updates​.
22. The reach of SMS in the US is massive, given the 272 million mobile users in the country​. RCS is also an emerging channel leveraging SMS’s reach and WhatsApp’s multimedia functionality. SMS vs RCS has also been something businesses are keen on analysing.  
23. 42% of businesses have reached out to their customers via text, highlighting its widespread use for direct marketing​.
24. The average SMS marketing spend across industries like finance and retail has increased significantly in the past three years​.
25. Consumers are most likely to subscribe to SMS for practical updates like appointment reminders (73%) and package tracking (66%)​ and OTP SMS.
26. Text messaging is used more than any other app on smartphones by 80% of users​, even more than WhatsApp at an aggregate level​. This makes A2P messaging an effective channel for businesses to leverage.  
27. 91% of consumers are interested in receiving texts from businesses, showing broad market acceptance​. Businesses also have the ability to measure effectivity of their text campaigns through SMS dashboards easily.  
28. Retailers are the most proactive in using SMS, with a significant portion of text-based promotions coming from this sector​.
29. 67% of insurance agents use MMS to send quotes and claims, showcasing the versatility of SMS beyond plain text​.
30. Texting support ticket volume grew by 28% from 2020 to 2021, underscoring its growing role in customer service​.
31. The majority of SMS marketing recipients (64%) are willing to interact with businesses for customer service via text​.
32. Mobile messaging is preferred by 78% of consumers for troubleshooting issues, suggesting a shift towards more interactive and responsive customer service models​​.
33. SMS has a significant impact on consumer behavior, with 20% of consumers reporting that they made a purchase after receiving a business text​ from an SMS campaign.

Get Started with SMS Marketing with Message Now

Message Now is an SMS API provider by Message Central. With 24/7 customer support, the platform is trusted by fastest growing enterprises across the globe. With competitive SMS rates and premium SMS routes, it is the preferred choice for businesses.  

You can test the SMS APIs by signing up for free and also get in touch with the team if there are any custom needs.