The Ultimate List of SMS Statistics for 2024

Updated Dec 5, 2022.
SMS Statistics

The use of mobile phones has become an extremely powerful tool for marketers around the world, allowing them to connect with their consumers more efficiently and easily. SMS marketing statistics show that text message use is only going to continue growing in the upcoming years.

SMS marketing stats have proven that text messages play a major role in converting potential customers into actual customers, as well as developing relationships with your current customers.

In this blog, we’re going to cover things you must know about global texting statistics, business SMS stats, customer and business communication, and most important SMS marketing messages statistics for 2022.

Text Messaging Statistics (Highlights) 

  • 55% of people use the native messaging app on their mobile phones to send texts
  • 56% of US retailers are planning to increase mobile SMS marketing investments
  • The average CTR for SMS marketing efforts is 19.3%
  • Up to 60% of customers want to be able to reply to the texts they receive

Global Texting Statistics

1. Up to 55% of people use the native messaging app on their mobile phones to send texts

(Ez Texting)

On a global population level, when communicating with brands and businesses, approximately 47% of users prefer to use their native SMS application.

Similarly, 21% of Internet users prefer Facebook Messenger for the same purposes, 18% prefer Whatsapp, and only 2% prefer Snapchat.

Approximately 6% of users prefer other messaging apps to communicate with a business.

2. Americans check their phones 47 times per day on average

(Time)

On average, US citizens will check their phones approximately 47 times a day on average, while 66% of them will check their phones up to 160 times in a single day.

That’s nearly three-quarters of the US population. A study has also found that up to 65% of people sleep with their cell phones at night.

These statistics show that marketers have a great opportunity for engaging more clients and scaling their business through SMS marketing.

3. An astonishing 91% of consumers are willing to sign up for texts

(Ometria)

Nearly all surveyed customers have stated that they’d sign up for text updates from businesses and brands. What’s interesting is that more than half of them have already done so.

More and more businesses are expected to invest in text message marketing software and services and start using texts in their marketing strategy in the upcoming years.

Text Marketing Study
Source: SimpleTexting

4. The most common automated marketing text is a welcome message

(Attentive Mobile)

The most popular automated marketing SMS is a welcome message, followed by cart abandonment or browsing abandonment messages that are meant to re-engage their customers.

5. 97% of US people have a cell phone

(Pew Research)

Thorough research has shown that those below the age of 49 all own a cell phone or a smartphone of some kind. When it comes to older demographics, up to 97% of people aged 50-64 and up to 92% of older seniors own a mobile phone.

This research data shows that SMS marketing can be successfully used not only for younger generations – it can be used to market your business to the elderly as well.

Share of adults in the United States who owned a smartphone
Source: Statista

6. Up to 34% of people will read within 5 minutes of receiving it

(Venture Beat)

To break down these statistics even further, studies have shown that up to 10% of people will read a text within 30 seconds of receiving it, 26% within one minute of receiving it, and 34% within 5 minutes.

Even though the volume of SMS communication has increased dramatically over the last couple of decades, users will still take the time to glance at an SMS. Statistics have shown that up to 90% of users will take up to 30 minutes to actually read and respond to a text.

7. An astounding 90% of users reported checking their mobile phone within 30 minutes of waking up

(EZ Texting)

Upon being asked how long it takes them to check their phone after waking up, the vast majority of respondents (32%) picked immediately as their answer. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the usage of cell phones has significantly increased the usage of mobile devices.

People most often used their cell phones to check in with friends, family, or colleagues during the pandemic. These statistics show that now is the prime time for marketers around the globe to start investing more in text message advertising and text message marketing.

Texting Takes Center Stage
Source: PC Mag

Business SMS Messages Statistics

8. 56% of US retailers are planning to increase mobile SMS marketing investments

(Epsilon)

The adaptation to SMS marketing has accelerated significantly, mostly due to the pandemic. Back in January 2020, approximately 51% of retail businesses stated that they plan on increasing their investments in text marketing.

This figure further went up to 56% in June of the same year. A different study has shown that 8.5% of growth in the volume of SMS business marketing text messages in March, and a 20% growth in volume in April, when compared to February 2020.

9. 44% of businesses that use text message marketing are not familiar with the TCPA

(ZipWhip)

The TCPA is short for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which the US Congress passed back in 1991. Its purpose is to safeguard the privacy of consumers and restrict telemarketing via calls and texts.

A business that fails to comply with this set of rules could face harsh and costly penalties, and a worryingly large amount of businesses are actually unaware of these regulations.

10. More than 50% of business marketers do not send unsolicited text messages to their clients

(ZipWhip)

Even though the vast majority of businesses avoid sending unsolicited texts to their clients, statistics show that up to 27% of businesses actually send promotional messages to clients who didn’t opt in.

While SMS marketing messages can be very lucrative and effective, spamming customers who haven’t subscribed to text messages is prohibited by law and can actually do more harm than good for your business.

11. Customers say that they are more likely (51%) to make a purchase if the text includes media and images

(Attentive Mobile)

This piece of information comes as no surprise. The dominance of audio and visual media in the digital realm has been reflected in business text messaging too.

SMS marketing statistics have shown that text messages containing images, videos, or even GIFs receive much more attention from users than texts that don’t have any audio or visual files.

Still, it’s important to note that the relevance of the content is also important. 33% of users reported they didn’t mind whether they’ve received an SMS or an MMS as long as the advertised content or product was relevant to them.

12. Appointment reminders are the most valuable texts customers can receive from a business

(Marketing Charts)

Text marketing statistics have shown that the most valuable texts customers receive from businesses are appointment reminders (64%), closely followed by shipping and delivery updates (48%).

The benefit of using texts over email is quite logical – there’s a far less chance of the reminder or update being overlooked in an email inbox.

13. Most consumers prefer receiving 4 to 6 texts a month from a business

(Attentive Mobile)

Further SMS marketing statistics have shown that users are okay with receiving daily promotional texts (19%), while 40% of users stated that they’d love hearing from brands and businesses 2 to 3 times per week.

Determining what works best for a certain audience is part of coming up with a great SMS marketing strategy, which must be carefully thought out before engaging in messaging your user database.

14. The most popular incentive for signing up for SMS programs is a dollar-off discount

(Attentive Mobile)

Obviously, customers that are willing to sign up for texts from a business wish to have some kind of benefit from doing so. Apart from being updated about deals, flash sales, and discounts, customers like receiving info on free gifts or exclusive offers as part of an SMS loyalty program.

This data shows that text message marketing with a personalized touch can be used for not only acquiring new customers but also for client retention and upselling.

15. More than 69% of consumers would interact with a business via SMS

(PR News Wire)

Long before the Internet came into the spotlight, text messaging has been the only way of communicating with others through your mobile devices. Text message marketing trends have consistently shown that users are seeking two-way communication with businesses too.

An astonishing 70% of users indicated they’d be highly likely to connect with businesses and brands through SMS messaging about customer service-related matters.

SMS Marketing Statistics

16. The average clickthrough rate (CTR) for SMS marketing efforts is 19.3%

(Text Republic)

Email marketing statistics show that email actually has a clickthrough rate of only 4%, many businesses are starting to use SMS marketing, considering the fact that the average CTR is significantly higher.

This makes text messaging one of the number one ways for acquiring leads online when compared to other marketing channels.

17. While the average open rate for email marketing campaigns is 20%, text message campaigns have an open rate of up to 98%

(Many Chat)

Similar to how texts have a higher CTR than email marketing campaigns, the same applies to open rates. These statistics prove that customers believe SMS messages to be more reliable and trustworthy than email marketing.

It also proves that texts have a more personalized feel, which ultimately leads to a higher return on investment (ROI).

Comparing Email Marketing to SMS Marketing
Source: Rebrandly

18. Up to 96% of marketers stated that text messages helped them drive more revenue

(EZ Texting)

Almost all businesses surveyed stated that engaging in text message marketing has somewhat helped them increase revenue, up to 60% of them said they experienced an overwhelming amount of increase in revenue.

SMS marketing stats show that texts are a great way of advertising if you’re on a low budget – for each dollar spent on text messages, businesses reported earning up to $71 in revenue.

19. 66% of marketers stated that they were highly likely to use text marketing in the future

(Attentive Mobile)

Among businesses surveyed, 15.5% stated they were “unlikely” to invest in SMS marketing, 18.3% said they were “unsure”, and 33% said they were “likely” to do so.

Furthermore, 32% stated they were “highly likely” to adopt SMS marketing in the future.

Text Marketing Statistics
Source: Aviaro

SMS Campaign Statistics

20. The most commonly used type of campaign message is special offers

(Attentive Mobile)

Marketers around the globe use a plethora of techniques to create buzz around the brand they’re trying to promote. One of the most commonly sought-after techniques is to actually create a sense of urgency among your audience.

Customer engagement can be achieved by offering special offers, free shipping, limited-time sales, and other kinds of branded messages.

21. Text messaging has 6x more engagement than email

(EZ Texting)

Even though email marketing is still a viable option for many businesses, depending on their niche, text messaging still dominates the marketing game with 6 times more engagement in comparison.

Additionally, when compared to emails, texts require virtually no connection and there are also no delivery times, whereas email requires bandwidth and potentially bigger connection speeds in order to load attachments.

Email Vs. SMS Marketing
Source: Broadvoice

22. The top tactical challenge for marketers is increasing the number of subscriber sign-ups

(Attentive Mobile)

SMS marketing stats show that prolonging customer texting and delivering personalized content is one of the most commonly faced challenges.

A healthy subscriber base that can be used to build and manage SMS marketing campaigns is essential.

23. More than half of marketers running text campaigns said they were not using SMS to its full potential

(Attentive Mobile)

Among the marketers surveyed, 51% of them said that they’d rate their expertise in text message marketing and advertising as “average”. Only 22.5% of them said they felt confident with their skill level and knowledge.

When aligned with other marketing efforts, an SMS campaign can be fully leveraged. Approximately 26% of marketers believe that they failed to use SMS as a mobile marketing tool to its fullest potential.

Customer and Brand Communication Statistics

24. Up to 60% of customers would like to be able to reply to the texts they receive

(Ruby)

Many email and text messaging campaigns don’t actually offer the option to reply. However, many mobile users reported that they’d like to be able to reply to the SMS text message they receive from businesses.

Since more than half of consumers respond to SMS messaging within 3 minutes of receiving them, this would significantly boost revenue and retention, as well as customer satisfaction, for many brands and businesses.

25. 43% of customers say that they proactively texted with a business in the past

(Ruby)

It is no surprise that texting provides customers with an extremely convenient way of connecting with a business. Moreover, up to 74% of customers would actually prefer texting with an actual representative rather than a chatbot.

Additionally, business texting can further help increase sales. Texting is a great way to connect with your potential customers on their terms and when they have the time – which isn’t the case when it comes to phone calls.

26. According to a survey, 66% of customers want to receive service notifications via text rather than through other communication channels

(Agility PR)

The vast majority of smartphone users prefer to receive push notifications through texts. Additional data shows that the younger the customer is, the more likely they are to prefer texting over any other way of communication, which includes emails, direct mail, calls, and even live web chat.

These research results definitely mean that we could be seeing more and more businesses begin to use SMS marketing in their future advertising efforts.

27. Only 13% of businesses allow their customers to be able to respond to their SMS marketing texts

(Gawd Media)

The fact that only 13% of businesses actually let their customers be able to respond to their texts can mean that they’re probably using SMS text messages to send outbound only promotional messages.

It could also mean that they’re failing to use text messages as a way to communicate with their customers and provide customer service.

28. 85% of customers prefer receiving texts from a business over phone calls

(PC Mag)

SMS marketing stats show that mobile messaging is a much better and more convenient way of communicating with your customers when compared to calls and other channels.

That’s because a text gives your customer a more personal feel and allows them to actually take their time and respond on their own terms. Contrary to that, a call from a business might come at a time that’s not convenient, increasing the chances that users will not answer.

29. Approximately 52% of customers would like to reach customer support via text messaging

(Textline)

Customer service is one of the most important aspects of any business. This can make or break your business and can help you get more customers, as well as keep your existing ones.

Up to 47% of people stated that being able to text a business would improve their satisfaction with customer support, making text messaging the future of customer experience.

How Can You Benefit From These SMS Marketing and SMS Message Statistics?

While many people nowadays use email, statistics show that SMS and phone usage are far greater and more convenient for people across the globe. Marketing statistics for 2022 show that people see and respond to text messages in a shorter timeframe when compared to emails.

Incorporating SMS and MMS messages into your marketing mix and digital marketing strategy can give you an enormous amount of benefits. It can help you reach a greater audience, provide customer support, connect with existing clients, and even ensure retention.

Text messages definitely have a larger reach when compared to other forms of digital marketing, and they also provide a more direct and intimate communication channel, which has been proven over and over again to be preferred by customers around the globe.

Source

  1. Time
  2. EZ Texting 2019 Mobile Usage Report
  3. Ometria
  4. Attentive Mobile 2021 SMS Marketing Benchmarks Report
  5. Pew Research
  6. Venture Beat
  7. Epsilon
  8. ZipWhip
  9. Attentive Mobile 2021 SMS Marketing Consumer Trends
  10. Marketing Charts
  11. PR News Wire
  12. Text Republic
  13. Many Chat
  14. Ruby
  15. Agility PR
  16. Gawd Media
  17. PC Mag
  18. Textline

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Martin Luenendonk

Editor at FounderJar

Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.