The Importance Of SMS In A Successful Mobile Marketing Campaign
In this guest piece, Carl Krumins, CEO of SMSGlobal, talks about all things mobile and how businesses can get ahead in a competitive market.
As we entered the new millennium, few would have predicted how the rapid uptake of smartphones would cause a monumental consumer shift that has had ever reaching consequences for markets and businesses globally. Teenagers now possess more computing power in their pocket than most businesses would have had across entire departments just 20 years ago.
In the past decade, smartphone penetration has almost certainly accelerated the growth of social media; it has changed the way we communicate with our friends and family and given us access to virtually limitless information anywhere, anytime. The result? Fundamental shifts in the way consumers expect to interact with brands, businesses and each other.
It is now nearly impossible to think about marketing or communication of any type, with your customers as a one-way street, thrusting messages upon them hoping one will resonate. Arguably, the most successful out-of-home (OOH) campaigns now rely on user engagement via mobile. Retail is being forced to embrace smart devices as part of the shopping experience. Banking relies heavily on one-time passwords and mobile apps. All of these touch points represent a conversation with your brand.
So, we know mobile is fundamental to any business or communications strategy, but what is fundamental to mobile? The answer is simple – SMS. Now, I know you’re probably thinking, “Of course I’d say that”, but the numbers stack up, and even Coca-Cola – arguably one of the biggest consumer brands of all time – has been known to spend up to 70 per cent of its mobile marketing budget on SMS.
Why? Over 95 per cent of SMS messages are read within three minutes of being received. There’s no junk mail filtering, your messages are getting through and aren’t being lost in an email inbox. You’re not relying on app push notifications, which can be disabled. In essence, it’s the most simple, reliable and effective method of getting a message to your recipient. Furthermore, in the age of the smart device, you can push WAP links to customers, turning SMS from a 160-character message to a doorway of interactivity that will allow them to consume your mobile content.
Let me give you one of my favourite examples. SMSGlobal have clients all over the globe – banks, airlines, insurance companies, retail chains – but this one really is quite close to my heart… pizza! Aside from it being one of my favourite foods, it’s a great example because it is also a very competitive market. Our client was one of the main players in the takeaway market, which is traditionally rife with discounting and aggressive sales promotions. With over 100 stores nationwide and a significant customer database in play, we helped them develop SMS marketing campaigns over the course of 12 months to huge success. By the end of the campaign, tracked sales through the use of mobile coupons were up 150 per cent over other marketing channels.
SMS marketing has proven to boost company sales, and even consumers themselves are aware of their revitalised spending habits. According to a Millward Brown Digital report from 2013 based on more than 1,500 consumers in eight countries, 59 per cent of respondents prefer SMS and push campaigns over other forms of mobile marketing, including video advertising, banner or standard display ads, and email. In 2013, 63 per cent of respondents stated they had agreed to receive SMS messages from businesses, compared to 57 per cent last year and 47 per cent in 2011.
The study showed that consumers plan to increase their current use of the mobile phone. They said that after reading an SMS or push message, respondents were more likely to be pro-active – 22 per cent redeemed the deal featured in the message,14 per cent shared the message with their friends and family, and 13 per cent made a purchase. More than 54 per cent made a successful purchase on their mobile phone in the last 12 months.
Consumers are demanding more from brands and SMS is helping them meet it. If SMS isn’t in use or on your businesses radar, it should be. Simple and effective messaging can go a long way to increasing efficiency and engagement while simultaneously decreasing costs.
Latest News
The Mars Agency Announces Latest Findings Of Retail Media Report Card
The Mars Agency has developed a scorecard that assesses the capabilities of leading platforms across key criteria required to optimally plan, execute, and measure effective retail media programs. The scorecard aims To help brands efficiently evaluate their spending options across retail media networks in Australia (and New Zealand). With spending on retail media advertising in […]
‘It’s The Lesser Of Two Evils’ – NRL Eyes US Betting Market As Aussie Regulators Circle
US betting firms will be delighted by the circa 50,000 Americans who could soon watch the NRL on their favourite app.
A-League In Deep Discussions With New Partner To Keep Games On TV After Production Company Enters Administration
The A-League's insatiable appetite for scoring own goals continues.
TV Ratings (27/03/2024): Jungle Members At War Over Concealed Lipstick
A heated argument between two jungle members did the numbers for Ten last night, with I’m A Celeb obtaining a total national reach of 1,282,000. Fans were delighted as Candice Warner and influencer Skye Wheatley got into it over a stick of lipstick, leading Warner to dub the Instagram star “selfish.” Wheatley, best known for […]
Is The Australian Music Industry In Trouble? Inquiry Launched Following Splendour Cancellation
Earlier this week, an inquiry was launched into the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Australian live music industry in the wake of multiple festival cancellations. On 25 March 2024, the Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Tony Burke MP, asked the Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into and report on the […]
Liana Dubois, Leandro Perez, Aimee Buchanan & More Gather For Inaugural Compadres Leadership Event
Didn't get the invite? Perhaps you're not as important as you thought.
Cathay Captures The Unforgettable Thrill Of Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Via Publicis
Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong, apparently. Certainly nobody does it as badly as Australia.
Cocogun Nabs Christine Watts, Kirsty Reynolds & Shev Tan Bolstering Management & Creative Teams
Cocogun bolsters its team with new hires. Committed to purchasing a bigger sofa, too.
The Media Store’s Jacquie Alley & Sam Cousins Take The Plunge With Pro-Bono Work For Cure Cancer
B&T chats with The Media Store bosses about their great pro-bono work and sponsored swim.
Hawke’s Brewing Co. Taps Rocket Comms For PR Agency Following Competitive Pitch
We're expecting Rocket Comms productivity to crash in spectacular fashion following this win.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Patties Serves Up A Taste Of Home For Olympians & South Sydney Rabbitohs Recommit To Gambling Reform
While the Rabbitohs commits to gambling reform, B&T reckons the team should commit to a decent auto sponsor.
Google: “Inevitable” That Bad Actors Will Abuse Ads Platform As Advertiser Account Suspensions Double
Google maintains it's simply impossible for it to entirely stop bad people placing & paying for ads using its service.
Quantcast Expands APAC Sales Team With Appointment Of News Corp Account Manager
No pressure at all when you are appointed as a client success manager.
Publicis Sapient Tests Microsoft-Powered Gen AI Search Tool With Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy
Given Gen AI's record for mangling stuff, B&T cannot see the problem with letting it decide your next holiday digs.
Volkswagen & DDB Group’s “Roo Badge” To Reduce Kangaroo Related Road Collisions
Watch out for RooBadge as Cannes Lions' most debated campaign this year.
Twilio Launches Unified Profiles & Agent Copilot Features To Boost Productivity & Engagement
Agent Copilot sounds like James Bond's less interesting cousin.
Reebok & Honda Among New Clients For onetwo agency
OneTwo finally lives up to its name with this double billing.
Ogilvy Report: Throw Out The Social Strategy Rule Book, The Rules Of The Past No Longer Apply
B&T was puzzled that all 'influencers' aren't, effectively, 'virtual', but here we are.
WhiteGREY & AKQA Merge In Australia, Lee Simpson Departs
Fortunately, the combined agencies aren't opting for a trite portmanteau for the new name.
Splendour In The Grass 2024 Music Festival Cancelled!
Music fans all over the country reportedly relieved they can pack away their rain coats and gumboots for another year.
TV Ratings (26/03/2024): “Fairy Bread, F***ing Disgusting”: Gordon Ramsay Slams Aussie Food In Food Stars Launch
Ramsay not one for mincing his words, even when it comes to minced meat pies.
Paramount+ International Boss Doubles Down On Aussie Content, Says Ad-Tier will Grow Audiences And Revenue
Good news as Paramount will not be binning I’m A Celebrity for re-runs of Frasier.
Brent Smart: Telstra Pushing For 50-50 Brand-Performance Split But Warns Numbers ‘Won’t Look Great’ Initially
The old brand vs performance debate continues. But here, Brent is firmly sitting on the fence.
Crowded House, Tones And I & Dom Dolla Win Big At The Shure Rolling Stone Music Awards
B&T staffer reports back with humdinger of a hangover & feeling seriously uncool after mixing with music types.
Opinion: Dyslexia “A Hidden Gem” For Brands & Agencies
Dyslexics offer underappreciated benefits in the corporate field, according to this op-ed.
David Jones Taps Criteo To Power Online Retail Media Arm
Want to see ads for things you probably can't afford? David Jones has got you covered with new retail media play.
oOh!media Sets Up Team To Target Business Audiences Across Airports & Offices
oOh! wants brands to harass you every minute of your next business trip.
QMS Launches Australian First DOOH & TV Partnership With Samba TV
Samba TV, of course, is not a channel dedicated to dancing. Much to our dismany.
Slew Of New Hires At Amplify
Four new faces join the Amplify offices. Team say desk scarcity becoming "acute".
Adobe Announces Content Authenticity Initiative Expansions To Counter Deep Fakes
Try as they might to enlighten them, we suspect Trump supporters will continue to watch and believe Fox News.
The PR Group Appoints TechCrunch Senior Reporter Catherine Shu As Director Of Content & Media
Catherine Shu makes the bold leap from journalism to PR. Says inevitable pay bump was "unrelated".
HERO Nabs Ebony Santin From AMPR
Rumours Santin cleared out the stationery cupboard before departing are as yet unconfirmed.
Karena Noble Checks Out Of EVT Hotels & Resorts To Launch Comms Consultancy
Noble still managed to squeezed in a continental breakfast before departing.
Canva Acquires Design Platform Affinity To Bring Professional Design Tools To Every Organisation
Canva & Adobe face off continues. We're not picking sides but keenly aware that Canva's office is next door to ours.
“Lean On Our Team To Help You Find An Audience”: Why Understanding Audience Engagement Is Essential In Journalism
Engaging the audience is critical to journos, apparently. We'd thought self-loathing & alcoholism were key.
Adobe Summit: Major Gen AI Developments, Data Concessions & Partnerships
What happens in Vegas stays there. Unless it's the Adobe Summit and then you get to read about in B&T.