10 Reasons Brands Should Use Text Message Marketing

Why should businesses use text message marketing?

Text messaging has become one of the best ways for businesses to communicate with customers and leads. According to Decision Telecom’s State of SMS Marketing 2025 report, nearly 65 percent of companies plan to increase their SMS marketing budgets in the coming year, with almost 70 percent feeling optimistic about the channel’s long-term future. 

If you’re on the fence about implementing SMS business marketing into your digital strategy, here are 10 ways it can benefit you.

1. Marketing text messages get noticed.

Brands use text message marketing for different purposes, but rest assured, your messages will almost certainly be seen and read. In fact, EZ Texting’s 2025 Consumer Texting Report found that marketing texts enjoy an impressive average open rate of 98 percent. That kind of visibility, paired with excellent customer service through quick replies, can drive immediate purchases.

2. Texted marketing messages are delivered instantly.

Text messages typically arrive within seconds of being sent. ProTexting notes that single SMS and auto-replies are usually delivered in about five seconds, while larger campaigns and MMS messages may take longer depending on their size and the carrier’s processing time. Twilio data adds that 90 percent of SMS messages are opened within three minutes of delivery, making the channel especially effective for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales and urgent alerts. This combination of speed and visibility allows brands to connect with customers almost instantly.

Another great thing about SMS marketing is that even people who don’t own a smartphone can send and receive text messages. This makes SMS marketing one of the most accessible and effective tools for instantly delivering promotional messages to consumers.

3. Marketing text messages have a higher open rate than emails.

As mentioned above, 98 percent of texts are opened and read. This number contrasts starkly with the average email open rate of about 42 percent, according to MailerLite. A higher open rate makes a marketing campaign more effective. Plus, brands don’t have to worry about crafting a great subject line that will encourage recipients to open and read a text message. The buzz going off in a mobile user’s pocket is all the motivation they need.

With brands struggling to increase email deliverability, the high level of SMS deliverability makes this marketing channel a worthwhile investment.

4. Marketing texts have high conversion rates.

Brands can increase sales with business text messages. In fact, SMS is one of the most effective channels for turning engagement into sales. The EZ Texting report cited earlier found that nearly half of consumers have made a purchase in response to a marketing text. Postscript’s 2025 SMS Benchmarks report also shows strong results, with conversion rates ranging from about 1 to 3 percent for win-back texts to more than 11 percent for abandoned cart messages. 

Notably, according to Attentive’s 2025 State of Personalized Marketing report, MMS campaigns deliver conversion rates 2.8 times higher than SMS. This suggests that incorporating visuals and multimedia into texts can further boost engagement and sales. 

The reason conversion rates are so strong with text marketing is the simplicity of the message. Texts are short, uncluttered and direct, which makes the call to action clear and easy to follow.

5. It’s easy to personalize and customize marketing texts.

Text messages feel more personal than many other forms of communication. Because they arrive directly in a recipient’s messaging app (usually on their phone), you can use casual, friendly language instead of formal marketing copy. This conversational tone helps you build rapport and create a great customer experience. 

You can also personalize text messages with names and relevant, tailored promotions and segment audiences based on behavior. This kind of customization and attention to detail can pay off. The Attentive report cited above found that 96 percent of consumers say they’re likely to purchase from at least one type of personalized message, while 90 percent want more personalization than they currently receive.

6. Text message marketing can boost brand awareness.

SMS marketing is an excellent way to increase brand awareness. Implementing effective SMS messaging between brands and mobile device users helps attract and engage customers throughout the buying process. Since users check their text messages multiple times a day, consistent messages can help you stay top of mind.

Personal, consistent and reliable messages can also foster trust and loyalty among your consumers. When customers are loyal and engaged with your business, they are more likely to recommend your product or service to a friend, thus expanding brand awareness.

7. Text messages help you get quick feedback from customers.

SMS makes it easy to initiate surveys and polls and receive results almost immediately. Customer feedback is essential for improving products and services, and text messaging lowers the barrier for participation. EZ Texting’s data shows that 63 percent of consumers are texting more overall, with more than half specifically sending more messages to businesses. This growing comfort with two-way messaging means customers are more likely to respond to polls or surveys sent by text. 

Quick-response survey data can also help you spot emerging market trends and gain deeper insight into customer preferences, giving your business a competitive edge.

8. Text message marketing is cost-effective.

SMS marketing is an inexpensive option compared to many other marketing channels, yet it consistently delivers strong results. According to the Decision Telecom report cited earlier, SMS campaigns generate an average ROI of $16.70 for every $1 spent, with engagement metrics like a 27.7 percent click-through rate.

An Attentive SMS benchmarks report also found that 53 percent of marketers identified SMS as a top three revenue-driving channel, and 22 percent said SMS campaigns generated more than 20 percent of their total revenue. The economics are clear: With costs as low as $0.01 to $0.05 per message, even modest campaigns can deliver outsized returns. For example, a business sending 1,000 texts at $0.03 each ($30 total spend) with a 5 percent conversion rate and $50 average order value would generate $2,500 in revenue — an 8,233 percent digital marketing ROI.

These numbers highlight why SMS is one of the most budget-friendly ways to reach customers and connect with your target audience while still driving measurable sales.

9. Text message marketing is easy to implement.

Text message marketing is permission-based, so you already know your customers are opting in to receive your messages. Once you’ve created a campaign, you can track, manage and optimize performance with ease. With SMS marketing automation, brands can also create, schedule and target messages more effectively, ensuring that the right content reaches the right customers at the right time.

10. Marketing texts won’t get caught in spam filters.

Marketers don’t have to worry about their promotional text messages landing in a spam folder — a hurdle that email marketers face every day. SMS messages are delivered directly to the user’s inbox once they’ve opted in, without the need to safelist numbers or shortcodes. This gives businesses confidence that their texts will reach customers. 

While carriers may block messages that violate compliance rules, permission-based marketing ensures your campaigns avoid these issues and stay effective.

How SMS performs across industries

SMS can be effective in almost any sector, but performance benchmarks show that results vary depending on industry and message type. Klaviyo’s 2025 SMS benchmarks reveal that click and order rates differ by vertical, with fashion, health and restaurant brands often achieving some of the strongest results. The top 10 percent of SMS campaigns even generate up to seven times more revenue per recipient than the average.

Here’s a look at how SMS performs across key business sectors:

• E-commerce and retail: Abandoned shopping cart and back-in-stock texts deliver some of the highest conversion rates, especially for fashion and apparel brands running time-sensitive promotions.
• Healthcare and wellness: Appointment reminders and health updates see consistently high engagement and low opt-out rates, though compliance with HIPAA laws is critical.
• Hospitality and travel: Booking confirmations, check-in reminders and last-minute offers are excellent ways to work with SMS’s immediacy, keeping customers informed in real time.
• Financial services: Fraud alerts and account notifications build trust and deliver immediate value, though promotional messages require careful compliance and often see more conservative engagement.
• Food and beverage: Restaurants and food brands drive strong results with timely promotions and order updates, particularly during peak hours or special events.

SMS marketing compliance and legal requirements

Like opt-in email marketing, text message marketing is built on consumer trust — and that means following the rules. In the U.S., the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) sets the standards for when and how businesses can send texts. Ignoring these rules can get expensive, with fines of $500 to $1,500 per violation, so compliance isn’t optional.

Here are the basics of TCPA compliance:

• Get clear consent: Before sending a single promotional message, you need express written permission from the recipient. This consent must specifically cover SMS, not just general terms and conditions, and it should include your business name.
• Make opting out simple: Every message must include an easy way to stop receiving texts; most businesses use “STOP” or “UNSUBSCRIBE.” Requests must be honored within 10 business days.
• Respect quiet hours: Marketing texts can only be sent between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the recipient’s local time.

Here are a few ways to ensure your business stays compliant: 

• Keep detailed records of every opt-in, including when and how it was collected.
• Include clear disclosures when people sign up, such as your business name, how often they’ll receive messages, and opt-out instructions (e.g., “By opting in, you agree to receive promotional texts from [Business Name]. Up to 4 messages per month. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.”).
• Provide regular staff training so your team understands the rules and stays current as regulations evolve.

To be certain your business texting follows all applicable text message laws, check the Federal Communications Commission’s TCPA resources or talk to a legal professional who understands telecommunications law. You want to make sure your campaigns remain compliant and your customers stay confident that they can trust your texts.

SMS marketing best practices and implementation strategies

A thoughtful approach can make the difference between texts your customers welcome and messages that make them hit “unsubscribe.” Here are some tried-and-true text message marketing best practices to get the most out of your SMS marketing.

• Nail your timing and frequency: Texting at the right time matters. Most audiences engage best during weekday business hours, while Attentive recommends 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as the sweet spot. Very early or late messages can feel intrusive and risk higher opt-outs. Frequency is just as important. Attentive also advises sending about eight texts per month to balance revenue per send with low unsubscribe rates. That’s a solid benchmark, but the best approach is to monitor engagement and adjust based on what your audience responds to.
• Keep content short and valuable: SMS forces you to get straight to the point — and that’s a good thing. Focus on a single call to action and highlight the immediate benefit of clicking, shopping or signing up. Personalization makes a big difference: using names, purchase history or location data helps your texts feel relevant instead of generic. Segmented, targeted campaigns almost always outperform one-size-fits-all blasts.
• Automate wisely: Automation takes the guesswork out of timing and ensures you never miss high-intent moments. For example, welcome messages set the tone for your program and are worth optimizing with compelling offers and clear expectations. Triggered campaigns like abandoned cart or browse abandonment texts consistently deliver some of the highest ROI in SMS marketing. Post-purchase messages keep customers engaged and lay the groundwork for repeat business.
• Track performance and keep improving: Don’t set it and forget it. Keep an eye on delivery rates, clicks, conversions and opt-outs. A/B test your message copy, timing and offers to see what resonates. And don’t ignore subscriber feedback — it’s one of the best ways to refine your strategy and make sure your texts stay useful instead of overwhelming.

Common SMS marketing challenges (and how to solve them)

Like any channel, SMS marketing comes with its own hurdles. Luckily, most of them are easy to overcome once you know what to watch for. Here are some of the most common challenges businesses run into and the simple fixes that keep text message campaigns running smoothly.

• Deliverability issues: Carrier filters sometimes block texts that look spammy. To boost your deliverability rates, partner with a reputable SMS provider, keep your subscriber list clean, and steer clear of trigger words like “FREE!!!” or “urgent.” You’ll also need to decide whether to use a short code (better deliverability, higher cost and longer setup) or a long code (faster and cheaper, but with lower throughput).
• Subscriber list quality: Lists naturally decay as people change phone numbers or lose interest. Keep yours strong by regularly scrubbing invalid numbers, running reengagement campaigns and making your opt-in process crystal clear. Highlight the value of subscribing, and make sign-up as simple as possible.
• Overwhelming recipients: Message fatigue is real. Too many texts (or repetitive or irrelevant content) can drive people to unsubscribe. Mix it up with a balance of promotions, reminders and useful updates. Use market segmentation so your messages feel relevant, and test timing to figure out when your audience is most receptive.
• Staying compliant: Text marketing is permission-based for a reason. Always collect clear opt-ins, keep records of when and how consent was given, and include easy opt-out instructions in every message. If you’re marketing across states with varying rules, follow the strictest guidelines and consult a lawyer if you’re unsure.
• Proving ROI: SMS can be incredibly cost-effective, but you need the right tracking in place to measure results. Utilize unique promo codes, track key metrics such as delivery rates, clicks and conversions, and integrate your SMS data with your broader analytics platform. This helps you see exactly how much value your texts are driving — and where to invest next.