Email vs. Text Marketing: Pros and Cons
Back in the days when mobile phone users had to pay for every single text that they sent or received, sometimes paying 25 cents each time, text-based marketing was fairly pointless. If anything, people getting these messages would just be frustrated with the brand because now they were being actively charged to look at a marketing message. Even if they liked the product, they wouldn’t like that method of learning about it, so conversions weren’t as likely.
That has all changed now, though, as most people are on plans with unlimited text messages. They pay a flat rate and it doesn’t matter how many messages they get during a given pay period. This makes it possible to market via text, and it has increased in popularity. It’s important to consider the pros and cons, when compared to email marketing, if you’re trying to decide what will work the best for you.
Text Messages Are Incredibly Limited
One of the biggest problems is that you just can’t fit much content into a text message. A marketing text is often just a single line — “Check out the great sales we have going on today!” — and then a link. The potential customer doesn’t know what’s on sale, what items they can pick from, how long the sale lasts or how much they should expect to save. These are all details that can create a conversion or at least a click in an email message, but the text message may just be read and promptly ignored.
Open Rates Are Much Better
One advantage that text messages have is that they actually get opened a lot more often. Some studies have found that the open rate for texts is a stunning 98%. Email averages 20%. Texts do get more attention. The only question to ask is if people are reading them. How many people open the text to clear the notification and then delete it? How many would have ignored the text, but the push notification opens the message automatically when they click on it? This should not be construed as 98% of consumers being interested in the message.
Email Allows for a More Personalized Approach
Text messages are just that: text. They may contain links. It’s all very sterile. With email, you can include pictures, branding, logos, company color schemes and much more. Each message doesn’t have to be text alone. You can design these messages much the way that you would design a page for your website. It can provide a more immersive experience, and it can give the reader far more information — and more links — than they would get by text.
Reaching Your Audience
The biggest thing to consider is which method will reach your audience and how big of an effect it can have. In some industries, companies will use both email and text for different demographics. As you sort through all of your online marketing options, feel free to get in touch with us at Content Customs. We can use our experience to help you decide on the path that will work for your business. Call today!
