• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, June 11, 2020

There is much hype being hurled around over texts as a marketing channel. And some of it may be justified. A new poll by Yotpo shows that 51% of consumers would welcome getting texts from their favorite brands, and that 54% would like to receive coupons and promotional offers via SMS.

But there’s another channel that can’t quite be written off. The same study found that 46% of consumers prefer receiving brand messages via email on their mobile devices. Text is chosen by 41%. 

Yotpo says this proves text is “already rivaling email.” But we see it another way.

All it shows is that email is still No. 1. Moreover, the study also indicates that 24% prefer to receive communication from a brand by both text and email — it’s not either/or. 

Among email’s benefits are the ability to provide in-depth content and graphics and a high level of interactivity.

But let’s give Yotpo its say. The study also shows that 48% of consumers have signed up to receive texts from a brand. Moreover, 76% of loyalty program members will opt in for texts from a company. 

In addition, 56% would like to share their product feedback via text. 

Perhaps more importantly, SMS produces a 98% open rate, and 90% of messages are read within three minutes, Yotpo reports.

Yotpo -- a provider of several marketing services, including SMS -- surveyed over 800 consumers in 38 countries in April. 

In general, it determined that 20% of consumers look at their phone over 100 times a day, and 72.4% do so between 25 and 100 times per day. 

In addition, 65% choose to browse or shop from their mobile devices, versus 13% who prefer their laptops and 12% who prefer desktops. 

Here’s one big takeaway: Consumers demand personalization.

Over 54% are more likely to purchase in response to personalized messages. And 41% will share information with a brand in return for a more personalized SME experience. 

Finally, 70% are likely to tell a friend or family member if a brand sends them personalized messages.

Whatever the channel, here is some advice from Yotpo:

“Sending the right messages to the right shoppers at the right time is the ideal way to successfully reach and retain mobile consumers,” the study says. “Brands should focus on creating personalized experiences by engaging each shopper with tailored messages and two-way conversations, building emotional connections that maximize CLTV.”