Each year, SMS marketing is proving to be an increasingly viable way to reach your audience and grow your business; compared with the immense cost associated with most other marketing channels.
Whether you need a way to automate customer appointments or promote a new product, it’s easy to see why more businesses are utilising SMS marketing as an essential channel to connect with their audience.
Use this list of 2022 SMS marketing statistics to inspire your next SMS marketing campaign, and reach out to our friendly customer support team if you need help getting started.
1. 83.72% of the World’s Population Own a Smartphone
As of March 2022, the number of smartphone users in the world increased to 6.64 billion (83.72% of the world’s population), with an increase to 6.92 billion and 7.13 billion expected by 2023 and 2024 respectively – according to forecast figures by Ericsson & The Radicati Group.
The graph below illustrates the growth of smartphone usage worldwide between 2017 and 2022.
2. 91.54% of the World’s Population Own a Mobile Phone
Collectively between smart and mobile phones, in 2022 the current number of people using mobile phones worldwide is 7.26 billion. This includes phones lacking the features we see in smart phones, which are much more common in developing countries.
Infographic: country-by-country breakdown of smartphone usage and penetration.
3. Almost Half of All U.S. Consumers Prefer Mobile Coupons
According to Mobile Marketing Magazine, nearly half of all consumers in the U.S. prefer mobile coupons compared with paper ones. 69% of survey respondents said they would prefer storing and redeeming coupons on their smartphone – instead of downloading and printing them.
This particular SMS marketing tactic is being consistently employed by marketers worldwide because it has been so successful for them, with a continual rise in coupon redemptions due to fluctuations in purchasing trends.
Another 2022 SMS marketing statistic from Mobile Marketing Magazine reveals 298 million people in the U.S. will have used and redeemed coupons at least once. This presents as an excellent opportunity for SMS marketers looking to improve their conversion rates through SMS.
4. 83% of Consumers Prefer Receiving Bookings and Appointments via SMS
In a world where consumers are bombarded with advertising messages and interruptions on a constant basis, you will be pleased to know that more than 80% of them actually prefer receiving booking and appointment notifications via text (according to the G2 Learning Hub).
Read our article: SMS Appointment Reminders: 7 Tips to Achieve Higher Booking Rates & Revenue with Text Messages
5. 84% of Consumers Have Received SMS Marketing Messages
According to G2, around 84% of consumers are already receiving SMS messages from businesses. This reveals that although SMS has been around since 1992, it is still an increasingly growing and preferred channel, with consumers still allowing text messages from businesses they have signed up with.
Additional research correlates the above point, with 74% of survey respondents saying they are more likely to respond to a text from a business, if they knew the person receiving it was real.
6. 72% of all Internet Users Will Only Use Smartphones to Access the Internet by 2025
The World Advertising Research Center has boldly predicted that precisely 72.6% of all Internet users will be gaining access to the Internet through their smartphones by 2025. This is the equivalent of almost 3.7 billion people.
The above research also notes that the majority of this growth will be contributed to by India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China and Indonesia. This presents as a significant opportunity for SMS marketers to use this channel both now, and for many years to come.
7. 83% of Millennials Prefer an SMS Over a Customer Service Call
It’s no secret that millennials love texting – but did you know they also prefer receiving texts over calls from businesses?
A study surveying Millennials found that 83% of millennials would rather business send them a text, and they would rather not be contacted on social media channels. Interestingly, one fifth of the people surveyed said they had never received an SMS from a business – and SMS is the channel of choice for millennials, beating voice and email.
Are You Ready to Get Started with SMS Marketing?
It’s clear that SMS marketing is a preferred channel by consumers all over the world, and its appeal shows no signs of changing any time soon.
Because of this, it’s important to have a well thought out SMS marketing strategy in place. If you need help getting started with one, our customer service team is ready to lend a hand. Give them a call on 1300 883 400, or reach out online.