As this blog has detailed in the past, the younger generation prefer text messages over traditional voice communication. The reasons behind this finding are primarily related to convenience, as a long conversation can be simplified to a single SMS message, thus saving mobile phone users on wireless minutes and time as they wait for the user on the other end of their call to pick up.
The argument in favor of traditional phone calls is that texts can't convey emotion the way individuals can do while talking. Voice communication advocates say that calls are, in theory, more meaningful than texts. However, recent studies indicate that an increasingly growing portion the younger crowd doesn't share that sentiment.
A study conducted by Experian Marketing Services indicates that 48 percent of smartphone owners between the ages of 18 and 24 believe a text message conversation is just as meaningful as a phone call. This number starts to go down as the demographic gets older, as only 47 percent of those aged 25-34, 37 percent aged 35-44 and 28 percent aged 45-54 agree. However, as the younger crowd continues to grow and text messaging becomes a bigger part of adult communication, companies should be cognizant of this data and adjust their text message marketing strategies accordingly.
Businesses using more traditional marketing methods may reject the idea that texts are meaningful, but as this number grows it's becoming impossible to ignore. Implementing a strategy that sells cell phone users on the merits of a particular product or service is likely to resonate more if it is read as an SMS message than if it were spoken on the phone.
The new year is an ideal time to consider new policies and procedures and launching a text message marketing initiative is an effective way to incorporate innovative technologies into daily operations. Swift SMS Gateway offers the tools needed to implement all SMS services.
