Text messaging may have been on cell phones for 21 years, but this form of communication is gaining more traction than voice phone calls, face-to-face and social networking, according to a report from ITV, a United Kingdom based news network.
Ofcom, the U.K.'s federal government agency, found that text messaging services are used 90 percent of the time to speak with friends and family while face-to-face is utilized 63 percent of the time. Although the organization's research is focused on British cell phone users, the trend is extremely similar in the United States.
This age group of mobile device owners spends about 87 percent of their time plugging away 160-character messages, according to the Family Online Safety Institute, Because their sample involves individuals between ages 13-17, these habits are likely to carry on into their adulthood, when they join the millions of others who contribute to consumerism.
Businesses that are looking into expanding their reach can greatly benefit from SMS marketing, which consists of a variety of services like text reminders, order confirmations and customer service inquiries.
Mashable reported that it is highly likely that a text message will be sent within 30 days. There is great value to this form of communication because business owners can redirect prospective customers to mobile-friendly websites and social media profiles, which can further engage the customer. Ultimately, the goal is to get them to buy goods and services.
Even though text messaging is one of the older applications on a mobile device, businesses should not disregard their potential. When over 90 percent of messages are read within three minutes upon receiving the text, it has higher conversion rates than email subscriptions.
Businesses that want to implement their own SMS service can receive guidance from Swift SMS Gateway. Swift's team of developers have the tools to develop a strategy that meets the goals of the company's targeted audience.
