As an e-commerce or digital business founder, staying competitive means constantly evolving your marketing strategies. In 2024, SMS marketing is not just a complementary tool; it's a channel with substantial potential. According to SimpleTexting, SMS marketing campaigns often boast click-through rates between 21-35%, conversion rates from 21-30%, and minimal unsubscribe rates around 1-2%. But to truly capitalize on SMS marketing, understanding industry-specific benchmarks is crucial.
SMS marketing benchmarks serve as a reference to measure your success in engaging and converting your audience. These benchmarks vary across industries, influenced by different consumer behaviors, expectations, and interactions with SMS campaigns. By understanding these, you'll know where you stand in comparison to peers and identify areas for improvement.
According to Klaviyo's Insights, on average, revenue per recipient (RPR) for SMS campaigns is slightly higher than email across all e-commerce industries. SMS marketing is proving significantly more effective for engaging high-intent buyers and driving revenue, indicating the growing importance of integrating text messaging into your marketing plans.
SMS has emerged as a powerful marketing tool due to its direct, personal, and immediate nature. High open rates—around 98% according to Sender—make SMS a highly effective channel for delivering time-sensitive information such as promotions, alerts, and confirmations. Moreover, consumers appreciate the concise and focused nature of SMS, with over 70% of consumers willing to sign up for business texts (Attentive).
In retail, SMS marketing shines as an engagement tool. With click-through rates ranging from 21-35% (Postscript), it’s crucial for re-engagement tactics like [abandoned cart reminders](klaviyo-cdp-features-update.html). For instance, Whisker Seeker Tackle successfully boosted conversions by 25% using SMS to announce offers.
Beauty brands excel using SMS for 'back in stock' notifications and collecting user-generated content. As noted by Postscript, optimizing these strategies can substantially increase revenue and customer engagement.
In this sector, SMS is a pivotal channel for educational content and reminders. With average conversion rates of 21-30%, health brands leverage SMS to maintain engagement through campaigns and product education (Postscript).
For food and beverage businesses, SMS is ideal for delivering time-sensitive offers and updates. Engagement is high, with click-through rates averaging 5.4% – 29.8% (Sender).
The hospitality industry benefits from SMS in managing bookings and customer feedback loops. Conversion rates hover around 21-30% (SimpleTexting), showing the channel’s effectiveness in driving customer actions.
Engagement in education is facilitated by appointment reminders, achieving conversion rates up to 30% (SimpleTexting). This strategic use ensures students and stakeholders remain informed and connected.
In finance, SMS’s role in facilitating secure and prompt communication is vital. Click-through rates of 21-35% (SimpleTexting) are typical for reminders and alerts.
SMS marketing is an invaluable tool for digital businesses. By aligning your strategies with industry-specific benchmarks and leveraging best practices, you can enhance customer engagement, drive sales, and optimize your marketing ROI. SMS offers a quick, efficient, and personal way to connect with your audience, making it a necessary component of your digital marketing toolkit.