Let me let you in on a little secret. You´re missing out on a huge opportunity. At this point you probably already know that SMS has one of the highest CTR, or Click-Through-Rate, compared to email and social media. There is a collective understanding in the marketing community that SMS is the most efficient marketing channel. But this only applies when used correctly. With an average CTR of 45% , SMS blows any other marketing channel out of the water. But do you know what the CTR is for the SMS messages you send out?
Why Is SMS so Efficient?
Before we get to the nitty-gritty about numbers and statistic, we´ll have to understand why SMS is so efficient. SMS is a bit like Samwise Gamgee from Lord of The Rings. It will reach its destination whatever it takes. SMS doesn’t rely on an app or an internet connection. And if the recipient doesn’t have cell service it will stay put and wait till it´s back to be delivered. And just like Sam, SMS doesn´t always get the recognition it deserves.
Businesses are often skeptical to using SMS as part of their marketing strategy because it can be perceived as intrusive. And that is true to some extent. Let’s say you´re in a meeting or you´re watching a movie with your phone within eyesight. The second an SMS message comes through your eyes will automatically and unconsciously gravitate towards the phone. And those of us who use a Mac doesn´t stand a chance. As I´m writing this article a message popped up in the corner of my screen and immediately stole my attention. It´s because we perceive SMS as something important, something that requires our immediate attention.
With that said, XL.Today have found out that 75% of people say that they would like to receive offers via SMS. So why not give the people what they want? At the end it´s all about balance. On one hand you yourself know how intrusive SMS can be. On the other hand it´s an effective way of communicating with your customers. You will have to think thoroughly through how many SMS messages you will send and when to send them.
Insights Into the CTR And Effect of SMS
Okey, it´s now safe to say that you know why SMS is such an efficient tool on a general basis. But what about your specific SMS campaigns? It´s good to know what to expect from SMS. But wouldn´t it be even better if you actually got to see the results of your SMS marketing. A lot of people we have talked to describe SMS as a big black hole. The messages go out from one end and on the other end it´s radio silent. Did the customers even get the message? Are they interested in the offer you sent out? Traditionally, these questions remain unanswered, but not anymore!
We hear you and we see you!
We have taken this into consideration and have developed our own link shortener that gives you the insight you wouldn´t have gotten otherwise. The links you make with this link shortener is safer than links made with publicly available link shorteners like Bitly. Because Bitly is available to everyone and their mother, there is a natural skepticism that surround those types of links. The reason is the cheer amount of scam attempts that have been hidden behind a Bitly link over time.
With our own link shortener, your links won´t be flagged or checked by a third party for scam attempts. This is because only our customers have access to this link shortener. In addition, you will get insight into the specific CTR for your message. You will know whether your customers received the SMS, if they opened the link and even when they opened it. You can generate separate lists with contacts who either opened the link or those who didn´t.
Why is this information useful?
First of all, you can use this information to improve your marketing strategy. You can make your campaigns more tailored to your customers’ needs and wants. You can use the information about the CTR to map out the best time to send out SMS offers. When are your customers most active? At what time of the day do they engage the most with your message? You can also use this information to improve your segmentation strategy. The icing on the cake is that you will gain full insight on who your most loyal customers are.
This information is more valuable than gold for your company. After using Intellipush´s link shortener for a while, you will get a full overview over your most loyal customers on the front page of your account. This overview is based on the number of links the customers have clicked on. You can choose which time period you would like to get an overview of and the minimum number of clicks. And you can make a whole new contact list consisting of only your most loyal customers. You can use this list to show them your appreciation for their loyalty to you and your brand. This can be in the form of early access to certain deals. Or they can get an extra good offer as a reward for their loyalty. The possibilities here are endless - the only thing stopping you is your own imagination.
Talk about making informed decisions!
So, what do you say, shall we begin?
