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If you’re looking for ways to level up your SEO strategy and prepare for the year ahead, our SEO Trends 2024 ebook is the ultimate authoritative resource.
We’ve gathered insights from 13 of the top PPC marketing experts who know what’s coming, what you should pay attention to, and what to avoid.
If you’re looking for ways to level up your SEO strategy and prepare for the year ahead, our SEO Trends 2024 ebook is the ultimate authoritative resource.
Take a look at the advantages of using text messaging as a marketing channel for prospecting and customer nurturing.
Is driving local traffic your number one goal?
How about getting a 97% open rate and transforming your relationship with customers for the better?
On October 13, I moderated a sponsored Search Engine Journal webinar presented by Thomas Clawson, Partner Marketing Manager at Podium. He provided the latest insights and insider tips on using text messaging more successfully as a marketing channel for prospecting and customer nurturing.
You’re likely very familiar with marketing channels such as email, in-app prompts, direct mail, and display advertising.
However, Short Message Service (SMS) marketing is a relatively new field.
When used effectively, text messaging can be excellent.
As a business or an agency helping other companies, you can capitalize on the changing tides of customer communications with SMS.
Here’s a recap of the webinar presentation.
Podium interviewed more than 1,000 diverse consumers across the United States and Australia to answer critical questions about how customers want to interact with local businesses.
Here’s what they found out.
Messaging isn’t new, but it’s forever changed.
So why is texting the next revolution?
Look at these stats:
This is past the average email open rate of 18% and presents an excellent opportunity for marketers to jump in and try out SMS.
This shows that SMS is a high impact on those who are using it.
This means there is a great opportunity out there to fill the gap.
LA Furniture is a retailer with a significant brick-and-mortar presence across the Los Angeles region and a solid online retail wing.
Madeline shared her ideology around communication with customers and why they have leaned so heavily toward SMS communications.
“We have to be thinking about consumers of the future. They are the people who grew up with cell phones and computers…they are very efficient with their time, and we need to be aware of that.”
–Madeline Sweeten, LA Furniture
The newest group of spenders with serious spending power now grew up a lot of times with a cell phone or used it young,
​​It’s simple: your customers want to text.
Many businesses default to using the phone, emails, and maybe a social media channel to communicate with customers, but they’re missing a huge opportunity.
A 209% increase in response rate is not something to scoff at: it’s an unfair advantage against your competitors, an efficiency driver for your employees, and a revenue maximizer.
Consumers genuinely prefer text messaging with businesses.
So this shift is here, it’s real, and your customers are waiting for it.
Conversational messaging differs from spam because it’s more personalized.
The person texting you introduces themselves, and your answers go beyond a yes or a no.
When these kinds of conversations open up, you start seeing better results for your business.
Conversational messaging puts a face and a human feel to your business and meets the customers right where they’re at with the service they deserve.
When customers know a real person will receive and respond to their message, they would be more likely to text with that local business.
They want to be messaged as a person from that business.
With SMS being one of the most effective but most minor channels utilized, it gives businesses a window of opportunity to be a true leader in the space before it becomes widely adopted.
The customers are ready.
Two-thirds want the ability to text with their local businesses, and the businesses around them aren’t meeting their needs.
Imagine the implications for a local business that adopts texting.
Are you using text as a marketing channel today?
Promotional messaging is any way you message your consumers to promote or advertise your business, typically by offering sales, discounts, and coupons.
Local businesses are uniquely positioned to win with SMS marketing.
Consumers report being 21% more likely to opt into a local business opt-in list than a major chain or big box business and 45% more than an online-only business.
That’s an unfair advantage that can, without exaggeration, tilt the tables in favor of local businesses.
If you’re smaller, more regional, or more niche, there’s an ample opportunity here.
Your customers will more likely feel that there will be a connection and that they’re not just someone on the list.
Now that you know the power of SMS marketing for local businesses, how should you think about implementing it for your business?
Podium’s research found that most consumers want text message promotions that provide coupons, discounts, and loyalty offers.
In terms of timing, it appears that 1-3 promotional text messages per week are the sweet spot for a large portion of consumers.
For in-demand products, back-in-stock messages work well.
Now before we send you on your way to start capitalizing on SMS marketing’s moment, it’s important to remember that SMS marketing is a regulated channel with significant repercussions if not adhered to.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prohibits, among other things, companies from using automated technology to call or text customers on a cell phone without their consent.
Class actions are the most significant risk for companies subject to the TCPA (and Spam Act in Australia and CASL in Canada). TCPA class actions often result in substantial settlements. So this is important.
Unfortunately, many consumers have experienced this type of transgression, as the majority have received a promotional message from a business to which they did not give consent.
These are individuals who received messages that they didn’t recall signing up for.
There are right and wrong ways to do this, and really about getting the opt-in or the permission to text these people.
Some way to gather opt-ins is through signage in your store, places on your website, or giveaways.
Once you get that audience, it’s captive, they’re excited to work with you, and it’s high impact.
It’s also important to remember that you have to earn your audience’s trust with every message, as they can opt out at any time.
When asked what would cause them to unsubscribe from a list they had already opted into, consumers pointed to two significant issues:
Local business texting is here.
Are you ready?
Always keep the following in mind:
Here is the presentation:

Image Credits
Featured Image: olesia_g/Shutterstock
Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
Heather has over 20 years of industry experience and is the Director of Marketing at Search Engine Journal. Having worked …
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