Today, it seems like people prefer messaging to emails and phone calls. But is messaging really the be-all and end-all channel? Should your business adopt it as your main means of connecting with customers? Here are 25 statistics to help you decide.

Constant Smartphone Use Means Customers Are Always Accessible via Messaging

The majority of customers rarely let their phones leave their sides. They take their phones everywhere, from home to work—which means that you have constant access to them.

• 97% of Americans own some type of cell phone
• Over half (53%) of global consumers feel anxious when their mobile devices are not close at hand
• Americans check their phones 96 times a day, or once every 10 minutes
• 77% of consumers keep the notifications on for their messaging apps

Americans Prefer Messaging Over Other Communication Options

Your customers may always be on their phones, but they don’t just do anything on there. They’re communicating with friends, family, and businesses through SMS and messaging channels. 

• The average consumer has three messaging apps on their phone’s home screen
• The average consumer uses three different messaging apps weekly
• 47% of global consumers say that, in general, they prefer texting to talking on the phone

Consumers Are Ready To Read and Respond To Messages

Texting is part of the average consumer’s daily life. While an email might go unread (and probably unanswered) for days, consumers are probably going to read your messages—and there’s a good chance they’ll answer them, too.

• 98% of SMS messages are read
• The average response time for a text is 90 seconds
• SMS has up to a 45% response rate

Customers Specifically Want to Text Your Brand

Texting isn’t just for chats between friends and family. Customers rely on messaging to communicate with their favorite brands, too.

• 89% of consumers want to use messaging to connect with brands
• Messaging is 3-8x more preferred for business communications than face-to-face channels across all generations
• Messaging is the preferred customer service channel for consumers in the U.S., South Korea, Singapore, and India
• Almost two-thirds of US consumers would switch to a business that offers text messaging as a communication option
• 90% of leads would prefer to be texted than called
• 19% of people will click a link in an SMS messaging campaign, compared to just 4.2% in emails
• SMS marketing has 8x the response rate of emails
• Nearly three-quarters (72%) of customers are more likely to purchase from a shopping site communicating with them about their products in real-time, with a real employee, via chat messaging
• 69% of U.S. consumers say a messaging option increases their confidence in a brand
• 48% of U.S. internet users prefer receiving loyalty-related messages via SMS
• 75% of U.S. consumers find it helpful to receive texts for appointment reminders, 45% find SMS banking alerts helpful, 39% find travel updates helpful, 39% find deals and promotions helpful, and 36% find food delivery updates helpful
• Over two thirds (69%) of U.S. consumers would prefer an unfamiliar company to contact them via text rather than a phone call

Messaging Is Taking Over the Business World

Businesses have started noticing the high customer demand for texting, and they’re taking action. More and more are offering native SMS and messaging channels as communication options. Still, businesses have yet to meet customer demand for texting.

• Global mobile business messaging traffic hit 2.7 trillion in 2020, up 10% from 2019
• Only 48% of businesses are equipped to respond to customer messages 
• In January 2020, 51% of eCommerce marketers said they planned to increase spending in messaging or SMS marketing; that figure grew to 56% in June 2020

The Bottom Line

The numbers say it all: messaging is quickly becoming a must-have for businesses. Consumers simply prefer real-time communication, which is fast, personalized, and reliable. Ultimately, messaging has no competition—which is why so many savvy businesses are adopting it. 

Ready to integrate messaging into your business? Try out Heymarket today.