Business Texting Statistics, SMS Marketing Statistics & Mobile Messaging Trends
Looking for the latest text message statistics and SMS marketing facts? I’ve got you covered.
In this collection of SMS statistics, facts, figures, and insights you’ll find:
- Business text messaging stats
- SMS marketing statistics
- Mobile messaging trends and stats
Read on for more.
Business Text Messaging Stats, Facts, and Figures
The latest business texting stats and text messaging trends indicate that SMS usage is on the rise. More businesses and organizations are now texting.
Texting facts and statistics also show that SMS messages are an effective way to reach people. SMS is one of the easiest ways to communicate with contacts, customers, clients, teammates, and employees.
Despite these SMS facts, business text messaging software hasn’t yet reached mass adoption amongst all businesses, organizations, and texting demographics.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic did hasten this transition. More businesses and organizations adopted business text messaging as a new way to keep connected.
Key Business Texting Stats
- Around 39% of businesses and organizations use SMS text messages to communicate.
- 63% of businesses that text are considered SMBs.
- 58% of people say that texting is the most effective way for businesses and organizations to reach them.
- 63% of businesses and organizations say they use text messaging for scheduling and reminders.
- 34% of employees at businesses use business texting software to text customers.
- 34% of people say they’ve started a text conversation with a business or organization within the last year.
- 56% of people receive texts from businesses or organizations at least once a month.
- 42% of businesses and organizations don’t know why they haven’t adopted texting.
- 34% of businesses say they adopted texting because of the pandemic.
Are businesses texting businesses or consumers?
Around 39% of businesses and organizations use SMS text messages to communicate. 21% of B2B organizations send text messages. 42% of B2C organizations send text messages. And 37% of organizations send both B2B and B2C messages.1
How big are the businesses that text?
Of the 39% of businesses and organizations that text, 63% are considered SMBs. The remaining 20% and 18% are mid-market and enterprise organizations respectively.1
What types of businesses and organizations are texting?
The types of businesses and organizations that use texting vary. 73% of organizations in the real estate vertical say they text. 65% of agriculture businesses text and 63% of entertainment-based organizations send texts.1
Some 57% of trades and service-based businesses text their customers. 50% of logistics and support-based businesses send texts and 50% of nonprofits text. 48% of the automotive industry including car dealerships text. 47% of organizations involved in education are texting.1
What do businesses and organizations use text messaging for?
63% of businesses and organizations say they use text messaging for scheduling appointments and reminders. Another 44% say they use texting for customer service and support, with 38% indicating texting for alerts.1
30% of organizations said they use SMS for texting employees and staff. While 25% said marketing and promotions and 22% use texting for inbound and outbound sales.1
Finally, 19% of businesses and organizations use texting for billing and payment reminders. Another 15% say they use texting for text-to-apply recruiting and staffing.1
Below are examples of how various businesses and organizations use text messaging.
Inbound and outbound sales
- Text message follow-up messages to limit no-shows.
- Text follow-up meeting invites after a discovery call.
- Send follow-up sales messages to prospects and leads that have gone cold.
- Add add a text message follow-up after leaving a voicemail or sending an email.
- Generating leads and sending cold text messages to prospects.
Suggested Article: Sales Text Message Examples | How to Text Leads & Prospects
Marketing and promotions
- Increase reach and awareness.
- Send promotions, coupons, offers, and discount codes.
- Boost engagement with conversational and time-sensitive messages.
- Personalized marketing messages at scale.
- Saving time with automation.
- Reduce marketing message overhead.
Suggested Article: What is SMS Marketing? How to Run a Text Marketing Campaign
Customer support and service
- Advertise SMS customer service numbers on a website.
- Manage expectations with out-of-office and emergency messages.
- Automate appointment reminders and confirmations.
- Send order status and delivery updates.
- Set up payment reminders and billing notifications.
- Collect customer feedback by texting links to polls and surveys.
- Send texts asking for a review.
Suggested Article: Text Support & Service | SMS Customer Service Software Guide
Healthcare
- Send appointment confirmations and reminders to ensure attendance.
- Improve onboarding by having patients text a photo of their insurance card to speed up the process.
- Use scheduled text reminders to eliminate appointment no-shows.
- Quickly reach employees or physicians who refer patients.
Suggested Article: Guide to HIPAA-Compliant Texting for Medical Offices
Veterinarians and animal hospitals
- Text as a team from an SMS inbox using an existing business phone number.
- Start more conversations with pet owners from a website.
- Save templates and personalize messages.
- Text pictures of pets and add links for real-time updates on pet health.
- Collect pet information with web forms.
- Reduce no-shows and send appointment reminders.
- Manage expectations with automatic out-of-office replies.
- Promote new products or services.
- Texting gets you paid faster and works well for collecting more on-time payments.
- Get more reviews of your vet clinic from pet owners.
Suggested Article: What is “Text a Vet”? + Veterinary Text Message Templates
Fitness
- Schedule class reminders and personal training sessions with text templates.
- Use autoresponders to ensure clients get a response, even when you’re away.
- Connect prospects with free trials.
- Generate leads by prompting people to text a specific keyword to get a free workout.
Suggested Article: SMS Marketing for Gyms & Fitness Professionals + Templates
Insurance agents, brokers, and underwriters
- Send appointment reminders, and share claim status updates and next steps.
- Allow policyholders to text photos of VIN numbers, property damage, and declaration pages to save time and eliminate room for errors.
- Schedule appointments with new customers to discuss policy options.
- Update coverage for existing policyholders.
Suggested Article: Texting for Insurance | Insurance SMS Marketing & Templates
Car dealerships and automotive businesses
- Start more text conversations directly from a website
- Send a mass text message to a bunch of leads
- Text as a sales team with potential customers from one business phone number
- Get near-instant message delivery
- Schedule messages and automate customer service follow-ups
- Send personalized text messages that feel like a conversation
Suggested Article: Car Dealership Text Messaging Options + Free Templates
Staffing and recruiting agencies
- Send mass recruitment texts with job descriptions to groups of candidates.
- Schedule interviews, confirm appointments, and send reminders to reduce interview no-shows.
- Texts candidates after interviews to get feedback and gauge experience.
Suggested Article: 17 Staffing & Recruiting Text Message Examples + Templates
Text dispatch and logistics messaging
- Text with customers, clients, and other stakeholders.
- Text with teams, offices, and other logistics or warehouse staff.
- Text with delivery drivers and people in the field.
- Send text alerts to drivers, customers, and staff.
- Automate delivery reminders and shipping updates.
Suggested Article: Text Dispatch Software | Logistics & Dispatch SMS + Examples
Financial services, banks, and credit unions
- Schedule appointments to discuss loan options.
- Accelerate closings by having applicants send photos of needed documents using their mobile devices.
- Reduce charge-offs by connecting with delinquent borrowers to collect payments discreetly.
- Use templates to standardize text messages that are sent frequently.
Suggested Article: Finance SMS for Banks, Financial Services, Advisors, Lenders
Real estate agents and brokers
- Generate leads and interest with SMS marketing for real estate
- Send text blasts with listing information, price changes, or event invites
- Schedule and send reminders about appointments and showings
- Link potential buyers to real estate MLS listing information
- Share images and other media that highlight a listing
- Generate leads with click-to-text and text-to keywords like “INFO” or “SUBSCRIBE”
- Organize text message conversations with a shared team SMS inbox
Suggested Article: Real Estate Texting Guide + Free Real Estate SMS Templates
Restaurants
- Make a reservation by text.
- Use scheduled messages to send automated table updates.
- Improve the walk-in customer experience with “table ready” text alerts.
- Send confirmations for curbside pick-up and provide arrival instructions.
Suggested Article: Restaurant Text Messaging Guide
Education
- Notify about upcoming events and fundraisers.
- Alert about inclement weather and emergencies.
- Send class cancelation and school closure messages.
- Remind about admissions, enrollment, and deadlines.
Suggested Article: School Text Services | SMS for Schools & Higher Ed Texting
Nonprofits
- Share updates, alerts, and reminders
- Make fundraising appeals
- Collect donations with text-to-donate and text-to-give
- Send event notifications
- Advertise volunteer opportunities
- Automate responses based on keywords
- Segment and group contacts into lists
- Track campaign performance and response rates
Suggested Article: Nonprofit Marketing | Mass Texting Services for Nonprofits
IT and network administrators
- Send emergency notifications
- Alert about system outages
- Update stakeholders on current situation
Suggested Article: IT SMS Alerts Guide + System Outage Communication Templates
What are the most valuable texts people receive from businesses and organizations?
64% of people say that an appointment reminder is the most valuable text they’ve received from a business or organization. 48% of people say an update on the status of a delivery or item shipment was also helpful to them. Another 29% say discounts on a product or service was helpful.3
How many people received a text message from a business or organization last year?
83% of people say they received a text from a business or organization within the last year.2
How many businesses and organizations use business text messaging software?
There are a variety of ways to send and receive text messages. But 68% of businesses and organizations use business text messaging software to text. 13% use a CRM or API. 6% use a point-of-sale system (POS). And 14% use something else to text.1
What types of SMS phone numbers do businesses and organizations use?
Businesses and organizations use a variety of SMS phone numbers including 10-digit local numbers (10DLC) and toll-free and shortcodes. Most businesses and organizations (65%) use 10-digit local phone numbers to text.1
Additionally, 61% of people think businesses and organizations should use the same phone number for calling and texting.1
How many businesses and organizations text from a company mobile phone?
29% of business employees text from a company-provided cell phone. Some 37% of employees report using their personal phones for work. And the remaining 20% and 14% use some form of business texting software.3
How often do employees give their personal phone numbers to customers and clients?
29% of employees say they give their customers a personal phone number very often or often. 43% of people give their personal phone numbers to customers sometimes or rarely. And 26% of employees say they never give their personal numbers to customers.3
How many people start text conversations with businesses or organizations?
Only 34% of people say they start text conversations with a business or organization. 66% said no, they don’t start text conversations with businesses.3
Building an SMS subscriber list by using the home page of a website or other high-traffic page is one-way organizations are marketing texting capabilities.
Adding a “Click-to-Text” button on a website or the words “Text or Call” raises awareness that a business or organization can text.
How often do people send or receive texts from businesses or organizations?
14% of people report sending or receiving text messages from a business or organization at least once a day. 28% say they get a text once a week. Another 14% say they get texts once a month. And around 44% of people say they sporadically or never text with businesses or organizations.3
Which type of business communication is the most effective for reaching people quickly?
58% of people say that texting is the most effective way for businesses and organizations to reach them quickly. An equal 21% and 21% say phone calls and emails respectively are the fastest way to get in contact.3
The conclusion is that text messaging has clear benefits compared to email and voice. Especially given people’s clear communication preferences.
How often do businesses and organizations “play phone tag” with customers and clients?
Call management and reducing phone calls are ever-present problems for businesses and organizations. Not getting an answer or having calls go to voicemail is becoming increasingly common.
21% of businesses and organizations say they play phone tag with customers very often. 29% and 28% say they play phone tag often or somewhat often. And only 22% of businesses say they don’t often play phone tag with customers.2
Why haven’t businesses and organizations adopted business text messaging?
22% of businesses and organizations haven’t adopted text messaging. They don’t believe their customers want to text.2
17% say they’re concerned about customers’ thinking their texts are spam. 25% say they’re worried about having to set up and manage another communication channel.2
Finally, 16% of people say they don’t have a budget for texting or didn’t know it was a possibility.2
How many businesses and organizations adopted business texting because of COVID?
70% of businesses and organizations used text messaging to communicate with customers or employees because of COVID-19.3
34% of businesses say they adopted texting because of the pandemic. 77% of businesses and organizations say they will continue to use it after the pandemic ends.3
Text Message Marketing Statistics, Facts, and Figures
Text message marketing statistics show that amongst marketers SMS marketing growth is increasing. Many marketing strategies took advantage of text message marketing and text message broadcasts following the pandemic.
Automated text messages and peoples’ preference for texting means that more marketers are looking to use text messaging. Digital marketers regard text messaging as an important marketing channel.
However, people do opt out of unwanted and unsolicited text messages at a high rate. They also don’t tend to enjoy the texting experience with one-way 5-6 digit shortcode messages.
Key SMS Marketing Stats
- SMS text messaging is one of the top four most adopted mobile marketing tactics.
- Amongst marketers, 53% currently use mobile messaging to reach out to their prospects, leads, and customers.
- 56% of organizations say SMS and MMS perform well in improving customer engagement.
- More people prefer texting for scheduling, sales inquiries, customer support, and marketing compared to email and voice.
- 96% of people use their cell phones to send text messages.
- The average person sends around 13 SMS text messages per day.
- 74% of people report having zero unread texts
- 74% of people respond to text messages from a business within an hour.
- 31% of people say they like to have the option to call, text, or email a business or organization.
- 53% of businesses and organizations report that they’ve never sent a text to someone who hasn’t already opted in.
- Only 22% of businesses say they’re very familiar with TCPA compliance.
- 65% percent of people say they’ve unsubscribed from a business’s texts.
- Only 16% of businesses and organizations say they’re using one-way short-code texting.
- Nearly 75% of people say they get frustrated with shortcode text messages.
Text vs email vs phone calls - what do people prefer?
People say they prefer to receive texts over phone calls or emails for scheduling, sales inquiries, customer service and support, and marketing and promotions.
SMS marketing data indicates that texting is one of the top four most adopted mobile marketing tactics.5
Amongst marketers, 53% currently use mobile messaging to reach out to their prospects, leads, and customers. 31% plan on adopting the technology in the next 12 months.6
23% of marketers are planning on using AI to automate customer interactions over social channels or messaging apps. 57% plan on doing so within the next two years.6
68% of businesses and organizations expect advanced mobile messaging apps to play a highly important role in online consumer marketing within five years.5
56% of organizations say that texting pictures and media using SMS and MMS works well for improving customer engagement.5
Plus…
- 58% of consumers said they’ve tried to reply to a missed call via text.1
- 1 in 4 customers won’t listen to voicemails from unknown callers.1
- Texts from an unknown number are 7 times more likely to get a response than a voicemail.1
- 3% of voicemails from unknown callers get a callback.1
- 74% of people say they have zero unread texts.1
- 17% of people say they have zero unread emails.1
Text message marketing vs email marketing engagement rates
Text message open, delivery, response, and spam rates are all superior to email. Text messages have up to a 98% open rate. Emails average around 20%. Overall, text messages have much higher conversion rates and response rates than emails.1
What kinds of devices do people text from?
96% of people use their cell phones to send text messages. 22% send text messages from their laptop or desktop computer. And another 16% send texts from their tablet or iPad.1
How many texts do people send per day?
The average person sends around 13 SMS text messages per day. But the average person only sends 3.3 emails per day. This means that people send 4x as many texts as emails on any given day.2
How many unread text messages do people have?
74% of people report having zero unread texts, and only 4% report having 7 or more unread texts. 17% of people report having zero unread emails, and 50% report having 7 or more unread emails1
How long does it take people to respond to a text from a business?
74% of people respond to text messages from a business within an hour vs. 41% via email. 85% of people respond to a text message from friends or family within an hour vs. 38% via email.1
SMS text marketing statistics around texting demographics
SMS stats show that 61% of Millennials and Generation Z want to use the same number for calling and texting businesses.1
3 out of 5 Millennials will reply with a text after choosing not to answer a phone call.1
Text marketing statistics indicate that millennials are twice as likely as Gen X’ers to reply to an unknown sender’s text message.1
Millennials are 4 times more likely to respond to a text message than call back to a voicemail.1
What is the most important thing for people when communicating with a business or organization?
31% of people say they like to have the option to call, text, or email a business or organization. And other 27% say that personalized communication is important to them.2
28% of people say that having easy, clear opt-out and choosing messaging frequency is important.2
Finally, 14% of people say that having the ability to reply to a message is the most important thing when messaging a business or organization.2
How often do businesses and organizations send texts to people who haven’t opted in?
53% of businesses and organizations report that they’ve never sent a text to someone who hasn’t already opted in. Another 20% aren’t sure if they’ve sent texts to non-opted-in phone numbers.
Text marketing stats also reveal that 27% of businesses and organizations have sent texts to contacts who haven’t opted in.3
How familiar are businesses and organizations with TCPA?
Text message marketing stats indicate that only 22% of businesses say they’re very familiar with TCPA compliance. 35% said they are somewhat familiar, but 44% reported being not familiar at all.3
How many people unsubscribe and opt-out of receiving marketing and promotional texts from businesses and organizations?
65% percent of people say they’ve unsubscribed from a business’s texts. The top two reasons for unsubscribing include spam at 31% and receiving too many texts at 30%. 18% of people opt out because they don’t find certain texts relevant to them.3
How many people try to respond to short code text messages?
SMS mobile marketing statistics show that 16% of businesses and organizations use one-way short-code texting to send text message blasts.3
The low usage is likely due to consumer demand for conversational two-way texting with businesses and organizations.
Additionally, 33% of people have tried to reply to a short code text message with something other than a text autoresponder keyword.1
How many people get frustrated with shortcodes?
Shortcodes are great for alerts and mass marketing. But texting software offers a better customer experience. With two-way texting, customers have the option to initiate a conversation if they need further assistance.
Nearly 75% of people say they get frustrated with shortcode text messages.3
Mobile Messaging Trends, Facts, and Statistics
Mobile messaging statistics show that much of the US population owns a phone capable of receiving text messages. Additionally, people spend a tremendous amount of time checking and engaging with their phones.
Mobile messaging app statistics also show that people don’t want to give up human interaction. Out of all the apps on their mobile phones, people use their native text messaging app the most.
Businesses and organizations have also adopted chatbots and branded apps to communicate. But people also feel burdened by having to download special apps to talk with businesses and organizations.
Key Mobile Messaging Statistics
- 77% of Americans own a smartphone.
- 63% of people use the SMS text messaging app the most on their personal phones.
- 61% of people spend at least 3 hours on their mobile phones every day.
- 67% of people check their phones within at least 5 minutes of waking up.
- The majority of people check their phones more than 20 times a day.
- 54% of businesses say it's very difficult or somewhat difficult to get a response from customers.
- 18% of businesses and organizations say they use a chatbot.
- 74% of people say they prefer to speak with a person when conducting business.
- 64% of consumers said they’re unlikely or very unlikely to download a business or organization’s branded app.
- 61% of people say they’ve often deleted branded apps shortly after use.
How many smartphones are there in the United States?
5.1 billion people use mobile devices globally. The CTIA predicts there will be 31 billion connected devices by 2023.4
From 2014 to 2017 the number of active smartphones in the US grew 31% to 273 Million.4
77% of Americans own a smartphone compared to 35% in 2011.4
In 2018, Americans connected another 21.5 million mobile devices for a total of 421.7 million devices. 284.7 million of those devices are smartphones. That’s 87% of the U.S. population.4
67% of Americans value reliable wireless service more than affordable housing, good schools, and good commute times.4
72% of consumers said they would give up chocolate over their smartphones. 65% said they would trade TV. 63% said they would give up coffee.4
80% of Americans consider wireless service indispensable.4
89% of people can’t live without their smartphones or always have them within arm’s reach. 4
What messaging tool do people use the most on their personal phones?
63% of people use the SMS text messaging app the most on their personal phones. Facebook Messenger is the second most popular messaging app for 15% of people. This is followed by WhatsApp at 8% and Snapchat at 5%.2
What messaging tool do people use the most on their personal phones?1. Phone’s native texting app63%2. Facebook Messenger15%3. WhatsApp8%4. Other6%5. Snapchat5%6. Line2%7. Google Hangouts (Gchat)1%8. WeChat1%
How much time do people spend on their phones each day?
35% of people spend 3 to 4 hours on their phones each day. Another 26% report that they spend more than 4 hours per day. While 39% say they spend just 1 to 2 hours on their phones per day.3
How soon after waking up in the morning do people check their personal cell phones?
34% of people immediately check their personal cell phones soon after waking up in the morning. 33% check their cell phones within 5 minutes. That means 67% of people check their phones within the first few minutes of starting their day.3
How many times per day do people check their cell phones?
The majority of people check their phones more than 20 times a day. 16% say they check their mobile phones more than 50 times per day.2
How difficult is it to get a response from contacts, customers, clients, and employees?
54% of businesses say it's very difficult or somewhat difficult to get a response from customers. 36% say it's somewhat easy, while only 10% say it's very easy.2
How many businesses or organizations use chatbots?
18% of businesses and organizations say they use a chatbot. But only 51% of those can transition those conversations to a real person.2
Do people prefer to communicate with chatbots or people?
74% of people say they prefer to speak with a person when conducting business. 23% of people say they prefer to start a conversation with a chatbot. But they still want to transfer to a human at some point if necessary.2
How willing are people to install a branded app to communicate with a business?
64% of people say they’re unlikely to download a branded app to communicate with a business.2
How many people have downloaded a branded app just to communicate with a business or organization?
61% of people say they’ve often deleted branded apps shortly after use.2
Final thoughts and next steps
Ready to try business text messaging? MessageDesk is here to help with business texting software.
Start sending texts with MessageDesk today. Check out our paid plans - pricing starts at just $14 per month. You’re also free to meet with a messaging expert for a demo.