Chatbots for Text Message Marketing

Over the past several years, marketers have witnessed a massive introduction of new mobile apps, different approaches to social media marketing, and significant media hype about the manner in which brands are using these new tools to engage consumers on their smartphones. But with all of the attention mobile apps are getting, it is possible that the value of text message marketing, as part of an overall mobile marketing strategy, is being overlooked.

Text message (also referred to as SMS messages for ‘short messaging service”) continue to demonstrate significant and cost-effective value for brand marketing. While mobile apps and social media do occupy a significant space in creating brand awareness and consumer engagement, the power to communicate directly with consumers via relevant, well-timed messages should not be ignored.

Why Text Message Marketing is So Powerful

Text message marketing between brands and mobile device users has proven to be a great way to generate new leads and to engage consumers throughout the buying process. Some of the benefits of text message marketing include:

Instant and Direct Message Delivery

Text messaging is the most immediate channel available to marketing professionals. Nearly 100 percent of text messages are opened and read, typically within three minutes of delivery. This direct communication with consumers has been proven to help drive near-term purchases.

Quick Feedback from Consumers

Marketing professionals know that customer feedback is extremely valuable information, and research has shown that more than 30 percent of consumers will respond to a survey via smartphone. Brands can initiate surveys via text messages and (with an average response time of less than six minutes) acquire the results in relatively short period of time.

High Conversion Rates

Text messaging offers a very a conversion rate that is nearly impossible to match as mobile consumers respond to call-to-actions (CTAs) in text messages more than any other marketing channel. A well-designed text message marketing campaign leverages short messages with clear and concise CTAs that consumers tend to appreciate.

Smartphone Pervasiveness

Not only does almost every consumer own a smartphone, but the way people use these devices makes them more amenable to text message marketing. In fact, text messaging is the most common activity for which smartphones are used.

Chatbots for Text Message Marketing

Chatbots are software programs that are developed to initiate and manage chat communications on a brand’s website or some type of chat platform. As a brand, you can remove the question of which messaging app to support by developing your text-based support channels via text messaging, instead. Every consumer who owns a smartphone with one of the messaging apps also has a phone number and a built-in texting capabilities. The best text messaging chatbots are designed to deliver consumers the information they need while closely resembling human dialog.

Are you interested in developing a chatbot for your text message marketing efforts? Contact us to discuss.