What began as a way to communicate with friends and family has since become an important part of the D2C marketing mix. SMS gives brands the ability to reach their customers quickly, efficiently, and with precision. 

Consumer preferences are shifting drastically. They no longer want to wait on hold or send emails that take days to get a response—they expect real-time communication and immediate responses. Brands who stay ahead of the curve in today’s ever-changing landscape can reach their customers where they are—on their phones. Let’s take a look at the text messaging trends to stay on top of in 2023.

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Customer service

This year, customer service is the name of the game when it comes to SMS. Texting creates an opportunity for quicker and more personalized customer service, and it helps customers feel a sense of connection and trust knowing they’ll receive timely responses and action. With the ability to answer customer inquiries and complaints quickly and efficiently, brands can build loyalty among customers they might have otherwise lost due to slow response times.

With an estimated 90 percent of all text messages opened within three minutes of delivery, brands have a nearly instantaneous connection with their customers. Not to mention that most people prefer receiving text messages over other forms of communication.

We expect to see more brands discovering the power of real-time, two-way text conversations that allow them to support customers in every step of their journey. Giving consumers the opportunity to interact in real time with brands they like motivates them to remain engaged and subscribed with your text channel.

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Zero-party data

Growing concern over consumer privacy has brands scrambling to figure out how to survive in a world without third-party cookies. But zero-party data is the way forward. Zero-party data comes straight from the consumer, giving brands deeper insight into their customers’ needs and preferences. And it’s more accurate and trustworthy than first-party data.

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SMS is one of the most effective tools for reaching customers and engaging with them in real time

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SMS is one of the most effective tools for reaching customers and engaging with them in real time—and it makes collecting the essential data you need easy. Since they don’t need an app or login credentials, all they have to do is reply to your message to provide their details. And access to more data about your customers allows for even better targeting and segmentation of campaigns.

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Personalization

Personalization is key when it comes to SMS marketing, as it helps build relationships with customers and create a stronger connection between brands and consumers. By carefully crafting personalized messages and content, businesses can make sure their messages stand out in the flood of text messages they receive every day.

We can expect to see increased personalization options so brands can tailor messages even more effectively for each customer segment. Companies can use customer data like purchase history or preferences in order to craft more targeted messages that better serve each customer’s individual needs.

Whether addressing each customer by name or adding a special promotion code unique to them, the goal is to make each customer feel like you know them and care about their needs. Taking the time to research and segment your customers based on their interests so you can send personalized messages and targeted offers will mean more conversions. Personalizing your messages also lets brands create an emotional connection with customers, which increases loyalty and engagement.

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Automation

This year we expect to see even more automation in SMS marketing and conversational commerce. Automation makes it easier for brands to manage campaigns and streamline their workflows without sacrificing the quality of their messages. They can be triggered by various events including when customers make purchases or when it’s time for a refill reminder. It allows brands to reach their customers at just the right time with personalized messages tailored to their specific needs.

Automation helps streamline business processes by automating mundane tasks like scheduling and sending messages, as well as tracking and analyzing customer interactions. Brands can keep track of customer responses in real-time, which helps them make better decisions about their campaigns. Automation saves time by taking care of tedious manual tasks like data entry or manual segmentation.

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Two-way conversations

This year, we expect to see more brands focused on having real-time, two-way text conversations, rather than bombarding customers with text blasts and one-time promo codes that leave them no room to form a connection to your brand. Giving consumers the opportunity to interact in real time with their favorite brands motivates them to remain engaged and subscribed.

SMS offers so much more than just marketing potential—it’s become an integral part of how businesses communicate with customers. In fact, brands can power every step of the sales funnel via text. Customers can find out about new products, ask questions, complete purchases, and even arrange a refund—all in one conversation.

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