Cell phones are becoming the most common form of communication in the United States. Ninety-seven percent of Americans own some sort of mobile phone, and 85% of them own a smartphone. This number has grown from just 35% in 2011.

While smartphones allow for multiple avenues of communication--voice calls, email, video-chatting, or instant messaging on an app--texting is by far the most popular choice. In fact, one-third of Americans prefer texting over phone calls.

Text messages have a 99% open rate, making them a dependable way to correspond with others. This means that businesses and campaigns can take advantage of SMS broadcasting--the method of sending mass text messages--as a valuable tool to get in touch and stay connected with a large audience. It can improve engagement with your current and potential clients and ultimately grow your business. Here is an overview of SMS broadcasting and how your business can leverage it.

What is SMS Broadcasting?

On January 13, 2018, thousands of residents and visitors of Hawaii all received the same message on their cell phones, resulting in widespread panic. It read: "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL." A half an hour later, a second alert was sent stating that the warning was false.

While it was a terrifying and misfortunate mistake, it shows what SMS broadcasting can do. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency sent the same message to multiple cell phones simultaneously as an alert. An SMS broadcast does the same, but the message is received in the form of a text. It's essentially one message sent to multiple recipients.

Also known as a "mass text message" or "bulk text message", an SMS broadcast is used by organizations, businesses, and campaigns to reach out to their customers and contacts. It's frequently used to keep their community informed with updates, reminders, or even promotional offers.

SMS broadcasts can be sent to a large number of individuals at once, showing up as a text message from either a phone number or a dedicated short code (a five or six-digit phone number). They usually give the recipients the option to subscribe or opt out.

SMS Broadcasting vs. Text Messages

Although they may seem similar, an SMS broadcast is vastly different from peer-to-peer and group text messages. Peer-to-peer and group text messaging are perfectly suitable for personal conversations, but they are highly inefficient for business use.

In peer-to-peer conversations, messages are sent from one individual to another individual. No one else is included. The texts are completely private.

Group text messages, or group chats, are a conversation between three or more people. Each member of the group can see the whole text thread and read every exchange. They can also view who else is included in the group besides themselves.

An SMS broadcast differs, because it starts with a list of contacts that is managed by an SMS broadcast service, like Salesmsg. One message is created from a single sender, and then it's sent out in a batch. Each recipient only sees the message that came from the sender. They don't see any other recipients or any other conversations. As far as they can tell, it was an individualized message sent just to them.

Another way that SMS broadcasts are different from text messages is how many people can be messaged. Androids and iPhones limit the number of contacts that can be added to a group message. SMS broadcast messages can be sent to hundreds and even thousands of contacts at one time with the use of SMS broadcasting software.

Why Should Your Business Send SMS Broadcasts?

There are many reasons why SMS broadcasting can be beneficial to your business. Here are a few to consider:

Texting increases customer satisfaction.

Over half of customers - sixty-four percent - report that they have a positive perception of companies that correspond via text message. Most people prefer texting over any other communication method, both in their personal life and in business affairs. Response rates of SMS messages are 209% higher than responses to phone calls.

Contacts can be reached anytime, anywhere.

Because so many Americans rely on their cell phones and carry them everywhere, sending SMS broadcasts means that your business can reach a broad audience no matter where they are. Whether it's the beach, a soccer game, the grocery store, or their living room, if they have their phone, they can receive your SMS messages. 

SMS broadcasting is cost-effective.

Utilizing SMS broadcasting software allows you to save valuable resources, such as time and money. Making individual phone calls or sending emails requires a dedicated team putting in many hours, but sending bulk SMS messages takes much less effort. With just a few clicks, your business can engage with multiple people all at the same time.

SMS broadcasting works well with other marketing strategies.

If your business uses social media, you can send text messages to encourage people to follow you. If you have an online store, you can send your customers information and reminders about an upcoming sale or appointment. It's a great tool to compliment and use alongside any other methods you are already implementing.

Improved engagement produces more growth and sales.

Reaching a wide audience with the simplicity of SMS broadcasting increases visibility for your business. Not only can you get in touch with them, but you can interact with them on a regular basis. This is crucial for making more sales or providing more services. SMS broadcasting also provides an opportunity for current and potential customers to take immediate action based on the text message they receive.

SMS Broadcasting Trends In Recent Years

When the Covid-19 Pandemic first began, efficient, fast, and reliable delivery of information became critical. Because of this, the use of SMS broadcasting increased rapidly worldwide among governments, healthcare providers, and businesses. In 2020 alone, the use of SMS messages for marketing grew 378% from 2019.

By sending bulk text messages, businesses had a stable means of remaining in touch with their customers even when there was so much uncertainty. They could inform their customers about safety protocols, hours of operation, and pandemic-related advisements. Two years later, SMS broadcasting is still growing in popularity among businesses and their customers.

Although the response to the Covid-19 pandemic has changed over time, the ease and effectiveness of SMS marketing campaigns remain the same.

How to Send an SMS Broadcast Message

SMS broadcasts cannot be sent through your personal cell phone. You will need to select a business SMS texting service, like Salesmsg. They provide an award-winning, user-friendly platform that uses SMS broadcasting software along with support and other features to help make your SMS marketing easier and more efficient.

With Salesmsg, you can upload an unlimited number of contacts and filter through their details to identify your ideal target audience. It allows you to create a personalized mass text message and send it in seconds--or you can schedule it in advance for a later time.

One of the key features of Salesmsg's SMS broadcast software is the ability to gain insights from each campaign. You can track delivery, see how many recipients clicked on a link, and download reports. Because you can see exactly how an SMS broadcast message is performing, your business will be able to strategize better and keep improving.

Ready to Start Using SMS Broadcasting for Your Business?

SMS broadcasting is one of the most powerful engagement tools that allows your business to reach a large audience in a short amount of time. With the growing preference for texting in the United States, now is the time to start enabling your business to communicate in the most impactful way. Salesmsg's new and improved SMS broadcasting feature is ideal to help your business improve engagement and grow.

Contact Salesmsg today for a free 14-day trial.