SMS: Social Marketing That Goes Beyond Social Media

When you think about social media, you probably think of websites that involve things like follows and tweets and likes and “all that JAA-aazz” (as Liza Minnelli once said 😉

But one thing you may not be thinking of is the media that everybody and their brother (and mom, and probably grandma) uses as a social outlet: a cellphone!

Aside: Isn’t it weird how “cellphone” is starting to feel like an outdated term? For these purposes, you don’t even need users to have smartphones!

Social SMS Marketing

As I’ve said before, Google weighs mobile SEO a lot more heavily than it used to. That’s a big deal all its own, but that isn’t even touching on the power of mobile SMS marketing campaigns.

When you market to someone via social media, as much as I love it and as effective as it can be, there is still the factor of you shouting your message from a crowd of shouting people, so to say. Marketing via SMS is more like patting someone on the back and handing them a business card.

Instant (Messaging) Gratification

This is a more personal approach to social marketing, and one that is vastly under-represented today. According to EZ Texting, over 95% of texts are read within minutes of receipt, that 30% interact with brands via SMS, and that 5% of US adults use QR codes.

Let’s break that down, shall we?

That means you can expect an SMS to be read almost immediately – and yes, that means READ, not “glance at, lose interest, and move on.” A text is so small and personal that it begs to be read – have you ever just NOT read a text? Exactly!!

Now, 30% engagement with brands via SMS is good and bad. It’s good in that people are actually doing it, bad in that only 30% are. That means there is a TON of room for you to do the same!

QR codes are a great way to do that. While people may not always know how to use them, the above survey shows mobile coupons are 10X more successful, so mobile deals can be a killer way to get in on the SMS market.

However, the basic should always be in mind: interact socially. We are social people, so communicate that way. Try using an SMS poll for marketing, too!

How do you use SMS as a social extension? Do you at all? Let me know why!!