Stop Being Ignored! How to Optimize SMS Open Rates Effectively

These days, where communication happens instantly, SMS marketing has become the preferred choice for businesses when connecting with customers. However, sending messages alone is not enough if they are not being read. Suppose you’ve crafted the perfect message, but your audience ignores it. This is the reality for many businesses that struggle with low SMS open rates. If you’re one of them, it’s time to stop being ignored and optimize your low SMS marketing open rates. In this blog, we will explore key factors affecting SMS open rates, how to measure success, and the best strategies to improve your results.

What is the SMS Open Rate?

SMS open rate means the percentage of recipients who open and read your SMS message out of the total number of recipients in the SMS campaign.

For example, if you send an SMS to 100 potential leads and 85 out of them open it, your SMS open rate is 85%.

As per the SMS marketing statistics, compared to other types of digital communication, such as emails, SMS offers a high open rate of around 98%. Why?

Just think about your relationship with your phone. SMS is immediate, and that’s why it notifies the user instantly. It is personal and lands straight into the same box where messages from other friends and family appear.

The best thing is that it does not require an internet connection. Therefore, it is accessible to more people.

In short, an SMS open rate directly reflects how effective your text message is in grabbing the customers’ attention. It gives you business insights into how well your messages are being received, opened, and read. A high SMS open rate means your messages are being opened and read, while a low SMS open rate means something is wrong with your SMS marketing strategy.

Why do SMS Open Rates Matter in SMS Marketing?

SMS marketing is one of the most direct ways to communicate with customers, and its effectiveness relies on open rates. A high open rate means your messages are received by the right people, driving desired customer engagement, sales, and engagement.

A high SMS open rate indicates that your audience trusts you and reads your messages. On the flip side, a poor open rate means something is not working. It might signal that your audience is not interested in your offers, or your message could get lost in the clutter of daily notifications.

Here are some reasons why SMS open rates are important.

• It signals higher engagement. The more people open your SMS, the more likely they are to engage with your content, click on links, or take the desired action.
• Effective SMS marketing increases ROI because it offers more conversions, whether it is a sale, a lead, or a website visit.
• When your messages are being read by your audience, trust builds. Therefore, your audience is likely to be converted into loyal customers.
• SMS marketing open rates give you a clear way to measure the success of your SMS campaigns and identify areas for improvement.

What are the Core Factors that Affect SMS Open Rates?

There are many reasons why people do not open your SMS. The following core factors influence whether or not your text messages are being opened.

1. Timing and Frequency of Messages

When it comes to SMS marketing, timing matters a lot. Sending messages at the right time boosts SMS open rates. If you send messages at the wrong time, there is a high chance that your messages will be ignored. Therefore, check analytics and find the best time when your audience engages. Also, keep message frequency in mind. Do not bombard your audience with so many messages. Avoid spamming and send messages at an optimal frequency so your audience will not be annoyed.

2. Personalization and Relevancy of Content

Usually, people ignore generic, impersonal messages. They are more likely to respond to tailored messages. So, instead of just using your prospect’s name, use personalized content and relevant offers to grab attention and encourage engagement. For example, if a customer has previously purchased a product, sending them a personalized text message related to it will increase their chances of opening your message.

3. Text Message Length

While sending text messages, keep the SMS character limit in mind. Generally, the SMS character limit is 160 characters. So, keep your text message crisp, to the point, and relevant. If you send long messages, your audience will quickly lose their attention and skip over the message.

4. Value Proposition

Offer value in your message because if your audience does not see any immediate value in your message, they will ignore it. Therefore, offering discounts, exclusive offers, or valuable information will boost open rates. Ensure that your value proposition is clear from the start. Craft and include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) which will make your message stand out.

5. Sender Reputation and Trust

Include your business name when sending text messages. If your audience does not recognize your business name, they might ignore your message and consider it spam. You must use a trusted and recognizable sender name. A clean sending history and a trusted sender name make your message more credible. It improves message deliverability and open rates.

What are the Key Metrics of SMS Campaigns that Affect SMS Open Rates?

Undoubtedly, SMS marketing open rates are an important metric to track. However, other KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are important when evaluating your SMS marketing campaign’s success. These metrics work together and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of your campaign’s performance.

1. CTR (Click-Through-Rate)

An average SMS click-through rate means the percentage of recipients who click on a link within your SMS message. A higher CTR indicates that your text messages are engaging enough to encourage recipients to take immediate action. If your SMS open rate is high but your average SMS click-through rate is low, it shows that people are opening your messages but do not find your offers compelling enough to click through.

2. Conversion Rate

A conversion rate measures how well your SMS campaigns drive actual business outcomes. A high conversion rate means your SMS open rates are used effectively by your recipients. Here, conversion means anything like a customer making a purchase, signing up for the service, filling out a form, etc.

3. Opt-Out Rate

The opt-out rate means how many recipients choose to unsubscribe from your SMS marketing list. When your SMS marketing campaign’s opt-out rate is high, it could be a sign that your messages are not providing value, you’re sending messages too frequently, and your messages sound too pushy.

What are the Best Practices for Effectively Optimizing SMS Open Rates?

Now that you understand the key factors and metrics that affect SMS open rates, let’s check out the best practices to help you optimize them.

1. Segment Your Audience

When it comes to SMS marketing, one size does not fit all. Therefore, you must segment your audience according to demographics, purchase history, or engagement behaviour. It will allow you to send more targeted messages that are relevant to each audience group and increase your chances of enjoying higher open rates. For example, if you’re running a promotion for your new product, send messages only to those customers who’ve previously shown interest in similar items.

2. Test Different Send Times

You must experiment with sending messages at different times. It will help you find out when your audience is more likely to open your messages. So, the A/B test is helpful here as it will help you compare the performance of your messages sent at different times. So you will be able to decide which time works best for you.

3. Craft Attractive Subject Lines

The first few words of your text message are important. Therefore, make it so compelling that it quickly captures attention. You can experiment with urgency, personalization, and exclusivity to spark curiosity. Use phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Exclusive For You” to prompt recipients to open your message.

4. Use SMS Short Links

When you use long URLs, it looks boring and even makes your text message feel cluttered. Therefore, use short links to make your text message more concise and easy to read. People will be more likely to click these links, which will improve your average SMS click-through rate and conversion rates.

5. Use Automation Tools

You can use automated SMS marketing platforms like Textdrip to automate your SMS campaigns, personalize your text messages, and optimize sending times as per user behaviour. Automation ensures that your text messages are sent to the right people at the right time, boosting your SMS open rates. You don’t need to send each message manually when you use such automation tools.

What are the Ways to Write SMS That Get High Open Rates?

Writing text messages with high open rates is not only about timing or targeting. It is about the content itself. Here is how you can craft messages that get high open rates. You should keep the SMS character limit in mind while crafting an SMS. Keep SMS short and sweet. If your text message is too long, your recipients may not take the time to read it.

Include the proper CTA, like:

👉 “Shop Now”

👉 “Learn More”

👉 “Book Now.”

These CTAs make your messages actionable. If you are running a limited-time offer, ensure your recipients know it. Use phrases like “Offer ends today!” or “Only 5 hours left” to inspire customers to act quickly.

Use your recipient’s name or offer them something based on their previous interactions with your business. It will make them feel valued.

You can aslo use emojis, images, and MMS to make your text message more compelling.

How can Textdrip Help You Optimize and Improve Open Rates?

Textdrip is an automated SMS marketing platform that helps businesses optimize their SMS campaigns and improve open rates. Here is how Textdrip can help improve your open rates. The platform has outstanding features like personalization, automation, A/B testing, contact segmentation, landline remover, etc. Using personalization and AI-driven intent detection lets you segment your audience and send them personalized messages that align with the recipients.

Automation ensures that your messages are sent at the right time to the right audience, which increases their chances of being opened and read.

Besides, Textdrip lets you A/B test different message formats, content, and timings to improve your content strategy.

Make SMS Marketing Work For You With Textdrip

Optimizing the SMS marketing open rate is an important part of the SMS marketing strategy. When you understand the key factors that affect open rates, track the right metrics, and apply best practices, you can stop being ignored and drive desired results with your SMS campaigns. You can connect with your audience effectively using an automated SMS marketing platform like Textdrip. The platform comes with impressive features such as personalization, scheduling, quick automation, A/B testing, and SMS automation.

So, what you have to do next is send us a text. Yes, as your consumers, we also like texting, and it might not look good if the SMS marketing platform itself doesn’t have texting as a contact method. Jokes apart, contact us via SMS, call, or email to discuss how you can make your SMS marketing work for you – maximize open rates and see how your customer engagement skyrockets. You can even take a FREE trial or book a demo to learn more about it.