SMS Vs. WhatsApp Marketing, while writing this blog, I remember how “calls” were the only thing for communicating with people.
For over so many decades, there were no other ways of communicating apart from phone calls. Little did we know that the first SMS was sent to the “Vodafone office” writing “Merry Christmas” and then we never resisted not using “texts” for everything.
After using SMS for a while, with the help of the internet companies grew up making easy chat apps for conversation amongst people and infact everybody.
WhatsApp took place From a teenager to a 60-year adult there is not a single person not using WhatsApp unless they are not having a smartphone. Today number of smartphones is equal to the number of WhatsApp accounts.
It is obvious why customers are shifting from SMS to WhatsApp.
Key Takeaway :
SMS and WhatsApp are both popular marketing tools, but in 2024, WhatsApp proves to be the more convenient and effective choice for business growth, offering features like multimedia support, read receipts, and official business accounts, which are not available with traditional SMS marketing.
With over 1.5 billion global users, WhatsApp’s extensive reach and interactive capabilities make it the preferred option for businesses looking to engage with their customers in a more personalized and cost-effective manner.
WhatsApp Marketing vs SMS Marketing, what works for your business?
| SMS Marketing | WhatsApp Marketing |
|---|---|
| Uses SMS (text messages) for marketing | Uses WhatsApp messages for marketing |
| Delivered via cellular network | Delivered via the internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data) |
| No need for an internet connection | Requires an internet connection |
| Limited to 160 characters per message | No character limit for messages |
| Does not support rich media content | Supports multimedia (images, videos, etc.) |
| Can reach any mobile phone user | Can reach only WhatsApp users |
| No read receipts for message delivery | Provides read receipts for message delivery |
| May incur carrier charges for recipients | Free to receive (data charges may apply) |
| Less interactive and engaging | More interactive and engaging |
| No official business account/profile | Offers official business accounts/profiles |
| Less restricted by regulations | Must comply with WhatsApp Business Policies |
Texting is the most convenient way of communicating with people. May it be sharing images, videos, current location, and whatnot. More than thousands of messages are used in day-to-day lives, as WhatsApp has become the most powerful instant messaging app.
It surely wins compared to the cost, communication factors, features, and preferences of users. Users will always look for convenience over anything and hence WhatsApp proves to be the one. Considering the approx count of users, WhatsApp has more than 1.5 billion users using globally.
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Also Read: 7 best WhatsApp Marketing Campaign Examples
Imagine the user base!!!!!!
Little do you know about SMS marketing
Businesses went crazy when they came to know about SMS. There were tons of businesses that marketed their products and services through the daily SMS process.
SMS like sending OTP, bank detail updates, and offers can be accepted through SMS. The simple logic behind sending SMS is that even if it is not useful or they read it when they delete it. Considering other channels, SMS stays convenient for marketing to a larger audience rather than calling.
There are a lot of companies that send SMS to their customers and so there are mainly two types of SMS sending tactics and they are;
Marketing SMS Campaigns
Marketing SMS campaigns are generally used for sending bulk messages to customers for regular updates, discounts, offers, coupons and other information related to the company or brand.
Transactional and Status messages
Transactional messages are such types of messages that are sent to customers as soon as any events take place. For example, when you place an order, there is an SMS for the confirmation of the order as well as when it is shipped there is an SMS of the status to customers regarding the shipping details of the customer’s order.
Advantages of SMS marketing
We have grown up receiving and sending SMS over cellular phones. Despite various chat apps like WhatsApp in the market, it surely does have its benefits and advantages.
| 🌟 Pros of SMS Marketing 🌟 |
| 📲 Universal Reach: Accessible to any mobile phone user, regardless of internet access. |
| ⚡️ Instant Delivery: Send messages that are delivered and read within seconds. |
| 🎯 High Open Rates: SMS boasts one of the highest open rates among marketing channels. |
| 📥 Direct Inbox: Messages land directly in the recipient’s SMS inbox, ensuring visibility. |
| 📄 Short and Concise: Clear and to-the-point messaging that quickly captures attention. |
| 🔄 Quick Responses: Enable two-way communication for instant feedback and engagement. |
| 📅 Timely Reminders: Send appointment reminders, alerts, and time-sensitive promotions. |
| 🌐 Global Coverage: Reach customers around the world through their mobile devices. |
| 📈 Trackable Results: Monitor delivery rates, responses, and campaign effectiveness. |
| 🔢 Personalization: Customize messages with recipient names or tailored offers. |
| 📊 Database Building: Grow your contact list with opt-in subscribers for future campaigns. |
| 💼 Professionalism: Maintain a professional image with branded and well-crafted messages. |
Runs with a “NO INTERNET” connection
The most important factor and biggest advantage of sending and receiving SMS are that it does not need any internet connection, it simply works on the cellular network. Apart from calls, one can communicate or pass messages even when you don’t have an internet connection through SMS.
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No need for Smart Phones
SMS communication perfectly works even when there is no availability of smartphones. Though smartphones are an integral part of our lives there is still a community where they do not have smartphones. There are mainly two kinds of groups that do not own a smartphone. One is old age people who find it difficult to get into the smartphone’s technicality and the other group is those who cannot afford to have one. SMS works perfectly fine.
No need to install an app
SMS is one of the core and by default features that comes with the mobile phone’s functionality. One does not need to instal or outsource an app from outside. It simply runs on your mobile phone.
Let’s know more about WhatsApp Marketing
In the fast-running pace where WhatsApp is even known by a 10-year-old, it has come a long way with catering numerous benefits to personal as well as business.
What is WhatsApp marketing?
When it comes to marketing, business does not leave anything behind to try out anything. Considering the digital way of marketing and keeping up with customers, WhatsApp is one of the easiest and finest ways to boost customer interaction.
The marketing that is carried through WhatsApp messages mentions offers, discounts, coupons, brand updates, and much more to their customers is WhatsApp Marketing. For sending bulk messages to customers, it is important to know the 10 WhatsApp Marketing Software and Bulk Whatsapp Sender tool for 2024
We have known the popularity and convenience of WhatsApp amongst all of us. What cannot be done through WhatsApp? May it be texts, sharing images, files, documents, location, payments and much more and so it is one of the convenient mediums to run a business.
Pros of WhatsApp marketing
| 🌟 Pros of WhatsApp Marketing 🌟 |
|---|
| 📲 Direct Connection: Personal and engaging one-on-one messaging with your audience. |
| 🔐 Secure and Private: End-to-end encryption ensures privacy and trust. |
| 📷 Rich Media Support: Share captivating images, videos, and documents. |
| 👥 Group Chats: Foster community and brand loyalty with specific audience segments. |
| 📞 Voice and Video Calls: Personalized support and interaction with a human touch. |
| 📈 Business Profiles: Professional presence with logo, contact details, and description. |
| 📊 Message Analytics: Valuable insights into message delivery, open rates, and engagement. |
| 🌍 Global Reach: Access WhatsApp’s massive user base across the globe. |
| 🔄 Quick Replies: Prompt and consistent communication with pre-set responses. |
| 🤖 Chatbots: Automate customer interactions and provide instant support. |
| 🎯 Opt-In Marketing: Genuine relationships with customers who choose to receive updates. |
| 🆓 Cost-Effective: Reduce marketing costs with a free-to-use platform. |
| 💬 Real Conversations: Build brand trust and long-term customer relationships. |
Checkout 8 Essential Features Your Business Helpdesk System Can’t Miss in 2024
Schedule messages to send to your customers
A set of pre-decided messages can be arranged and scheduled for customers to send when needed. It becomes easier to interact and keep up with customers.
Set availability messages
From pre-decided messages, you can easily set availability messages to your customers when you are not available to answer your customers in real time. Through this customers or visitors will come to know about your visibility status and will give a professional touch to it.
Get in touch instantly
When customers come into your contact, you can easily get in touch without doing much effort and can solve their queries, doubts or any other things that they are asking for.
WhatsApp Business API in action
Sending bulk messages using WhatsApp Business API is much cheaper and more cost-effective than sending a normal text.
Work in groups
Easily make groups of the same community or organisation to pass the same message to everybody at once.
Safe and secure
It is end-to-end encrypted and it makes your account and privacy safe. Make sure that your information and conversation are secured when it is shared through WhatsApp.
Comparison at a glance: SMS vs. WhatsApp
Over time, people have switched to WhatsApp because of its compatibility considering the features and functionality. Customers got more comfortable using WhatsApp as the wireless internet started coming on the scene. In 2010 start, WhatsApp shone like no other for communication.
It helps in generating more traffic than normal SMS, which is corporated with dedicated marketing tactics or transactional messages. Not only you can use it for real-time conversation but can set up Whatsbot that responds 24*7 to your customers even in your absence. By getting WhatsApp Business APIs, any business can avail of AI Chatbot For WhatsApp and easily automate your conversations that help in enabling strong interactions with customers.
Conclusion
In this blog, you have come across a detailed comparison between SMS and WhatsApp, when it comes to compatibility WhatsApp is a choice for sure. Considering the customer management and its interaction, it is more important that the application is more scalable, WhatsApp lays its importance at the core.
