It’s an exciting time for digital marketing. Consumers rely more on their mobile devices, and businesses have adapted and evolved their marketing strategies to align with this behavior change, especially in the last year. Therefore it’s essential that businesses deliver effective and engaging content, whether in an email newsletter or through SMS notifications. 

While both communication tools are valuable to businesses and consumers, SMS notifications have a slight edge over email, particularly when it comes to open rates. On average, the open rate for text message marketing campaigns is 98% compared to 20% for email marketing campaigns*. This should encourage businesses to invest in SMS marketing, but open rates won’t automatically lead to high engagement rates if you annoy customers. 

According to a recent CleverTap survey, consumers are happy to receive notifications from businesses, but common mistakes prevent them from engaging with the content. Read on to find out how to tailor your notifications so consumers get the right message at the right time. 

Where Businesses Go Wrong with SMS Notifications 

Like most things, there is not a one size fits all approach to SMS marketing. Businesses must test their notifications regularly to properly understand the ideal frequency, time, and messaging for their customers. However, here are four ways that businesses annoy customers, as well as a key takeaway to help keep those opt-out numbers down.

• Sending too many notifications 

For 25% of survey respondents, more than one message a day from a business is ”too many” while 18% of consumers said more than two to five messages a day is going over their limit. As mentioned above, each business should test frequency and also research the preferences within the wider industry. Consider taking the quality over quantity approach when in doubt. 

• Sending notifications that are too ‘spammy.’ 

The survey found that this is the number one annoyance for 35% of Gen Z respondents (aged 18 to 24). It goes even further for 14% of respondents who view ‘spammy’ notifications as the biggest mistake businesses can make. Businesses should think like a customer as they plan out their marketing campaigns. Ensure that content contains relevant information that offers real value to audiences. If it feels too ‘spammy,’ revise the content accordingly. 

• Not providing an opt-out option in the notification 

In a perfect world, 100% of customers would opt-in to your SMS notifications. When it comes to annoyances, not providing an opt-out option in the notification is an issue for 26% of respondents who are annoyed when this is the case. Don’t feel obligated to use all 160 characters, but you must always include a clear opt-out within the notification. 

• Sending notifications to consumers who didn’t sign up for them 

Like the opt-out option, businesses must monitor their databases to ensure that they send notifications to customers who signed up for them. A quarter (25%) of respondents said this annoyed them, and although this is a noticeable mistake, it’s an important lesson to learn from. Analyze user behavior and data to understand why customers aren’t signing up for notifications. 

For even more information on how businesses can align with what customers want from SMS notifications, check out CleverTap’s infographic. 

Infographic by CleverTap

How Businesses Annoy Customers with SMS Notifications

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