This piece contrasts SMS and email marketing effectiveness across several dimensions.
Presence and Accessibility
91% of Americans own text-capable phones, with messaging built into all modern operating systems. Unlike email, SMS requires no downloads or registrations, making it universally available to roughly 290 million Americans.
Speed and Engagement
“98% of text messages are read within 2 minutes,” with nearly complete read rates over 24 hours. This contrasts sharply with email’s “20% read rate, over the entire lifetime of the email.” SMS messaging creates faster personal connections through immediate delivery.
Message Format
At 160 characters, text messages demand brevity. This brevity suits modern attention spans better than lengthy emails, positioning SMS as the “tl;dr version” of longer communications.
Volume and Productivity
SMS reduces the cognitive load of email management, allowing users to process 20-30 messages daily more easily than email batches.
Business Application
SMS drives customer action through well-timed, compelling calls-to-action, particularly keyword-based opt-ins. While email continues to have utility for longer-form content, SMS offers superior engagement potential for transactional marketing.