SMS vs. WhatsApp Marketing: which channel is more effective?

Today, companies are looking for new ways to connect with their customers and reach them in a more effective way. Two channels that have gained a lot of popularity in recent years are SMS and WhatsApp Marketing.

Both allow businesses to send messages directly to their customers’ mobile phones, but which is more efficient? In this article, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of both channels and discuss why WhatsApp Marketing is emerging as a more attractive option for many businesses.

In addition, we will talk about how WhatsApp CRM can help companies manage their interactions with customers on this platform.

What is SMS Marketing?

SMS Marketing is the sending of text messages through an SMS service provider. Businesses can send promotional messages, updates, reminders, and other important information to their customers via SMS. SMS Marketing is a relatively inexpensive way to communicate with customers, and since most mobile phones are equipped to receive text messages, it’s a very accessible channel.

However, there are some drawbacks to the SMS Marketing. First, text messages can seem impersonal, and customers can feel overwhelmed by the number of messages they receive. Additionally, text messages are limited to 160 characters, which can make it difficult to transmit detailed information.

What is WhatsApp Marketing?

WhatsApp Marketing is the sending of messages through the WhatsApp instant messaging application. Businesses can send promotional messages, updates, and other important information to their customers through this platform. Unlike SMS, WhatsApp allows you to send text, voice and multimedia messages, which allows richer and more detailed communication.

Also, WhatsApp is a very popular and widely used platform around the world, which means that businesses can reach a larger audience. According to Statista, in 2020, there were more than 2 billion WhatsApp users worldwide.

However, there are some limitations in WhatsApp Marketing. First of all, users must have consented to receive WhatsApp messages from the company. This means that companies need to be more strategic in their marketing approach and can’t just message anyone on their contact list. Secondly, WhatsApp Marketing can be more expensive than SMS Marketing, since companies need to use a third-party platform to send messages via WhatsApp.

Why WhatsApp Marketing is better than SMS?

There are several reasons why WhatsApp marketing can be considered superior to SMS in terms of effectiveness and ability to generate positive results in a marketing campaign. Here are some of the main reasons why WhatsApp marketing stands out over SMS:

1) Longer range: WhatsApp has a much larger user base than SMS, which means that a WhatsApp marketing campaign has the potential to reach a much larger audience. Also, WhatsApp users are often more active and engaged than SMS users, which means they are more likely to view and respond to sent messages.

2) Real-time interaction: WhatsApp enables real-time interaction between customers and the business, which means responses and queries can be answered faster and more efficiently. This is especially important in the context of sales and customer service, where responsiveness can be critical to success.

3) Multimedia messages: in addition, WhatsApp allows you to send not only text, but also multimedia messages, such as images, videos, and audio files. This means that businesses can use these formats to make their messages more visually appealing, which in turn can improve response rates.

4) Groups and broadcast lists: WhatsApp makes it easy and effective to create groups and broadcast lists, which means businesses can send messages to a large number of customers simultaneously. This is especially useful for promoting special offers and promotions, as well as distributing relevant and valuable content to customers.

Why is SMS less effective for marketing campaigns?

SMS, although a direct communication tool, has lost its effectiveness as a marketing channel due to several factors. First of all, text messages have a character limitation, which makes it difficult to transmit the entire message. Second, text messages are generally perceived as invasive and impersonal, and can easily be ignored or deleted without reading them. Third, text messages have a lower open rate compared to messaging apps like WhatsApp, since most people receive too many spam text messages from companies and tend to ignore them.

Also, most modern smartphones have messaging apps like WhatsApp pre-installed, which means most people are already familiar with the platform. In addition, instant messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, offer a series of features that SMS does not have, such as sending images, videos, documents and links, which allows companies to interact with their customers more effectively and completely. .

Another factor that makes SMS less effective in marketing campaigns is its lack of personalization. Text messages are often sent in bulk and cannot be personalized for each recipient, which makes the messages feel impersonal and generic. On the other hand, WhatsApp Marketing allows companies to personalize messages for each individual customer, which increases the likelihood that customers will feel more connected to and engage with the brand.

How can CRM for WhatsApp help businesses manage their customer interactions?

As more businesses adopt WhatsApp Marketing as a communication channel, they also need a way to manage their interactions with customers. This is where the WhatsApp CRM comes into play.

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a platform that helps companies manage their relationships with customers. In the case of WhatsApp Marketing, a WhatsApp CRM allows companies to manage their interactions with customers through the instant messaging application.

With a WhatsApp CRM, businesses can easily manage their contact lists, send mass messages to customers, respond to customer questions and inquiries.

How to take advantage of WhatsApp marketing to get more customers in 2023?

WhatsApp Marketing has become one of the most effective tools to reach customers and potential customers today. With the popularity of WhatsApp on the rise and the growing trend of users using the app to communicate with businesses, it is important for businesses to make the most of the opportunities offered by this platform to get more customers in 2023.

Here are some strategies and tips to take advantage of WhatsApp Marketing in 2023 and get more customers:

1) Use WhatsApp Business: WhatsApp Business version is specifically designed for businesses, allowing you to more effectively manage communication with your customers. You can personalize your messages, set automatic replies and tag conversations for better organization. In addition, you can have a business profile on WhatsApp, where you can include information about your business, such as address, email, and website.

2) Offer exceptional customer service: customer service is an essential part of the success of any business. WhatsApp allows you to communicate with your customers in real time, which means that you can answer their questions and solve their problems quickly. Offer exceptional customer service through WhatsApp and this can help you gain customer loyalty and attract new customers.

3) Create a mailing list: a mailing list is an effective way to send mass messages to your customers. You can send personalized messages to your customers individually or in small groups. This allows you to send special offers, promotions and important announcements directly to your customers.

4) Use content marketing: content marketing is an effective strategy to attract potential customers. You can use WhatsApp to share interesting content such as industry news, helpful tips, guides, and tutorials. This can help you generate interest in your business and attract new customers.

5) Use the power of emojis and stickers: emojis and stickers can help you communicate with your customers more effectively. You can use them to add a touch of personality to your messages and to convey emotions clearly and concisely. In addition, you can create your own personalized stickers for your company.

6) Promote your WhatsApp number: be sure to promote your WhatsApp number on all of your marketing channels, including your website, social media, email, and print. This can help you increase the number of customers contacting you via WhatsApp.

How can Callbell help you improve your WhatsApp Marketing?

Callbell is a multi-agent and multi-device communication platform that can help you improve your WhatsApp Marketing campaigns in various ways. Some of the ways Callbell can help you are:

1) Consolidate all your communication channels: Callbell allows you to centralize all the conversations of your customers through different channels, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct and Telegram, in one place. This way, you can respond to your customers faster and more efficiently.

2) Automate your answers: with Callbell, you can set up automatic responses to frequently asked questions or schedule messages to be sent at a certain time. This can save you time and allow you to respond to customers 24/7, even if you’re out of the office.

3) Personalize your messages: Callbell allows you to personalize your messages with the customer’s name, location or any other relevant information. This can make your customers feel more valued and improve your relationship with them.

4) Analyze and measure the performance of your campaigns: with Callbell, you can track the number of messages sent, delivered, read and answered. You can also see conversion rates and average response time. This information can help you optimize your campaigns and improve your marketing strategy.

In general, Callbell is a very complete tool with multiple functionalities including internal CRM, online store, sales and support tools. This tool is very intuitive and combines its functionalities perfectly with WhatsApp. If what you are looking for is to improve your results and enhance your processes, Create a Callbell account by clicking here.