Look out for these Texting Trends of 2021

Look out for these Texting Trends of 2021

Few months into 2021, and we can already see the game-changing for businesses. There are so many different angles to marketing that are rarely seen before. The world seems to be on its toes now. With 2020 being, perhaps the most dramatic year ever, 2021 was bound to have some differences. Texting trends are bringing a shift as well and they may just keep changing.

Texting for businesses was always underutilized. However, after the global pandemic, people are more mindful of communication channels. Moreover, let’s face it, what is a better communication channel than texting? It is direct, precise, and very affordable.

Text marketing is becoming more popular than ever. Hence, it is time to watch out for these trends that will amp up the game. If you are using text marketing, then you may want to look out for these trends to up your game.

1. Rising Popularity
2. Omnichannel texting
3. Customer service texting
4. API
5. Text an Expert
6. Personalized Text Marketing
7. B2B Texting
8. Customer Retention
9. Influencer Marketing
10. 10 digit textable numbers

Rising popularity

Text marketing is constantly on the rise. However, it is worth stating that it will continue in its popularity. The global fallout in 2020 caused a major economic fallout. Brands keep looking for a new way to reach their customers directly and more efficiently.

There is no better way of communication than text messages. These are direct and very affordable. Back in October 2020, Forrester Research predicted that marketing texts will rise in 2021 more than ever.

The research further stated that businesses will look out for more B2C marketing than B2B. Moreover, it is going to be about retention more than conversions. The prediction by Forrester did not go to waste. We can see it coming true. Retention of loyal customers is the most effective with direct text messages.

Omnichannel texting

Omnichannel marketing is marketing on several different channels. The rise of digital makes this type of marketing the most efficient. It allows you to reach out to people of all demographics on different mediums. However, omnichannel marketing is slightly expensive. You have to spend money on different channels individually.

Text marketing is one of the most versatile in this regard. Just one text can take you to almost any marketing channel. Hence, as 2021 progresses, omnichannel texting will take a kickstart.

With the power of a weblink, you can direct your audience to almost any page you like. It can be your website, your social media page, or any other page you prefer.

With ExpertTexting’s beta MMS option, you can also integrate pictures multimedia into your texts. These make texts even more versatile and on the verge of rising.

Customer service texting

One of the most important aspects of any business is customer service. However, the traditional methods are very annoying. Businesses tend to try their best, but at the end of the day, they are still human beings with limitations. It is probably safe to say that phone calls with long holds, and emails that are not responded to on time are annoying. Hence, businesses are constantly looking for a better way of communication.

What is a better medium of communication other than texting? Businesses are quick to realize this and are becoming more proactive with texting. Since texting is almost instant and very direct, businesses are gaining momentum with customer service. Using a service like ExpertTexting allows you to enable two-way messaging. With this feature, you can send mass texts and customers can reply to them with their queries. Once you have their concern, you can decide how to carry on.

Faster customer service makes the business even more reliable. Hence, retention becomes a step easier for these businesses.

API

Text Marketing or mass texting is not only about promoting your business and messages. They have a lot of different aspects to them. One of them is the power of automation. These types of texts are known as transactional messages. They are generally sent out against an action by the customer. While emails have been the go-to option for these types of messages, texts seem better. Businesses are quick to realize that emails are easily buried under thousands of other emails. Hence, they are easy to ignore.

Integrating text API help in sending out instant and direct messages against transactional messages. These include messages against a payment, an appointment booking, or similar. Moreover, these help in customer retention too, especially in e-commerce. An abandoned shopping cart means that your customer just needs one more push to make a purchase. Texting API allows you to send these messages quickly enough to bring back your customer.

Businesses realize that integrating an API is much better than sending out emails and phone calls. Moreover, if you use ExpertTexting’s API, you get more than just simple automation of messages. You can personalize these messages, and so much more. So, it’s time to catch on to this trend too.

Text an Expert

Direct promotions and selling through texting are great ways to boost your business. However, brands use different marketing strategies to initiate engagement from new customers and also leads. Text an Expert is one of the ways to go about it. This was one of the most common approaches during the pandemic. For example, healthcare departments encouraged texting to ask basic questions on the Covid pandemic. People were scared and wanted to gather as much information as possible. Hence, this became the best way to reach out to customers.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6opcaZT9zDQ&list=PLDpSxIZLzxNA5on1bcwPPYSkisyejsGLj&index=4)

To use this efficiently, you need to decide your area of expertise. For example; if you are selling makeup, then you can advertise makeup tips on texting and even more. Followed with them is the omnichannel approach to text marketing. moreover, once you have them in a conversation, you can make them your lead and even convert them into a sale.

The simple yet creative approach is one of the most trends of texting that is catching on and will continue to expand in 2021.

Personalized text marketing

While 86% of consumers fear their privacy in direct marketing, 72% engage in personalization. Personalization includes custom interests and even a personal touch to messages. Text marketing is perhaps the only form of marketing other than emails that give this liberty to businesses.

After 2020’s ruthless wrath on the world, we all expect some sort or level of empathy. Consumers expect the same from brands. Hence, businesses have to make a personal connection with their audience. Some brands make commercials and ads that show this in creative ways. However, text marketing allows you to personalize each message while sending it as a mass text.

If you use a service like ExpertTexting, you can enjoy the feature of customization of mass texts. Moreover, you can manage your database of numbers with the help of the groups. You can segregate them according to demographics or even areas of interest. This helps makes marketing more efficient in terms of reach as well as in terms of affordability. Here is a video on how you can send personalized texts with ExpertTexting.

B2B texting

Mass texting makes B2B communication very effective as well. From 2014 to 2019, there was a 62% rise in the usage of text messages at work. Moreover, 61% of people preferred reaching out to them via text when they at work. The number keeps rising! Hence, if you are not using the power of B2B texting, then it’s time to get on board.

Sending invoices, reminders for payments, and updates are just a few examples of texts you can send to your clients. Communication becomes more direct and clearer. Once again, leaving emails behind in the heaps that they are under.

We expect communication to grow with texting in 2021 as it already shows.

Customer retention

The economic fallout in 2020 was when businesses realized the importance of retaining customers more than ever. The ratio of reaching out to new leads was much lower compared to retaining customers. In 2020 Forbes predicted that customer retention marketing is going to increase and be more fruitful by 30%. In 2021, this fact already gained a head start and we see it increasing constantly.

From invoices to reminders, and beyond, businesses are using every strategy to ensure retention. To keep themselves relevant and alive, businesses are also going towards loyalty programs. Of course, there is no better and direct way than mass texting to retain your customers. You already have their permission when you go their number. Now, you have to create a strategy to keep them in the loop.

Influencer marketing

Love it or hate it, you can’t ignore influencer marketing! Since text marketing is omnichannel, you can also use influencers to expand your list and add new leads. 

Consumers became more mindful of where their money was going during the pandemic. While influencer marketing is a paid option, they tend to create a level of trust. The followers in this type of marketing are usually people that know and trust what they say. Hence, using them for your business is a great idea. However, take it up a notch. Let their name be your keyword to allow people to sign up. In return offer a small incentive like a discount or a coupon. The only thing here is to make sure to have clear terms and conditions so that the audience knows that their numbers can later be used for promotional texts.

10 Digit textable numbers

To make texting easier and breezier, network carriers have come up with new ten-digit dedicated textable numbers. These numbers are dedicated to your business and add a layer of protection compared to shared shortcodes. While dedicated shortcodes are still available and safe, shared shortcodes carry a risk of spamming and even identity theft. Hence, these new textable numbers are great for high-volume messaging. Moreover, they look more organic and less robotic. Watch the video below to know more about these numbers.

With the introduction of these numbers, you can expect a rise in business text in the future of 2021.

Begin with ExpertTexting

Texting Trends seem to be on the rise and will continue to do so! If you are still using emails to promote your business, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon of text marketing. Use ExpertTexting to begin mass texting today at affordable prices as no one else offers.