Text Message Marketing Statistics That Prove SMS Works

Marketers constantly battle for attention, but SMS delivers it immediately.

Text message usage statistics show that 98% of text messages are opened, an engagement rate most digital channels can only dream of.

Even more impressive, 90 - 91% of people read texts within three to five minutes of delivery, which further proves the SMS’s unmatched speed in grabbing attention.

That kind of visibility is rare. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 53% of marketers cite open rates as the primary reason they use SMS. So, in short, SMS isn’t just one of many channels. Instead, it is THE channel to ensure your message gets seen.

Immediacy matters, but what about results? SMS delivers there, too. Text message response statistics are very encouraging, with the average response rate being around 45%, much higher than email’s typical 6%. That response often comes fast: on average, within just 90 seconds.

When it comes to click-through and conversions, SMS continues to shine in all business texting statistics. Click-through rates can reach 28 - 30%, depending on how well-crafted and relevant the message is. Conversion rates soar accordingly, turning interest and clicks into meaningful action.

So what’s the real ROI? Well, believe it or not, SMS marketing campaigns often return $21–$41 for every $1 spent, and some sources report ROI north of 7,000%.

That’s $71 revenue per $1 spent!

If your brand is in the E-commerce niche, you can expect even more dramatic returns (an average of 27× ROI), and SMS contributes 11–20% of total revenue for many businesses.

Why do so many people engage with SMS? For starters, 51% of consumers find SMS marketing useful. It aligns with how they naturally communicate: casually, immediately, and personally.

As of 2025, 84% of consumers have opted in to receive business texts, reflecting trust and growing acceptance. The global reach is staggering: around 65% of the world's population uses text messaging.

Meanwhile, in the US, text messaging is king. It’s enough to add that a whopping 81% of adults read their messages within five minutes.

But as powerful as SMS is, overuse can backfire. Some business texting statistics show that about 23% of consumers say they’d abandon a brand if bombarded with marketing texts.

So what is there for you to take from all this? Well, our conclusion would be that the marketing campaign based on SMS definitely works, although the frequency has to be properly balanced with value.

Here’s how a successful SMS marketing campaign makes a real difference. Wineries, often considered traditional and slow-moving in marketing, are seeing incredible success with smart text programs.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery reported a 23% lift in Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales year-over-year, all thanks to SMS-based outreach. What’s more, the average order value per text recipient was $10.57, outperforming email results by a huge margin.

Meanwhile, Reeve Wines uses SMS not just for promotions, but as service conversations (booking tastings, solving customer queries, etc.) and finds customers reply more, not less, when invited to text back. That’s an operational and relational boost, not just a marketing one.

Shift from Broadcast to Conversation

Here’s one piece of advice you should keep in mind: Invite replies. Framing SMS as a two-way channel (“Text back with questions” or “Hit reply to confirm”) dramatically increases engagement and deepens connection. It moves SMS from pushy broadcast to useful, personalized interaction, which will undoubtedly bring much better results.

One of the strongest advantages of SMS marketing is scalability. Regardless of the number of messages you send, the results hold steady. Bulk SMS marketing statistics show that:

• 90% of bulk SMS messages are read within three minutes of delivery, regardless of list size.
• Businesses sending bulk campaigns of 10,000+ messages report ROI consistency, with returns averaging $38 for every $1 spent.
• Cost efficiency improves with scale - bulk SMS can be as low as $0.01–$0.03 per message, making it more affordable than paid ads with much higher engagement.
• In industries like retail and e-commerce, bulk SMS contributes 15–20% of total online revenue, particularly during seasonal campaigns like Black Friday.
• Brands using bulk SMS for flash sales and event reminders report conversion rates of up to 20%, which is unmatched compared to email blasts.

Text message marketing statistics make one thing clear: SMS delivers results fast, efficiently, and directly. With nearly universal opens, high-speed reads, exceptional ROI, and growing consumer acceptance, SMS is a channel no marketer should ignore.

If you're looking to scale your business and optimize SMS campaigns while ensuring compliance and personalized service, TopMessage offers the tools and support needed.

Whether for promotional push or customer care, TopMessage helps businesses build stronger connections through smarter, more effective marketing campaigns.