Advancements in technology have seen a paradigm shift in the way that humans prefer to connect. With the ease and accessibility of mobile phones, the majority of us are opting to send short-form text messages as our go-to format of communication when speaking with family, friends or businesses.
Why? It’s convenient, private, and non-invasive in a fast-paced world where we (and our target market) are juggling multiple hats.
So, if your eyes roll with annoyance when the phone rings, you are one of the 74 per cent of people who prefer to chat via text messaging (SMS or Messaging Apps) vs verbally conversing on a phone call. The truth is the majority of us simply don’t want to talk!
Our desire to dodge the dreaded phone call increases when our phone lights up with an unknown number, especially if it’s a telemarketer or an unfamiliar business. So, why are businesses still insisting on asking for a phone number as the primary way to chat? Hello, 1990 is calling! Your target market won’t give it to you, they’re scared you’ll call them (not text).
So how do you overcome that and still chat with customers?
Businesses need to take a customer-centric approach to communication if they want to build a genuine connection with their target market.
The rising popularity of social media messaging apps such as Messenger, Whatsapp and Instagram Direct has seen 20 per cent more engagement than their Meta parent apps and social networking partners, Facebook and Instagram. These apps facilitate a short, sweet and direct style of communication that enables personal 1:1 conversation – without the need for a phone number. Data reveals that in 2021, approximately 3.09 billion mobile users had interacted with over-the-top messaging apps to communicate, and the number of users is predicted to grow to 3.51 billion users by 2025.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO recently shared that Meta’s click-to-message ad placement has seen huge success for business owners, with 40 per cent of brands using the direct messaging feature to interact with customers. AI has enabled sophisticated auto-response (chatbots) messaging to deliver more targeted and successful campaigns.
Whilst short-form texts can be scripted (and even automated in the case of chatbots), a natural, chit-chat style approach delivers the highest engagement rate. This approach ditches the strict and rigid formalities of email, and approaches the customer with a more conversational tone, giving you the opportunity to invite a two-way conversation – this is your chance to ask them a question or add a call to action.
It’s also important not to underestimate the power of emojis, a picture paints 1000 words. Emojis are another feature that offers your short-form text an engaging element of personality and tone to your communication. They’re aesthetic, playful, and are very much a part of modern vocabulary (especially when marketing to the upcoming generations). Statistics from Amra and Elma reveal that in the last three years, emoji usage has increased by 775 per cent. A few simple characters can pack a punch and shorten your messages even further.
