{"id":39128,"date":"2022-10-28T12:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T01:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/messagemedia.com\/blog\/business-sms-vs-push-notifications-which-one-for-your-business\/"},"modified":"2024-03-16T22:54:16","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T22:54:16","slug":"push-notifications-vs-sms","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/blog\/push-notifications-vs-sms\/","title":{"rendered":"Push notifications vs SMS: which one is better for your business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>People\u2019s phones are pinging constantly these days. An SMS here. A push notification there. Perhaps an email or a Slack message. It\u2019s a constant barrage of pings, dings and vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many marketing channels to choose from, it can be hard to work out which one\u2019s best when you want to reach your customers on their phones. Here, we put two channels head-to-head to see which one stands out. Enter the ring, SMS vs push notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SMS and push notifications: what\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Both SMS and push notifications can appear as clickable \u2018messages\u2019 on your customers\u2019 phones. A push notification comes from an app or website \u2013 think breaking news or an offer from a retail app. As long as the app is downloaded on a customer\u2019s phone and push notifications are enabled, it can be an easy way to blast out time sensitive alerts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SMS, or short messaging service, is a way of sending messages directly to people using their mobile phone number. It\u2019s used for a wide range of business and marketing purposes, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/use-cases\/sms-for-marketing-campaigns\/\">marketing promotions<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/use-cases\/sms-for-appointment-reminders\/\">appointment reminders<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/use-cases\/sms-for-feedback-and-surveys\/\">survey and feedback incentives<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/use-cases\/sms-for-alerts-and-notifications\/\">business alerts<\/a>, just to name a few. Even better? You can enable two-way conversations with customers via text.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we dive into when you\u2019d want to use SMS vs push notifications, let\u2019s take a look at the key differences between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Push notifications<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Text messages<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Getting started<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You need to build an app and get customers to sign up. This can take time and investment.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">You can start sending text messages in as little as 30 minutes with an SMS platform.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Opting in<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers must download your app and allow notifications.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers must consent to receive SMS marketing campaigns from you.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Opting out<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers can disable notifications from your app at any time.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers can choose to opt out of receiving SMS at any time.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Ways to engage<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers can click on a push notification to open content within the app.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Customers can click on links in an SMS or, if two-way text is enabled, can respond via text.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Appearance<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Notifications can include images. The length of the message can depend on the app.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Messages can include images. Length can vary (a standard SMS is <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/blog\/how-many-characters-in-a-text-message\/\">160 characters<\/a>).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Open rates<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Average reaction rates for push notifications are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessofapps.com\/marketplace\/push-notifications\/research\/push-notifications-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">less than 5%.<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Open rates for SMS are as high as 98%, with 90% of texts opened in 3 minutes.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Mobile devices<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Only works on smartphones.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Works with both smartphones and dumbphones.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Here\u2019s why SMS is best for engaging with customers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One less app to download<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To send push notifications, you need to build an app. Then, you need your customers to download it and enable notifications. It\u2019s a big ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With SMS, all you need is your customer\u2019s phone number and consent to receive messages. They don\u2019t need to download anything or change any settings on their phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\">TOP TIP: Start building your database of mobile phone numbers. Get tips on how to capture customers\u2019 phone numbers <a href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/blog\/customer-numbers-sms-marketing\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No WIFI, no worries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For push notifications to work, an internet connection is needed. If your customer isn\u2019t connected to WIFI or the internet, they may miss the notification.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need WIFI for SMS. Instead, the message is sent using the customer\u2019s mobile network \u2013 which typically has a lot more reach and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">All phones included<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Across the globe, more and more people are ditching their smartphones in favour of an old-fashioned \u2018brick\u2019, or dumbphone. So much so that global purchases of dumbphones <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/business-60763168\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hit 1 billion last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most apps will only work on a smartphone. But all mobile phones can send and receive text messages. By choosing SMS over push notifications, you\u2019re not excluding any customers who choose the \u2018brick\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vanishing notifications <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever received a push notification, swiped to open your phone and it\u2019s disappeared? This can be super frustrating. And it could lose valuable sales, especially if a customer can\u2019t find the offer you\u2019ve just promoted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SMS messages don\u2019t disappear. They\u2019ll appear as a preview on the home screen, and then customers can easily open their messaging app to find and engage with the full message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The issue of consent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When a customer downloads an app to their phone, they may unwittingly have notifications set to \u2018on\u2019 by default. In fact, Android phones automatically enable them. Yet if&nbsp;you bombard customers with too many messages \u2013 or the wrong types of content \u2013 then you\u2019ll lose them in a flash.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With SMS, customers must actively consent to receive messages. This puts them in control, making them less likely to opt out. Of course, you still need to nail the timing and type of content you send via SMS. Always remember to include an opt-out option and be mindful of the fact that you could lose customers if you send the wrong message at the wrong time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Convinced that SMS is the way to go?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you know the pros and cons of push notifications and SMS text messages. Unless you\u2019ve already invested in an app and it\u2019s got great uptake, then SMS is clearly the best way to reach and engage with customers on their phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n  <div class=\"cta  bg-light rounded my-4\">\r\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-center\">\r\n      <div class=\"col-md-6\">\r\n        <div>\r\n          <h2 class=\"mb-4\">\r\n            Get started with text messaging.          <\/h2>\r\n\r\n          <p class=\"mb-4\">Start a free trial and explore our features. Plus, get 25 free messages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n                      <div class=\"btn-group mb-0\">\r\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/hub.messagemedia.com\/register\"  class=\"btn btn-secondary btn-sm mb-3  \" >Let&#8217;s go<\/a>            <\/div>\r\n                  <\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      \r\n        <div class=\"col-md-6 text-center\">\r\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid\" width=\"640\" height=\"535\" src=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Signup.webp\" alt=\"Image for Get started with text messaging.\">\r\n        <\/div>\r\n          <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <style>\r\n    \/* todo move this to cta scss *\/\r\n    .longform-content .cta {\r\n      padding: 3rem !important;\r\n      background-color: rgb(235, 238, 240) !important; \/* bg light *\/\r\n      border-radius: 1rem !important; \/* rounded 3 *\/\r\n      margin: 1.5rem 0; \/*my-4*\/ \r\n    }\r\n  <\/style>\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27777,"menu_order":42,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"popular":false,"coming_soon":false,"link":"","footnotes":""},"blog_category":[39,40],"class_list":["post-39128","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog_category-sms-101","blog_category-trends-innovations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Push Notifications Vs SMS: Which Is Better? | MessageMedia Australia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When sending marketing and business messages to customers, should you use push notifications or SMS? See which one comes out on top. Australia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/au\/blog\/push-notifications-vs-sms\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Push Notifications Vs SMS: Which Is Better? | MessageMedia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When sending marketing and business messages to customers, should you use push notifications or SMS? 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