SMS and MMS are two different, effective messaging services your business can leverage to interact with customers. SMS, or short message service, allows you to communicate with your customer base using text only. MMS, which stands for multimedia messaging service, enables you to send your audiences images, video, audio files and long text messages.
Weighing SMS vs. MMS largely depends on the purpose of the communication. SMS is ideal for concise communication, while multimedia messaging offers rich and engaging experiences for business-customer interactions.
Global Use of MMS and SMS
SMS remains the most popular way to communicate with customers. Many carriers in the U.S. offer plans with unlimited texting, making SMS highly accessible. While accessibility is less consistent internationally, SMS is a powerful tool for reaching customers quickly and effectively. SMS and MMS are seen as fast, easy and effortless ways to communicate, offering a superb way to contact customers without being intrusive.
SMS and MMS messages grab attention without demanding time, enhancing the customer experience. They cause less disruption than phone calls and emails, making them a quick, convenient way to confirm a payment or appointment or highlight a promotion.
Cutting Through the Clutter
SMS and MMS are relevant, robust avenues for reaching customers. They offer:
- Frequent smartphone engagement: Americans check their cellphones 144 times a day, once every 10 minutes. The frequency decreases the chance of your message being buried in the clutter.
- High open rates: Studies show a 42-55% chance of open rates on business SMS versus a 32% open rate in email.
- Good level of trust: Consumers trust SMS over email — spam rates for SMS rest at 3% as opposed to the 50% spam rate on email.
- Excellent return on investment: Surveys indicate that SMS advertising campaigns see a return of 102%. This percentage is higher than that of email (93%) and social media (81%).
What Is SMS Messaging?
SMS messages or texts allow your business to send text-only communication to customers. SMS has a 160-character limit per message and is one of the oldest texting technologies. Texting remains the most popular and widespread messaging technology worldwide.
SMS offers your business several advantages in communicating with customers. The service provides:
- Simplified communications: SMS offers an easy way to deliver important messages to clients. You can remind them of appointments, send promotional offers and give them order updates.
- Personalized messaging: SMSes can be customized to target specific customer groups.
- Time-sensitive alerts: Text messages are instant, enabling you to send real-time updates to customers. The speed and convenience of delivery enhance customer engagement and support.
What Is MMS Messaging?
MMS messaging is an enhanced version of SMS. MMS messages allow your business to send customers multimedia content like pictures, video, audio files and animated GIFs.
When your business sends an MMS to customers, the content is attached to the text. MMS visual elements are engaging, expressive and memorable.
SMS vs. MMS
SMS and MMS are both powerful, immediate and frictionless ways to communicate with customers. The two message services have different features and reach, but they can be used together to maximize your brand’s engagement and improve the connection between your customers and business.
Similarities Between MMS and SMS
These messaging services are built using the same technology. Both SMS and MMS are delivered to your customers via a cellular network, requiring recipients to have a text messaging plan and mobile device.
SMS and MMS are more accessible than Over-The-Top (OTT) messaging services like iMessage since they use a device’s native messaging system.
Differences Between MMS and SMS
The significant differences between these services come down to capabilities, size limitations and cost:
- Capabilities: MMS messages include rich media files such as videos, images, PDFs, GIFs and audio files. SMS messages are text-only but can include links.
- Size limits: SMS messages are limited to 160 characters. MMS, in contrast, is restricted to 1,600 characters or 500 KB of data and 30 seconds of audio or video.
- Affordability: Depending on your plan and provider, SMS is typically more cost-efficient to send than MMS. Bulk sending rates also vary, as do those for sending international SMS and MMS messages.
- Use case: Your business will mostly use MMS marketing to boost engagement and increase signups through multimedia content. SMS messaging is more affordable and scalable for a broad or global reach. Its text-only format is ideal for service-related updates.
How Can Your Business Leverage MMS Messaging?
Your business can use MMS to boost reach, conversions and sales through captivating content and clever calls to action. The service goes beyond marketing capabilities, as timely, two-way multimedia messaging provides a wealth of opportunities to improve customer experience and minimize churn. Leverage MMS for business through:
- Marketing and promotions: Build stronger customer relationships and enhance their experience using personalized marketing messages. Use MMS for onboarding sequences, new product launches, rewards and special offers.
- Reminders: Remind customers about appointments with visual cues like location images. Because MMS has a high character limit, you can dispatch more details or instructions, adding value for customers.
- Personalized deals: Customize offers to enhance the connection with your customers. If they abandon their cart, sending an MMS with a 10% discount or a message on the benefits of the products may serve to draw them back in.
- Fraud alerts: Notify customers of potential fraud with MMS. Add micrographics explaining the next steps to secure their account, answering questions quickly.
- Payment confirmations: Send payment information and digital receipts, keeping them handy and easy for customers to find.
What Are the Business Benefits of MMS Messaging?
There are multiple benefits of using MMS messaging for your business:
- Enhanced engagement: You can share rich experiences, detailed product information and captivating visuals to grab your customers’ attention. You’re capable of sending step-by-step tutorials and providing exceptional, timely support.
- Improved conversion rates: Visual content influences purchase decisions. MMS helps your customers visualize your products or services. The visual impact and convenience drive conversions and sales.
- Measured success: MMS marketing is trackable. Your business can measure the impact and adapt messaging and offers to engage with customers effectively.
Your Trusted SMS and MMS Partner
CSG is a trusted software-as-a-service (SaaS) partner helping businesses engage with customers in unforgettable ways. We offer:
- Innovative solutions: We deliver future-ready, creative solutions that give you a competitive edge. Our SMS and MMS capabilities provide engaging, automated, complex messaging programs, providing users with self-service functions and coordinating text with your other channels. The result is enhanced customer experience and greater opportunities for upselling, cross-selling and engagement.
- Accelerated growth: Our team is committed to helping you see astonishing results through exceptional customer experiences. We enable you to go beyond basic marketing with two-way communication capabilities, making for easy and convenient access to your target market.
- Decades of experience: CSG has over 40 years of global experience delivering software solutions to industry-leading organizations. We partner with thousands of companies, empowering them to do exceptional things for their customers.
Leverage Fast and Frictionless MMS Communication
CSG empowers you to create memorable customer experiences, making connections easy, valuable and engaging. We offer multiple platforms and services to improve your client communication. You choose what you need, paying for the services you value most.
Our award-winning technology enables your team to connect with your audience, and our global, talented experts will help you maximize your efforts.
Speak to an expert about our SMS and MMS capabilities to enhance your business.
