With the start of the New Year, it is time to check into the state of SMS marketing for 2016. The past few years, many companies have found implementing text message marketing campaigns brought them additional business. The effectiveness of this marketing channel is in no way diminishing, as the following statistics demonstrate.

More Inclusive Medium

SMS marketing can be used to target a wide range of people, including those who do not have smartphones. Globally, there are 3.6 billion unique mobile subscribers, which means that one-half of the world's population now has a mobile phone, compared to one in five people just a decade ago. Mobile adoption is expected to continue to grow -- an estimated three-fifths of the population will have a mobile subscription by 2020. Although smartphone adoption continues to increase, a significant number of mobile phone users simply have an SMS enabled mobile.

People Still Want to Receive SMS from Businesses

Consumers still appreciate receiving marketing messages via text. Over half of consumers believe that businesses could -- and should -- text more often. The majority of subscribers choose to opt-in to a campaign for coupons or deals, although almost half also enjoy receiving personal alerts or simply remaining aware of what is happening with a business. Three-quarters of consumers leave with a better feeling about a company after interacting with them through text message. Only a very small percentage of those feel as though SMS messages from companies are disruptive or intrusive.

Mobile Phones Remain Valuable

One reason that SMS marketing is successful is that people have their phones close to hand at all times. This remains true, especially for Millennials. About 87 percent of Millennials never let their phones leave their side, and about 80 percent reach for it first thing in the morning. They continue to want more ways to utilize their smartphones for connecting with businesses, and they believe it is important that a business incorporates mobile-friendly marketing and websites.

Millennials have a reputation for having a strong relationship with their phones, but older generations also are becoming more and more dependent on mobile phones. Compared to the 97 percent of Americans aged 18-29 who text message, 75 percent of 50-64-year-olds also do so. Although there is a drop in text messaging, it remains a significant number.

Gain Insight Into Your Customers

SMS marketing has provided an effective way for businesses to interact with customers and gain insight into their wants and needs. Many companies have successfully jumped on board, such as Macy's and Starbucks. In 2016, it remains a versatile medium: users have the ability to send out transactional messages, provide customer service, promote new or existing services or products, share deals and discounts, and find out customer opinions through surveys and/or polls.

SMS marketing remains a strong force in 2016, yet only about a quarter of marketers utilize it. If you have been hesitating to begin a campaign, then there's no better time than now to get started.

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