Consider this scenario: a brand has just launched an exciting new mobile app to make it even easier for them to connect with their customers! With focused advertising and in-store functionality, this brand has driven some early adopters, but with little incentive to keep using the app, audience retention has been pretty low. Coupled with the low engagement rate and the high cost of developing an app for iOS and Android, it becomes hard to justify. Brands are looking for a cost-effective and impactful way to reach their audiences, and text messaging has emerged as the perfect solution.

What’s the deal with mobile apps?

There are a lot of benefits for a brand developing a mobile app. It gives you a convenient online storefront, a means of communication with your audience, and a way to stay relevant in the evolving tech landscape. That being said, it’s hard for many to justify development costs. It’s expensive to get a functioning, well-designed app on iOS and Android, and it’s even harder to convince users to use your app regularly. 25% of apps are abandoned after only one use, and while targeted push notification campaigns can improve retention rates, too many reminders can end up driving users away. Sending users 3-6 push notifications a week can drive away up to 42% of your existing audience. That’s not even considering the difficulty of reaching some users with push notifications, as a median of only 51% of iOS users and 81% of Android users are opted in to push notifications.

Considering all of this, it makes sense why brands are looking for other ways to maintain their customer relationships without having to navigate the app ecosystem.

An alternative to app development

Text message marketing uses mobile accessibility while keeping costs low and ROI high. Communicating with your audience directly via text also builds stronger relationships with your customers and ensures that your excited fanbase gets to see all of your great content. With a 99% open rate and a double opt-in confirmation, brands can rest assured knowing that their audience is excited for and interested in all the great deals and information shared over text!

Instead of breaking the bank to develop an app that will be obsolete in a few months, take advantage of the tech you already have! Text gives you access to critical first-party data, connecting with audiences in a deeper way than other digital marketing methods, all while delivering content directly to your fans’ phone screens. With this kind of connection, your brand can more easily collect zero-party data and provide the personalized experiences they’re looking for.