With people spending an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes on their phones each day, push notifications and SMS messaging have become essential tools for businesses to effectively engage their audiences.
While both methods have their own unique benefits, choosing the right one for your business can be a daunting task. In this article, we'll compare push notifications and SMS messaging to help you determine which one is best suited for your business needs.
Whether you're looking to improve customer engagement, boost sales, or enhance brand loyalty, read on to find out which communication channel is right for your business.
What is a push notification?
A push notification is a message that is sent to a user's mobile device through an app or website without the user actively requesting it.
These messages can appear as a banner, alert, or badge on the user's screen, and are typically used to notify them of new content, events, updates, or any other relevant information.
Both phone and web push notifications are powerful tools for businesses to engage with their customers in real-time and keep them in the loop.
What is SMS?
An SMS message (short message service message), also known as an SMS notification or text message, is a message that is sent from one mobile device to another.
It is a simple and widely used form of communication that allows users to send short, text-based messages of up to 160 characters to anyone with a mobile phone number.
Text messages are typically sent and received through the user's mobile network and do not require an internet connection. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as personal messaging, marketing, and customer communication.
Key differences between push notifications and SMS messages
Push notifications and text messages are both popular communication methods used by businesses to engage with customers. However, there are several key differences between the two that can impact their effectiveness.
Difference | Push notifications | SMS messages |
Opting in | Users must install your app or enable browser notifications | Users must explicitly opt in by providing their phone number |
Delivery speed | Delivered instantly when users are online or have notifications enabled | Delivered almost instantly, even without internet access |
Message length | More flexible and can include longer text | Limited to 160 characters per message |
Additional content | Can include images, buttons, deep links, and rich media | Primarily text-based, with limited support for links |
Customization | Highly customizable using in-app behavior and user data | Personalization is possible but more limited |
Open rates | High for engaged app users | Consistently high due to direct phone delivery |
Cost | Generally low cost once set up | Cost increases with message volume |
Opting in
Both push notifications and SMS marketing campaigns require users to opt-in to receiving messages on their phone.
With push notifications, the user must download the app and agree to receive notifications and advertisements from the app.
SMS text messages, on the other hand, require written user consent for opt-in. The customer must voluntarily text the SMS number and respond with a message indicating their consent, such as "yes," "agree," "consent," or any other word that clearly states their permission to receive messages.
This opt-in process is a crucial aspect of SMS marketing and is required by FCC regulations to ensure that customers are not receiving unwanted or unsolicited messages.
Delivery speed
Push notifications are generally faster than SMS messages in terms of delivery speed. When a push notification is sent, it is delivered almost instantly to the user's mobile device, regardless of whether the user is actively using the app or not.
In contrast, SMS messages are sent through the user's mobile network and can be affected by network traffic and other factors, resulting in potential delays in delivery.
However, while push notifications are faster in delivery, they rely on an internet connection and may not be delivered if the user's device is not connected to the internet.
SMS messages, on the other hand, do not require an internet connection and can be delivered even when the user's device is not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Message length
Both push notifications and SMS messages have character limits, but the limit is higher for push notifications.
Android push notifications have a title character limit of 65 and a description limit of 240, while iOS push notifications have a combined limit of 178 characters. In contrast, no matter the platform, you can only send 160 characters with text messages.
Additional content
While text messages offer the option to use the MMS (multimedia messaging service) format, allowing businesses to attach website links, images, and other multimedia content to their messages, push notifications are limited to a preview image or graphic only.
However, a well-designed graphic in your push message can still effectively entice users to further explore your offering within the app.
Customization
Users want to have control over how they receive notifications on their mobile phones for a variety of reasons, whether it's to minimize distractions or save battery life.
Push notifications offer more flexibility in terms of preferences, allowing users to customize their settings, while SMS messages only have an on/off option.
Furthermore, push notifications enable users to choose what they see when the notification arrives, whereas text alerts typically display only the first five to ten words.
Open rates
SMS messages have an impressive open rate of 98%, with about 90% of messages read within three minutes of receipt.
They are a very reliable way to help you reach your marketing targets. In contrast, push notifications have a lower open rate of 20%. While users are more likely to swipe away a notification for later reading, they are less likely to ignore a text message.
Cost
Push notifications have an initial cost associated with developing an app to send them, but are otherwise free to send.
On the other hand, text message marketing typically incurs a cost per message sent, or through a bulk text messaging package with a set price for sending a certain number of messages.
However, businesses can often take advantage of discounts when sending a large number of SMS notifications, which can help reduce the overall cost of SMS marketing efforts.
Which channel is better for different business goals?
Both push notifications and SMS messages can help you reach your customers, but they work best in different situations.
Push notifications require users to have your app installed and allow notifications, while SMS messages reach anyone with a phone number. Understanding when to use each channel depends on what you're trying to accomplish.
Driving immediate engagement and urgency
SMS messages are hard to ignore. They show up directly on your phone's lock screen and get read almost immediately, which makes them perfect for urgent messages that need attention right now.
Push notifications can work well here, too, especially if your customers already receive push notifications from your app regularly. But text messages have that extra level of urgency that makes people check them faster.
Building long-term customer relationships
Both channels can help you build lasting relationships with customers, just in different ways.
Mobile push notifications let you communicate more frequently since they're generally more cost-effective than SMS at scale. You can share personalized content based on what users do in your app or keep them updated on things they care about, creating regular touchpoints that keep your brand top of mind.
SMS messages work well for relationship-building, too, especially through conversational SMS. This lets you have two-way conversations with customers, answer their questions, and provide support when they need it.
That direct line of communication creates a personal connection that customers value. The key is finding the right balance between staying in touch and respecting your customers' inboxes.
Increasing conversions and sales
Both channels can drive sales. SMS messages typically see higher conversion rates because people trust text messages and act on them quickly. They're great for limited-time offers or exclusive deals that create urgency.
Push notifications let you include images and interactive buttons that make it easier for users to complete a purchase. You can also target customer segments based on browsing or shopping behavior, which helps you send more relevant offers at the right time.
Sharing time-sensitive or transactional updates
Text messages are usually the better choice for urgent messages like order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders, and account alerts. They don't require an internet connection and reach customers immediately, which matters when people need critical information right away.
Push notifications can handle these updates, too, if customers have your app installed, but SMS gives you a wider reach since it works on any phone. People also expect transactional updates via text, so SMS feels like the natural choice for these types of messages.
When to send push notifications
Push notifications are used to send messages that are in-depth or personalized to the people who have installed the app. The format of the push notification lends itself nicely to this use, and can be used for messages that require using the app for more information. Some best case uses include:
- Reminders of items left in a shopping cart
- Upcoming promotions
- New product arrival
- Discounts or free items for a user's birthday
- Unadvertised sales
It's good to be mindful of how frequently you send notifications to your customers. Too many messages to smartphone users in a short period of time can result in user fatigue and cause them to tune out whenever they get an alert.
When to send SMS messages
SMS messages can be used for purposes other than marketing messages. You can also use them for one-on-one communication with your customer when they have a problem or need assistance with their account.
They're also useful for sending a message to as many users at once. Some of the reasons for sending SMS messages as marketing channel include:
- Sending a one-time password to help a user get back into their account
- Confirmation of a sale or package shipment
- Tracking numbers and delivery updates
- Emergency alerts or service interruptions
SMS messages can also be used to provide customer support on a more time sensitive, one-on-one basis. A customer support agent can connect with the user directly and discuss the issue that needs resolution.
This gives the customer direct contact with the support agent and alleviates the need to wait on hold for someone to pick up the phone.
Can you use push notifications and SMS together?
Using both channels together often works better than relying on just one. When you implement push notifications alongside SMS messaging, you can reach customers in different situations and contexts.
Each channel has its strengths, so combining them lets you match the right message type to the right delivery method.
How a multi-channel messaging strategy works
A multi-channel approach means using both push notifications and SMS based on what you're trying to communicate.
Push notifications excel at engaging users who already have your mobile app installed and use it regularly. They're perfect for app-specific updates, personalized recommendations, and content that benefits from rich media like images or buttons.
SMS messages work through the cellular network, so they reach customers regardless of whether they have your app or internet connectivity. This makes text messages ideal for critical updates that everyone needs to see.
This strategy works when you reserve SMS for high-priority messages and use push notifications for everything else, creating a natural hierarchy that customers understand.
Using push notifications to support SMS campaigns
Push notifications can enhance your SMS campaigns by handling follow-up communication and ongoing engagement.
For example, you might send an SMS about a flash sale to grab attention, then use push notifications to remind customers about items in their cart or suggest related products. This strategy keeps the conversation going without sending multiple text messages that could feel excessive.
You can also use push notifications to drive app engagement after an SMS campaign brings customers back to your brand. If someone clicks a link in your text message, push notifications can continue the experience inside your mobile app with personalized offers or content based on what they showed interest in.
Avoiding message fatigue across channels
Just because you have two channels doesn't mean you should send twice as many messages.
Customers can get overwhelmed quickly if they're receiving messages from multiple channels about the same things. Set clear guidelines for when to use each channel so messages don't overlap or repeat the same information.
Pay attention to timing and frequency across both channels combined, not just individually. If someone gets a push notification in the morning and a text message in the afternoon, that's still two messages in one day.
Monitor user engagement metrics to find the right balance, and give customers control over what types of messages they receive through each channel.
Find the best way to reach a wider audience
In conclusion, choosing between push notifications and SMS messages comes down to understanding your business needs and your customers' preferences.
Both communication channels have their unique advantages and disadvantages, and it's essential to consider factors such as message delivery speed, customization options, cost, and user experience before making a decision.
You may even want to consider a multichannel marketing approach that combines both push and text messages.
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