Is free SMS a thing of past? Surprise yourself

Are you among the ones who believe that free SMS is no more an effective and viable option in the era of app-based messaging services, such as WhatsApp? Then you must continue reading this article as it may debunk the many myths revolving around messaging-based marketing or promotions.

Despite the fact that app-based messaging services are largely free for personal use, the same is not true when it comes to business communication or promotion. SMS services are still more popular than app-based messaging services when it comes to sending bulk SMS or business communications. But what about free SMS?

Before we jump directly into a debate related to free SMS, it’s important to understand the importance and effectiveness of SMS communication in the era of the internet and smartphones.

Let’s start with a head-scratching question: When was the last time you sent an SMS to someone?

Let me guess, maybe a few years back! That too because your Internet pack was over.

From being widely used as a basic platform for texting to not being so popular, SMS has seen a lot in its 22-year-old history. But if you think SMS is already a gone game, then you are highly mistaken. 

It is still very effective for marketing. SMSs can easily reach everyone, and remember the OTP you get for every online transaction? The way we use them has shifted widely. It’s more about necessity and mass reach instead of personal communication. 

But what made the empire of SMS fall almost immediately? These were some key factors behind.

What made SMS go vulnerable?

Most of my cousins and friends have hundreds of unread SMS lying in their inboxes. When I ask why? They said it’s nothing important! 

This became the top reason for the decline. Our SMS inboxes are full of promotional texts from websites we signed up on, stores we visited, OTPs, transaction receipts, tickets, etc. The abuse of free SMS services has made the situation even worse.

To get rid of unwanted promotional SMS, no one uses an SMS to convey an important message; instead, we rely on internet-based texting like WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, and more. If a user doesn’t open his inbox, he will never text, becoming the biggest communication barrier. However, there are a few more reasons.

1. Convenience is the king 

Think of sending an image or video via SMS. It will automatically convert into an MMS (Mega Message Service) and is something not very convenient to deal with. 

But it’s effortless to send huge files using an app-based messaging service. These apps provide a service to make an audio/video call for free. On top, they act as mini social media where you can easily feel a connection with others.

When people found convenience, they automatically switched. 

2. Cheap calling services

A cheap or almost free calling service for 6-months by Jio was another major hit for texting. When can you call and convey the information immediately? Why would you wait for the person to read and reply to your text later? 

Jio also provided a free SMS service, but it never worked because the Internet was free! 

But text messages are still relevant

The abovementioned reasons have deeply impacted the number of texts we use to transfer for personal communication, but SMS is here to stay. For example – The radio never completely went out of the market after the television launch. The same goes for postal letters; email couldn’t eliminate them. 

5 billion people globally send and receive SMS messages. That’s about 65% of the world’s population. Despite the spontaneous growth of internet messaging, SMS still holds a bigger market! 

1. SMS can reach anyone 

Think about people with those small phones without an internet connection or in remote areas where internet connectivity is still a distant reality. SMS has access to those areas. App-based messaging is like private couriers, they are convenient, but SMSs are like government service; maybe not that convenient, but they reach everyone.

Banks and websites send OTP via SMS for any transaction because app-based messaging is by choice; SMS comes by default with calling. 

2. Good for marketing

You receive various promotional SMSs because it works for the marketing guys and brings them easy conversions and sales. 75% of consumers want to receive texts with special offers. Messages are easier to check and consume instead of bulky emails. 

Also, none of the marketers wants to leave the immense potential and a wider reach behind. You can find various resources on the Internet that teach about SMS marketing and how effectively it can connect with the target audience. 

App-based messaging cannot replace SMS

Indeed, app-based messaging provides us with the convenience of communicating in multiple ways together, but it can never replace the traditional messaging service because

• Everyone having a mobile doesn’t have Internet access but can use SMS for communication. 
• SMS can reach remote areas where the Internet doesn’t work. 
• Governments and banks rely heavily on them for passing information on necessary policies or transactions. 
• SMSs market segment is still much more than all combined app-based messaging services. 
• People exchanged 2.1 trillion in 2020 alone. It was 52 billion more texts than in 2019. The number continuously increased after then. 

For most of us, SMS is not a primary mode of texting, but the service is still used by many in other parts of the world. With that, the number of SMS people exchanges daily is continuously increasing and is far from being completely replaced by app-based messaging services. 

Now that it has been convincingly clear that SMS is going to stay, and the emergence of app-based messaging services can’t kill SMS services, it’s clear that free SMS services are also going to stay here, and for a very long time.

Why do people look for Free SMS?

SMS is most popular for marketing because it gives a sense of personalization. You can easily scroll out an ad on any social media platform and never remember about it. However, it’s seen that people usually remember and click the links sent via SMS. It helps marketers to bring people to their stores which further converts into sales and profit.

People wanting to promote a product or service always seek free bulk messaging services. It helps in effective marketing at a lesser cost. 

However, people looking for free SMS with their calling plan have declined because of the availability of widely used free texting services over the Internet. 

Use these reliable and free messaging services to send Free SMS

Do you know that the Internet and SMS can work together? Various websites on the Internet allow you to send SMS to any number for free. Some sites ask for your identity, while others even allow you to send anonymous texts. 

1. OpenTestingOnline – This service allows you to send SMS worldwide in 50+ countries. But you must complete your message in 600 characters, and MMS cannot exceed 300kb. 

2. Send SMS Now – This service specifically focuses on marketing messages and allows you to send texts in 25+ countries. They don’t allow MMS, and your text can contain a maximum of 130 characters. 

3. Way2SMS – One of the most popular services for sending texts, but Way2SMS is much more than simple messaging software. They have premium plans and other options for marketing too. 

Conclusion 

Commonly, people think that the days of messages are gone, free SMS services are dead and Internet has replaced the way we communicate. But the reality is much different from our thoughts. Still, SMS holds a bigger market segment than all popular internet messaging services combined. 

In the US, most people use SMS for personal communication, while in other countries, it is much more about the necessity and urgent need for communication. Internet messaging can never completely replace traditional SMS because it can always reach a wider audience without access to the Internet.

Think twice the next time and underestimate the power of SMS. By the way, when have you sent your last message?