Messaging channels like SMS and Facebook Messenger are quickly gaining popularity. When it comes to SMS marketing, for example, retailers are planning to increase their marketing budgets and for good reason: 46% surveyed say they are more likely to opt into text messages from the e-commerce/retail industry specifically (which is higher than any other industry). 

Likewise, Facebook Messenger is getting more attention, too. Given that Facebook has more than 2.5 billion monthly active users, people and businesses already exchange 20 billion messages each month on Facebook Messenger. 

But there is still a lot of untapped opportunity in messaging channels. Many ecommerce brands are still learning about the value these channels can bring. In this article, I’ll go over three reasons you need to explore both SMS and Facebook Messenger. 

But first, a quick look at the big differences between the two.

SMS vs. Facebook Messenger

Let’s briefly go over some of the big differences of using a messaging channel like SMS versus Facebook Messenger. Of course, there are many and I’m only going to point out a few major considerations when deciding when to use SMS versus Messenger.

The beauty of SMS marketing versus a platform like Facebook Messenger is that there are no gatekeepers. So long as the user is opted in and you have user consent (which is very important), you can reach out to them at the right time with the right message in any way you choose.

Ecommerce brands can send messages to opted-in users on Facebook Messenger, too. But, ultimately you must conform to Facebook’s policies when it comes to using Messenger, which can be restrictive in some ways. 

Following those policies, though, in exchange for the benefits of marketing in Messenger can be worth it. That brings us to another big difference between SMS and Facebook Messenger: The user interaction.

Facebook Messenger offers a visually rich experience with more options to easily interact with users (for example, buttons) and lots of different methods to reach your target audience. If using a chatbot, you can have automated conversations for customer service, create a sales funnel and more.

SMS, on the other hand, is slightly more laborious if a user wants to interact, as they need to type answers to be prompted to the next step when engaging with your automated messages (i.e., “type ‘yes’ for more”).

Nevertheless, texting can be great for sending straightforward content, such as order confirmations, appointment reminders, product refills, membership renewals, alerts or recalls, new product launches, welcoming new customers, and more. (For more, see: SMS vs. MMS Marketing for Beginners.)

But, when you want to take a user down a more well-defined journey with a simpler interaction, that’s best done using Facebook Messenger. You can provide guided sales support and even let your customers buy without ever leaving the app. 

3 Key Reasons to Explore Messaging Channels

Here are three reasons you want to consider adding messaging channels to your ecommerce marketing mix. 

1. Engagement Rates Are High

Messaging channels offer a way to keep your customer base engaged. Consider the following stats:

• Facebook Messenger was the second-most downloaded app of the decade next to Facebook and has about 106 million monthly active U.S. users as of September 2019. What does that tell you about your potential reach? 
• On the other hand, text messaging usage is three times higher than Facebook Messenger, six times higher than WhatsApp and 11 times higher than Instagram. 
• In our experience, SMS response rates range between 10% and 30% (depending on vertical, use-case, and promotion type). 
• Based on various industry data and our own experience, SMS and Messenger open rates can be upwards of 95% with click-through rates of up to 10% to 15%. 

2. Messaging Channels Are Highly Interactive

Most people dread unopened emails in their inbox. But messaging channels get way more attention and enthusiasm. Unlike marketing emails, which are typically a one-way conversation, messaging allows users to interact with ecommerce brands in new ways.

Consider this scenario: You’re a beauty brand that is launching a new product line. You can use Facebook Messenger to send a message out to your audience like so: 

“Hey, we just launched a new facial product line I think you might like. It’s guaranteed to improve your skin in 30 days or less. Take our product quiz to find your perfect match.”

With a series of button clicks, the user can be taken down a sales funnel and can even find the location nearest to them to buy the product or buy right within the app. The results are a more interactive and simple interaction with an ecommerce brand versus email, for example.

3. Messaging Channels Provide Always Logged-in Customer Identity

Messaging channels allow you to build audience profiles over time and then reach your users with targeted messages. 

For example, let’s say you opted into a beauty brand’s SMS messages. If that beauty brand was using our technology at Radiance Commerce, for instance, their phone number would be connected with their account behind the scenes (with the user’s consent, of course). 

After that point, whenever the user interacts with the brand, the brand is able to know which phone number is associated with which account/user. 

This allows brands to do things like send automated SMS reminders to reorder a product, offer product suggestions, and more. Then, all a person has to do is type “yes” and the product will be shipped to them.

This makes the interactions personalized and frictionless. This is a big benefit to brands and consumers. 

And when it comes to Facebook Messenger, data collection is seamless, too. Instead of asking people to go to a form to fill in their data, they can do it with a few clicks of a button right in Messenger. 

Messaging Channels Are Quickly Gaining Speed

While many more ecommerce brands are starting to pay attention to messaging channels (especially since the pandemic hit), there is a lot of untapped opportunity in SMS and Facebook Messenger marketing. 

Now is the time to start exploring these messaging channels to differentiate yourself from the competition and have a more engaged audience.