Have you ever taken out your smartphone to look something up, but once faced with the deluge of mobile apps on your screen, forgotten why you reached for your device in the first place? Or maybe you’ve missed an important memo or reminder because your phone is so disorganized. If so, join the club – you, like most smartphone users, have experienced “icon overflow.”
Mobile industry leader SAP coined the term “icon overflow” to denote when a person’s smartphone has so many mobile apps that it complicates life rather than simplifying it. 74% of smartphone users, according to SAP, have experienced this frustrating phenomenon. Fortunately for users, there is one app that comes preinstalled and is the most used app on a phone. Text messaging is the solution to icon overflow, and can be used by businesses to more effectively reach and engage consumers.
Why icon overflow is a problem for mobile users
People usually download branded mobile apps because they think they will be useful, easy to use, and ultimately, make life easier to manage. The truth is, however, that most mobile apps confuse, rather than clarify, a person’s life, resulting in missed meetings, missed memos, and more. Take these findings from the SAP report:
- 68% of respondents agree that they have more apps on their smartphone than they need.
- The majority of smartphone users – 71% – say that it’s annoying to have different conversations occur in different mobile apps.
- 80% of consumers say that sometimes, their needs are much more simple and require a process like SMS.
Embracing SMS as an engagement tool
The reason that SMS works so well is simple: it’s because SMS is simple. With text messaging, all conversations are conveniently in one place.
- 77% of consumers agree that SMS is a good way for an organization to get their attention
- 64% believe businesses should use more SMS in customer interactions.
SMS also proves more effective than email, with 76% of consumers saying they’re more likely to read a text message than an email.
There are many ways in which brands can engage with consumers over text messaging. Send out a text message every time you’re having a sale, text out a link to your online website, inform customers about new developments, or just engage them in a conversation to find out what they’re interested so you can tailor your marketing to fit their specific needs. And if you ever need some inspiration, you need only look at the myriad of other companies that are currently using SMS.
Studies like the SAP report surface every day reiterating what we already know: that text messaging is still more familiar, personable, and immediate than any mobile app will ever be. As mobile trends rise and fall, SMS continues to be the tried-and -true constant that is both trusted and used by consumers.
To learn more about text messaging campaigns, please contact us.