Business text messaging sends customers directly to the advertiser so they don’t get lost in the search engine ‘jungle.’
Plug “1 800 Got Junk” into any search engine and you’ll be bombarded by a host of other junk removal businesses, from Junk Genius to Junk King. You’ll also learn that other people search for “1 800 got junk rip-off,” which would cause any savvy consumer to reconsider his or her choice of junk removal vendors.
Somewhere in this tangled online jungle of competitor ads, directory sites, positive and negative reviews, similarly named entities and suggested other searches, consumers might actually find the site they originally searched for.
But advertisers that spend thousands of dollars to generate leads are potentially losing business and could even be unwittingly sending business to their competitors when they leave consumers no option but to go online and get lost in the search engine jungle.
And depending on how competitors are using tracking and cookies, that unsuspecting customer could end up seeing competitor ads on their social media sites for weeks to come.
How Smarter Advertisers Bypass the Search Engine Jungle
With over $200 billion dollars spent advertising products and services every year in the U.S., savvy advertisers would want to save potential customers from getting stuck in search engine quicksand where competitors can easily siphon off their business.
Smart advertisers are starting to employ a new business model that sends potential customers directly to their company and delivers the key message they want them to read. They’re also adopting the way that consumers prefer to communicate – via text messaging.
Instead of sending potential customers online, smart advertisers are directing traffic to either their vanity Toll-Free or local business number where consumers can text the business directly. (Keep in mind that using these 10-digit ‘long codes’ is cheaper and better than leasing five-digit ‘short codes’ for at least five good reasons such as ease of implementation.)
The use of phone numbers in a call to action (CTA) isn’t new, of course, but the fact that consumers can text a local business and/or Toll-Free phone number IS relatively recent. Multiple studies have shown that consumers far prefer texting over voice calls.
Offering a special deal or coupon to consumers who send a text doesn’t just save them from the search engine jungle; it can also differentiate the business from its competitors. The medium is the message – and in this case, the use of text messaging signals that the company is focused on the customer’s experience and staying with – or even ahead of – the communications curve.
In summary, the use of text messaging as a CTA can be a huge boon for advertisers by limiting consumers’ exposure to competitors while capturing qualified leads and building brand equity.
By employing simple, rules-based chatbots, advertisers can help consumers quickly get the information they’re looking for. Plus, they can engage consumers in a quick ‘conversation’ to break the ice, prequalify leads and help them take the next steps toward building a messaging channel. It’s also a great way to deliver ‘sticky,’ value-added benefits such as a coupon or to enroll consumers in a loyalty program that keeps them coming back for more.
For more information about how businesses can use text messaging to increase revenues and enhance their customer experience, text or call us at 346-223-9287.