Email has been the preferred method for sending and receiving mass messages and reaching audiences for decades. But, at the same time, text (or SMS) marketing is a fast, cost-effective and reliable way to share promotions and updates with customers. So when it comes to text message marketing vs. email marketing, which is better?
Text message marketing and email campaigns can work together to create seamless communication with customers. And, while some messages are delivered best via email, many marketing messages are more effective when sent via text.
Today we’ll cover the pros and cons of email and SMS marketing and how to choose which one is best for your business.
Jump right to:
- Understanding Email Marketing
- Understanding SMS Marketing
- Text Message Marketing vs. Email Marketing: How They Stack Up
- Top Use Cases for Text and Email Marketing
<h2 id="Understanding">Understanding Email Marketing</h2>
Email marketing is a direct and reliable way for businesses to reach their audience. It’s used to send targeted messages to specific segments of your audience based on their behavior, interests, or stage in the customer journey. Email marketing offers businesses:
- Direct communication
- Targeted messaging
- Flexible content types
- Strong customer relationships
- Measurable results
Overall, email marketing gives businesses a simple, scalable way to provide value and keep conversations going.
Pros and Cons of Email Marketing
Like any channel, email marketing has its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s break down the pros and cons to compare.
Pros:
- Highly targeted. It’s easy to segment audiences based on demographics or past behaviors.
- Engagement and conversions. Personalized emails can boost click-through and conversion rates.
- Measurable performance. It’s easy to track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to continuously optimize your email campaigns.
- Cost-effective. Email enables businesses to reach a large audience with minimal spend compared to other channels.
Cons:
- Spam risk. Poor targeting or overuse can lead to emails getting flagged as spam, hurting deliverability rates and brand reputation.
- Overflowing inboxes. With so many emails hitting consumer inboxes daily, it’s hard to stand out and earn attention.
- Slower response times. Even when emails are opened, replies or actions can be delayed or never sent.
- Limited urgency. Unlike other channels, email lacks the immediacy that prompts quick actions, like confirming appointments or redeeming offers.
- Formatting challenges. In order for email to perform well, they need to be mobile-friendly, well-designed, and tested across a wide range of devices.
<h2 id="SMS">Understanding SMS Marketing</h2>
SMS messages are like a quick tap on your customer’s shoulder — they’re urgent, personal, and almost guaranteed to be read. SMS marketing leverages the immediacy of texting to connect with customers quickly and directly.
Businesses can use SMS to:
- Promote limited-time offers and flash sales
- Send personalized deals and exclusive updates
- Confirm appointments or send reminders
- Collect and manage customer reviews
- Share urgent alerts, order updates, or quick follow-ups
The key to SMS marketing is to strike a balance between delivering value, staying relevant, and respecting your customer’s time. When it’s done right, SMS marketing can build loyalty and drive results.
Pros and Cons of SMS Marketing
SMS marketing is fast, direct, and hard to ignore. When timing matters — like promoting a flash sale or sending an appointment reminder — texting delivers results that no other marketing channel can match.
Let’s explore the pros and cons of SMS marketing.
Pros:
- Instant reach. Messages are typically read within minutes.
- High engagement. Open and response rates consistently out perform other marketing channels.
- Versatile use cases. Use SMS to send anything from reminders to surveys and promotions.
- Personal touch. Texting’s one-on-one messaging style adds a human touch to marketing messages.
- Automation friendly. With the right SMS provider, it’s easy to automate your communication workflows via SMS.
Cons:
- Character limits. Some SMS platforms restrict how much you can say in a text, restricting messages to 160 characters.
- Compliance regulations. SMS is heavily regulated, so businesses must be aware of opt-in, data privacy, and consent management.
- Message fatigue. If your business is sending too many texts (or irrelevant ones) opt-out rates can soar.
The main takeaway from SMS’ pros and cons is this: When used strategically (and respectfully), SMS is one of the most efficient ways to cut through the noise and reach customers on their preferred channel.
<h2 id="Stack">Text Message Marketing vs. Email Marketing: How They Stack Up</h2>
Email and SMS are both tried-and-true digital marketing channels. But when it comes to speed, visibility, and engagement, SMS consistently comes out ahead. The numbers speak for themselves. Let’s compare a few key metrics for SMS vs. email.
- Open rates. SMS boasts a 98% open rate, compared to email’s 28%.
- Click-through rates. Texts average a 10% click-through rate, while email averages just 3.8%.
- Conversion rates. SMS converts at nearly double the rate of email — 29% vs. 15%.
- Response times. On average, people respond to SMS messages quicker than email.
The data paints a clear picture: When you need to reach potential customers fast, and get a response, SMS is the more effective tool. It cuts through the crowded modern inbox, delivering a short, action-oriented message directly into your customer’s pocket.
Email vs. Text Marketing Metrics to Know
To understand how SMS and email compare, it’s essential to look at the key marketing metrics that reveal performance. These indicators help you track success, identify gaps, and decide where to invest your marketing efforts.
- Average open rate. Measure the percentage of recipients who open your message. If your audience isn’t opening messages, they’re not engaging with your business.
- Engagement rate (click-through). Click-through rates track how many recipients click on a link within your message. This tells you how effective your message is at driving action.
- Response time. How quickly are recipients replying or taking action after receiving your message? Short response times mean you’re delivering relevant, engaging experiences.
- Conversion rate. This is the ultimate performance metric — measuring the percentage of recipients who complete your desired action (like making a purchase or booking an appointment).
- Spam rate. The percentage of your messages flagged as spam or junk. Emails are more likely to be filtered as spam or ignored, while compliant SMS messages are more likely to be delivered.
- ROI (return on investment). ROI helps your business justify its marketing spend. ROI tells you how much revenue your campaign generated compared to its cost.
<h2 id="Top">Top Use Cases for Text and Email Marketing</h2>
Not every communication should be a text. The most effective marketing strategies match the message to the right channel. Let’s cover the top use cases for each channel, respectively.
Best for text (SMS)
- Urgent updates and alerts
- Limited-time offers or flash sales
- Appointment reminders and confirmations
- Customer support and scheduling
- Personalized promotions
Best for email:
- Newsletters and product updates
- Welcome or onboarding series
- Detailed event invitations
- Policy updates or formal communication
- Video content-driven campaigns
Other Considerations for Text vs. Email Marketing
Beyond open rates and engagement stats, there are other practical factors that can tip the scale when choosing between SMS and email, including:
1. Message Length
SMS is built for brevity. Character limits (usually 160 - 300 characters per message) mean your content has to be direct and to the point. Email, on the other hand, gives you more room to explain, tell stories, or include multiple visuals.
2. Compliance and Opt-In Requirements
SMS is governed by strict opt-in regulations, like TCPA, and you need clear, documented consent before sending texts.
Email still requires permission, but compliance is typically easier to manage, especially when emailing existing customers.
3. Mobile use
SMS is inherently mobile and the SMS inbox is built into most phones. And while email is often opened on mobile devices as well, formatting issues and longer content can make it less mobile-friendly. Plus, users will likely have to log in or download specific apps to view email messages.
4. Cost
Email is slightly more budget-friendly than SMS, especially for high-volume campaigns. And while SMS does boast higher engagement and conversion rates, it typically comes with a higher per-message cost.
Level Up Your Marketing Campaigns With Textedly
When it comes to email vs. text marketing, the smartest move isn’t choosing one over the other — it’s leveraging both. Textedly’s SMS solution complements any marketing strategy, enabling you to build stronger connections and keep your brand top of mind with customers. Textedly even offers integrations with email platforms like Mailchimp.
SMS can boost visibility, drive engagement, and draw attention to your products and services. Plus, Textedly offers users 300-character messages, enabling you to share more context, include clear CTAs and deliver more value, all without sacrificing clarity or impact.
Ready to reach your customers on their preferred communication channel? Try Textedly for free today.
