Why Consumers Prefer SMS: Key Insights from the 2025 Report

Consumer preferences are shifting faster than ever, and SMS marketing is at the center of this transformation. More consumers are opting into business text messages than ever before, with a staggering 86% enrollment rate—a 20% increase since 2021. As customers prefer SMS, people increasingly expect instant, direct communication from brands, SMS is no longer just an option; it’s a necessity.

EZ Texting, a leader in text-based marketing solutions, has released its 2025 Consumer Texting Behavior Report, now in its fourth year. This study highlights a crucial reality for businesses: with an astonishing 98% SMS open rate, text messaging has evolved from a simple notification tool into a powerful driver of customer engagement, loyalty, and sales.

“Consumers have spoken loud and clear: they want businesses to connect with them via SMS,” says Punit Shah, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at EZ Texting. “Whether it’s exclusive offers, customer support, or service updates, people prefer texting over email and even social media. Companies that fail to integrate SMS risk losing relevance in an increasingly mobile-first world.”

Consumers Want SMS for More Than Just Promotions

The 2025 Consumer Texting Behavior Report reveals that people expect text messaging to be a standard communication channel for all aspects of their interactions with businesses—from order updates to customer service.

Key Insights from the Report:

• 86% of consumers actively subscribe to business texts, a significant increase from previous years.
• 79% are more likely to make a purchase from a business that sends texts, a 21% increase over 2024.
• 52% engage with brands via SMS more frequently, a 31% rise from 2023.

This growing reliance on SMS reflects a broader consumer trend: people want timely, relevant, and actionable messages delivered straight to their mobile devices.

SMS Builds Brand Loyalty & Encourages Consumer Action

SMS marketing is not just about sending reminders or promotional deals—it’s about creating meaningful, ongoing customer relationships. Consumers are increasingly using text messaging to engage with businesses in new ways:

• 71% opt in to receive text updates without having made a prior purchase, showing that SMS has strong appeal beyond transactional interactions.
• 47% use SMS to provide feedback on products and services, up from 35% in 2024.
• 63% report an overall increase in texting behavior, with 52% texting businesses—compared to just 31% last year.

For brands, this presents an incredible opportunity: SMS is not only a direct line to consumers but also a tool for fostering engagement, gathering insights, and improving customer retention.

Speed & Personalization: The Two Pillars of SMS Success

The demand for immediate and personalized interactions has never been higher. Consumers want brands to respond quickly and tailor their messages to individual needs.

• 57% expect businesses to respond to their texts within 15 minutes, setting a new standard for real-time communication.
• 67% express increased interest in a product after receiving an SMS, a 21% jump from 2024.
• 49% say they purchase more often from brands that send timely, personalized texts.

In a world where attention spans are short, and competition is fierce, businesses that prioritize SMS personalization and fast response times will stand out and drive higher conversions.

Survey Methodology

The 2025 Consumer Texting Behavior Report was conducted by EZ Texting to analyze changing consumer attitudes toward SMS marketing.

📅 Survey Period: November 1–November 15, 2024
📊 Sample Size: 1,074 mobile phone users who regularly engage with business communications

The report provides businesses with actionable insights to refine their SMS strategies and meet the growing expectations of their audience.

Challenges & Ethical Considerations in SMS Marketing

As SMS marketing continues to grow in popularity, businesses must navigate several challenges and ethical considerations to maintain consumer trust and regulatory compliance. Below are the key concerns highlighted in the 2025 Report:

1. Privacy Concerns and Compliance with Regulations

With stricter data privacy laws, businesses must ensure that their SMS campaigns comply with global regulations such as:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Protects EU consumers by requiring explicit consent before sending marketing messages.
• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) – Regulates SMS marketing in the U.S., requiring businesses to obtain prior consent before texting customers.
• Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) – Imposes strict rules on obtaining consumer consent for SMS marketing.

Key Compliance Practices:

• Obtain clear, verifiable opt-in consent before sending SMS.
• Provide an easy way for consumers to opt-out at any time.
• Securely store and manage customer data to prevent breaches.

2. Avoiding Spam and Ensuring Opt-In Consent

One of the biggest concerns consumers have about SMS marketing is spam. According to the 2025 Report, over 60% of consumers ignore or block businesses that send unsolicited texts.

How to Prevent SMS from Feeling Like Spam:

• Use double opt-in verification to confirm user consent.
• Send messages only during appropriate hours to avoid intrusiveness.
• Limit frequency—too many texts can drive customers away.
• Ensure content relevance—avoid generic or mass-sent messages.

3. Striking a Balance Between Automation and Personalization

While automation makes SMS marketing scalable, excessive use of robotic messages can feel impersonal. Consumers in 2025 prefer brands that personalize their messages based on behavior, preferences, and past interactions.

Best Practices for Balanced Messaging:

• Make use of AI-driven personalization (e.g., including the recipient’s name and past purchase history).
• Automate routine messages (e.g., appointment reminders, OTPs) but allow human interaction for customer support.
• Segment your audience to ensure that messages are relevant to their needs.

About EZ Texting

Since 2004, EZ Texting has helped over 230,000 businesses and organizations simplify and enhance their text marketing efforts. By offering intuitive tools, automation features, and seamless integrations, EZ Texting empowers brands to build stronger customer relationships through SMS.

As the marketing landscape shifts, EZ Texting remains at the forefront, helping businesses connect, engage, and grow through the power of text messaging.

🔹 Explore the full 2025 Consumer Texting Behavior Report at [EZ Texting’s website]

Final Thoughts

This year’s report confirms what many businesses are already realizing: SMS is not just an add-on marketing tool—it’s an essential communication channel.

Consumers expect speed, personalization, and value from their interactions with brands, and text messaging delivers on all three fronts. As SMS continues to dominate, businesses that embrace this shift will see higher engagement, better customer retention, and increased sales.