In a world of omni-channel marketing, SMS continues to stand out as one of the most effective tools to engage with customers. Unlike other channels that can get lost in crowded email inboxes or social media feeds, SMS has open rates exceeding 90%, directness, and responses happening within minutes. Its personal, direct nature makes it ideal to have SMS be part of any businesses’s integrated strategy.
In this guide, we will explore what makes SMS so effective in 2025 and share the best practices to help you get the best results and ROI.
Why SMS Marketing Still Works
Research shows that over 85% of SMS messages are read within the first three minutes of being received. Compared to email, where messages often sit unopened in the inbox or purely deleted, SMS has a clear advantage.
One thing that makes SMS more special than other marketing tools is that it feels personal, like a message from a friend rather than a brand shouting for attention. With the messages being opened in just a few minutes, response rates are higher than those of email and even some social platforms.
Best Practices for SMS Marketing
If you want to see the best results from the SMS marketing you need to be focused on three important factors: segmentation, personalization, and timing.
Know Your Audience
As mentioned before, SMS is personal. It lands directly in their phone so the way you craft your message should depend heavily on truly understanding your customers, audience, and what they really want, need, and exact from your company. What works for a fashion brand will look very differently from what resonates with an appliance brand.
For example, appliance brands, customers might not be looking for frequent promotions or daily updates. A customer who just bought a refrigerator doesn’t need to be sent a SMS with discounts on refrigerators, because the chances of someone purchasing multiple refrigerators in one household is low.
This means that you need to start with the idea of what your customers really need. Someone who bought sunglasses last week doesn’t need a promo for a bag meant for first-time buyers. Your messages need to be based on their interests, which means you will get more clicks, and your SMS marketing will be more effective.
Make It Personal
If you think, why is personalization so important!? One word can make a big difference. If you just add their name, you show that you are paying attention. For example, “Hey Sarah, we’d love to hear from you” already sounds and feels different compared to just “Dear customer.”
Send It at the Right Time
Timing really does matter. Sending a promo text while someone’s asleep or deep in work mode isn’t the best move. Instead, try to catch your customers when they’re most likely to be checking their phones.
SMS Content That Converts
When we say that SMS marketing is successful, it doesn't mean just getting clicks on your message. Instead, it’s about driving more sales. The secret is to keep your messages short, clear, and engaging. Your goal is to grab attention from your customers quickly and make it easy for them to take the next step.
1. Clear flash sale messages make customers feel they need to act.
This message creates a sense of urgency and encourages instant shopping, making it perfect for driving quick conversions.
“Today only! Take 20% off your favorite items. Tap here to shop before it ends: [link]”
2. Back-in-stock alerts also perform well.
This message feels relevant and personal, especially if the customer had shown interest in the item before.
“It’s finally back! Your favorite hoodie just restocked. Grab it while it lasts: [link]”
3. Personal discounts add a thoughtful touch.
This type of message makes customers feel valued and more likely to return.
“Just for you: Get free shipping on your next order with this code. Shop now: [link]”
4. The power of abandoned cart reminders.
This can help you bring customers back and recover lost sales.
“Still thinking it over? Your cart’s waiting for you. Complete your order here: [link]”
The best SMS messages are the ones that respect your customers’ time, deliver value right away, and make it easy to take action.
Ask for Reviews (Without Being Pushy)
Reviews are gold for any eCommerce brand. But getting them? Not always easy.
That’s where platforms like Fera come in. Fera's feature lets you automatically send SMS review requests after a customer receives their order. It’s a friendly message, sent at the right time, with just one tap to respond.
Because customers are already on their phones, texting makes it easy and convenient for them to leave feedback, no need to reach them through emails or ask them to log in to anything. And when you get reviews, you build stronger social proof.
How to Use SMS for Review Requests with Fera
Fera’s SMS feature lets you send unlimited review request messages at no extra cost. You’ll only be charged when an SMS results in a star rating or a text review. Each successful review generated through SMS has a flat fee of $5.00, so you only pay when an SMS actually brings you a review.
You can also set up your SMS campaign to send a message after the last email in your review request flow. This helps you reach customers who didn’t leave a review from the email request and encourage them to leave a star rating or text review.
If you’d like to learn more about how to start using SMS review requests, check out our help guide for step-by-step instructions.
Note: The SMS review request feature is currently available only for Shopify stores located in the USA and Canada. Sign up to our waiting list here to be the first to find out when SMS is available in your country and/or marketplace.
Conclusion
SMS marketing in 2025 is still a powerful tool for brands that want to stay close to their customers. It remains one of the few marketing channels with consistently high open rates. Platforms like Fera help automate the process with review requests, making it even easier for you.
So if your marketing strategy doesn't include SMS yet, it might be time to start and see the results for yourself.
With Fera, easily collect, show & grow customer reviews, photos & videos for your business. Start your free trial today.
