Marketing has evolved quite considerably over the years. In the past, businesses needed to hire several salespeople that knocked from door to door to tell people about their products and services. However, with time, marketing became dominant on televisions and radios, especially advertisement content. Today, it is possible for businesses to market their products and services to people from the comfort of their homes. This is all thanks to mobile technology, which has been making waves for quite some time.
Throughout this article, we will discuss the evolution of SMS marketing in Australia, from its inception to its current state. We will also highlight some of the best SMS marketing platforms in the country and explain what makes them stand out. Let’s get started.
History of SMS in Australia
Before discussing SMS marketing in Australia, let’s first talk about its history. The history of Short Message Service (SMS) can be traced back to 1984, when the concept was first developed by Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaert, developers at the GSM Corporation. By 1991, 2G came to the scene, changing the landscape of mobile communication and data service. A year later, the SMS concept was revisited and further developed. This was when Neil Papworth and Richard Jarvis sent the first text message.
As mobile technology and networks continue to grow, phones were designed to allow for text messaging. However, it was not until 1999 that SMS could be sent between different mobile networks. From the moment onwards, the advancement in text messaging was pretty fast and has become a fundamental part of all mobile phones and networks.
SMS Marketing in Australia
While there is no way to be sure when SMS marketing entered Australia, we can say that it has grown exceptionally over the years. According to some online sources, the first ever mobile advertisement shared with a consumer via text message was in 2000. With time, Australian businesses and organizations saw the potential of this technology and SMS marketing began making waves and an australian sms gateway became an integral part of modern marketing.
However, at the time, there were no SMS marketing platforms in Australia. This made sending promotional text messages quite cumbersome, as businesses need to send messages to one recipient after another.
The Birth of SMS Marketing Platforms in Australia
The notable progress in mobile technology and text messaging saw the birth of SMS marketing platforms in Australia. But what are these platforms all about? Well, an SMS marketing platform is a tool that businesses can use to send text messages to their contact lists. It comes with several features, such as scheduled messages, automation, results tracking and so on. This way, you won’t have to find business analyst experts that will help you collate the data and generate results.
While we are unsure about the first SMS marketing platform that entered the Australian market, we can confirm that businesses and organizations in the country now have many options to choose from.
Choosing the Best Australian SMS Marketing Platforms
You must consider several vital factors to choose the best SMS marketing platform in Australia. Otherwise, you could fall into the hands of a fraudulent SMS marketing platform that is only after your money. Here are some vital factors you should consider before you choose any platform.
Easy to Use
As a business owner, you want the best user experience when sending promotional text messages to your audience and customers. This is why you must consider how easy to use the SMS marketing platform you want to join is. Can you navigate your way around easily, or do you need an expert to set up the platform for your business? If a great deal of technical expertise is required to use an SMS marketing platform, then it may not be the best choice for you.
Automation
In this era where organizations have to monitor and control several things simultaneously, a little help from automation tools can make all the difference for businesses. For this reason, you should check the automation tools available at any SMS marketing platform you want to join. At the minimum, you should be able to schedule messages and integrate the platform with other apps and services.
Affordable
You don’t have to use all your money in the bank before you start using an SMS marketing platform. So pricing should be a part of the criteria you should check while choosing the best platform. Make sure that the amount you will be spending on subscribing to the platform is not excessive, and consider the return of your investment. Remember that the goal of any business is to profit, so ensure you are not wasting money.
Scalability
People want their businesses to grow and expand. Therefore, while choosing an SMS marketing platform, scalability should be in your mind. Don’t go for a platform where you are stuck with small offerings and solutions. Instead, opt for one that will let you scale up your SMS campaigns as your contact list grows without requiring you to pay exorbitantly.
Summing It Up
Short Message Service (SMS) has evolved over the years, and we have discussed the evolution phases in Australia in this article. The first SMS was sent in 1992, after eight years of developing the concept. But now, text messaging has become a basic offering of mobile networks, and almost all mobile devices support it.
The use of SMS marketing in businesses in Australia may not have started strongly, but it has developed rapidly over the years. There are tens or probably hundreds of SMS marketing platforms targeting the country and remember that to choose the best ones, you must consider numerous factors such as usability, automation, affordability and scalability.
