Global SMS Marketing Benchmarks

Understanding SMS marketing benchmarks makes it much easier to see how you are really performing. Benchmarks give you a clear reference point so you can compare your results with your industry and with brands in other markets, and see where there is room to grow.

In this blog we share key SMS marketing benchmarks. You will see how different industries and regions perform, where the biggest opportunities are, and what the strongest SMS marketers tend to do differently.

Whether you send standalone SMS campaigns with MyLINK Engage or build automated customer flows in MyLINK MarketingPlatform, these benchmarks can guide you toward stronger and more consistent performance.

Global SMS Marketing Benchmarks

A good way to understand the value of SMS is to look at how it performs across a wide mix of industries and markets. These benchmarks show the typical ranges you can expect and what top performing companies achieve when their SMS strategy is well structured.

These figures highlight that SMS already performs strongly for most brands, but there is a clear gap between average and top tier performance. Brands that use data, segmentation and automation are usually the ones who close that gap fastest.

SMS Benchmarks by Industry

Results differ from one industry to another because customers engage with SMS differently depending on context and message type. This table gives a general overview of how key sectors tend to perform.

These ranges give you a realistic comparison point and make it easier to understand how your performance aligns with similar businesses in your sector.

What Top Performers Do Differently

When you compare typical SMS results with the top tier, a few common behaviour stand out. These practices help brands increase relevance, improve timing and create stronger engagement across both campaigns and automated flows.

1. They segment based on real behaviour
   Top performers move beyond basic lists and use data such as purchase activity, browsing interest, location, loyalty status and previous engagement. This leads to messages that feel more relevant and timely.

2. They rely on automation, not only manual sends
   Automated flows make a noticeable difference. Welcome messages, abandoned cart reminders, replenishment prompts, review requests and win back journeys run in the background and react to customer actions. These flows often outperform one-off campaigns by a wide margin.

3. They personalize the message content
   Personalization goes beyond using a first name. High-performing brands tailor offers, timing and message content based on customer behaviour, preferences and history. This creates communication that feels more useful and less generic.

4. They send at the right moment
   Strong results usually come from matching the timing to customer activity. A message sent right after a browse session, after a delivery, or close to a renewal date almost always performs better than a message sent at a fixed weekly time.

5. They combine campaigns and flows
   Standalone campaigns help drive short-term impact, while automated flows create long-term consistency. Brands that use both see higher engagement and more stable performance over time.

These habits show why top performers stand out. By focusing on relevance, timing and smart use of data, they turn SMS into a channel that consistently delivers meaningful results.

How MyLINK Engage and MyLINK MarketingPlatform Support Better Results

MyLINK Engage and MyLINK MarketingPlatform each help improve SMS performance in different ways. They give you the flexibility to work with SMS exactly as your strategy requires.

MyLINK Engage for standalone campaigns

MyLINK Engage is designed for fast, targeted SMS communication. It works well for seasonal promotions, product launches, limited-time offers, event reminders and other one-off messages.
You can segment your audience, send campaigns quickly and track results so every message becomes more effective.

MyLINK MarketingPlatform for automated flows

MyLINK MarketingPlatform is built for ongoing, data-driven customer journeys. It lets you create automated flows that react to real behaviour, such as welcome messages, abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase follow-ups or win back journeys.
These automated messages help you stay relevant and consistent without extra manual effort.

Create the approach that fits your goals

Some brands focus on campaign-based communication. Others rely heavily on automation. Many blend the two approaches to match customer behaviour and maintain steady engagement.
MyLINK Engage and MyLINK MarketingPlatform give you the tools to shape an SMS strategy that matches your audience, goals and level of personalization.

Moving Toward Stronger SMS Performance

Understanding how your SMS results compare with broader benchmarks can make your next steps much clearer. The difference between average engagement and high-performing results usually comes from relevance, timing and the smart use of customer data.

With MyLINK Engage you can send targeted standalone campaigns, and with MyLINK MarketingPlatform you can create automated flows that follow real customer behaviour. Together they give you the flexibility to shape an SMS approach that builds relevance, strengthens engagement and supports long-term growth.

If you continue refining your targeting, personalization and timing, you will steadily move closer to the level where the strongest SMS marketers operate.