Planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) is already top of mind for many e-commerce brands, and includes the usual channels like email marketing, paid search, paid social, and marketplace ads. But as the cost and effectiveness of channels like paid social continue to fluctuate, brands are continuously searching for ways to maximize return on investment in a competitive and crowded space.

Unlike paid channels like search and social, which mostly rely on third-party data, an opt-in channel like email marketing is less susceptible to sudden cost increases and uses first-party data. This helps explain why it has historically generated a more consistent and predictable ROI for brands.

It’s this combination of opt-in marketing and first-party data that companies need to take full advantage of during this year’s holiday season if they wish to maximize profits. SMS marketing fits this description perfectly and the timing couldn’t be better.

Why E-Commerce Brands Should Use SMS Marketing During the Holidays

First, SMS marketing is growing and shows no signs of slowing. Last year, brands sent 94 percent more SMS than in 2020, a year which itself sent nearly 400 percent more messages than the year prior. During the 2021 Cyber 10 (the Sunday before Black Friday through Giving Tuesday), e-commerce merchants increasingly relied on SMS, sending 40 percent more SMS than in 2020.

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