Co-founder at TxtCart | $50M+ revenue driven across 2500+ eCommerce brands via SMS marketing and conversational AI. Live in New York, D1 NHRA Champion, Penn State alum.
Shocking SMS Conversion Rates: Industry Averages & How to Beat It
You’re sending SMS campaigns, but are they actually driving conversions? Many businesses assume that a high open rate automatically leads to more sales—yet, without the right approach, most messages get ignored or forgotten. The real challenge isn’t just getting texts opened; it’s getting recipients to take action.
In this guide, we’ll break down proven strategies that will help you turn more texts into transactions, including:
How to craft compelling, high-converting SMS messages that drive immediate action
Industry benchmarks for SMS conversion rates
Common mistakes that silently lower SMS conversion rates—and how to fix them
Let’s get started!
TL;DR
SMS marketing boasts an average conversion rate of 21% to 32%, with top campaigns like abandoned cart recovery (24.6%-39.4%) and post-purchase messages (14.6%-33.3%)
Average SMS Conversion Rates by Industry:
Consumer Services, Ecommerce/Retail, Healthcare, Hospitality, Real Estate: 11-20%
Education, Finance, Manufacturing, Travel: 21-30%
Insurance, Technology: 31-40%
A Purchase from an SMS Link is Considered a “Conversion”
The SMS conversion rate tells you the percentage of people who received your SMS marketing messages and completed a desired action, which is usually a purchase for eCommerce businesses.
The metric shows how effective your SMS marketing campaigns are at turning subscribers into customers.
How is SMS conversion rate calculated?
The formula is pretty straightforward:
SMS Conversion Rate = (Number of conversions ÷ Total messages delivered) × 100
For example, if you sent 1,000 SMS messages and 50 people completed a purchase, your SMS conversion rate would be 5%.
The average SMS marketing conversion rate typically ranges between 21% and 32%, making it one of the most effective marketing channels available today.
Industry Benchmarks for SMS Conversion Rates
Understanding industry benchmarks for SMS conversion rates can help you gauge how well your campaigns perform compared to competitors.
Below is a breakdown of SMS marketing benchmarks to give you a clear reference point for optimizing your SMS marketing strategy.
Industry
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Conversion Rate
Unsubscribe Rate
Consumer Services
21-35%
11-20%
1-2%
Ecommerce/Retail
21-35%
11-20%
1-2%
Education
11-20%
21-30%
1-2%
Finance
21-35%
21-30%
1-2%
Healthcare
21-35%
11-20%
1-2%
Hospitality
36-50%
11-20%
1-2%
Insurance
21-35%
31-40%
3-5%
Manufacturing
21-35%
21-30%
1-2%
Real Estate
21-35%
11-20%
3-5%
Technology
21-35%
31-40%
1-2%
Travel
1-10%
21-30%
1-2%
Top-Performing SMS Campaigns by Conversion Rate
Not all SMS campaigns perform the same—some consistently drive higher conversions than others.
Below is a breakdown of the top-performing SMS campaigns based on conversion rates.
Campaign Type
Conversion Rate (CVR) Range
Abandoned Cart Messages
24.6% – 39.4%
Abandoned Checkout Messages
17.4% – 31.6%
Post-Purchase Messages
14.6% – 33.3%
Welcome Messages
14.4% – 27.2%
Key Factors That Affect SMS Conversion Rates
Several key elements influence how well your SMS campaigns convert:
Factor
How It Affects SMS Conversions
Audience Targeting
Sending messages to well-segmented audiences increases conversions. Generic broadcasts don’t perform as well.
Message Timing
The time and day of sending impact results. Sending SMS between 3-6PM typically results in higher engagement and conversions.
Message Content
Clear, concise messages with compelling offers and strong CTAs drive higher engagement. TxtCart’s conversational AI mimics human-like interactions to create a more personalized experience.
Personalization
Using names and relevant recommendations boosts conversions. 91% of consumers prefer brands that tailor offers and recommendations.
Call-to-Action (CTA)
Strong CTAs create urgency and guide recipients toward the next step, improving conversion rates.
9 Tried and Tested Strategies to Boost SMS Conversion Rates
Having the right SMS marketing strategy can mean the difference between high engagement and wasted effort. If your conversion rates aren’t where you want them to be, don’t worry.
Here are nine proven strategies to help you get more customers to take action and boost your text message marketing performance.
1. Clean and segment your contact list
If you’re sending SMS messages to unengaged or inactive contacts, you’re wasting both effort and budget. A clean, well-segmented contact list ensures your messages reach the right people—those who are actually interested in your offers.
Here’s how to optimize your SMS list for better conversions:
Remove inactive contacts: Clean your contact list every 30-60 days. Remove subscribers who haven’t opened or engaged with your messages in the last 60-90 days.
Segment your audience: Group contacts based on purchase behavior, engagement levels, and cart status to send more relevant messages.
Here’s how to effectively segment your contacts and tailor your messaging for optimal results
Here’s how to effectively segment your contacts and tailor your messaging for optimal results
🚨 P.S. TxtCart’s smart customer segmentation helps you filter audiences by purchase behavior, engagement levels, and cart status, ensuring that every SMS reaches high-intent customers.
For example, you can segment VIP customers to send them exclusive early access to sales or special loyalty rewards. This keeps high-value customers engaged and encourages repeat purchases, ultimately boosting your SMS conversion rates.
Your SMS marketing success hinges on how well you communicate value. If your message doesn’t instantly tell customers why they should care, it’s likely to be ignored. That’s why every SMS should be concise, benefit-driven, and action-oriented.
Here’s how to craft high-converting SMS messages:
Keep it under 160 characters: Shorter texts are easier to read and more likely to be acted on.
Clearly communicate the benefit: Tell recipients why they should care.
Are they saving money?
Getting early access?
Avoiding missing out?
Match your brand voice: SMS should feel natural and conversational, not robotic or overly promotional.
Make the next step obvious: A strong call to action (CTA) ensures recipients know exactly what to do next.
💡 Pro tip: Use AI-powered two-way responses to keep conversations flowing without delays. TxtCart’s conversational SMS enable real-time interactions, automatically answering customer questions—reducing friction and making it easier for shoppers to complete their purchase seamlessly.
Generic SMS messages get ignored. Personalized messages? They drive action. Customers are far more likely to engage when they feel like a brand understands their needs and preferences.
But personalization is more than just slapping a first name on a text. To truly connect with your audience, go deeper:
Reference past purchases: Suggest complementary products based on what they’ve already bought. For example, the image below shows how JoyRide suggests a matching Walking Kit for a recent harness purchase to a customer, using Txtcart’s conversational SMS marketing
Use browsing history: Remind them about items they’ve viewed but haven’t purchased.
Tailor offers to preferences: If they always buy skincare, send them an exclusive skincare deal instead of a generic discount.
Organi Grow Hair, a vegan and organic haircare brand, used TxtCart’s 2-way SMS to recover $25K monthly, drive 42% reply rates, and deliver 9,500+ personalized campaign orders.
“TxtCart has really built something special and we’ve been a fan for over 3 years. The organic conversations pair so well with our organic products, providing additional revenue and customer satisfaction.”
Timing is everything in SMS marketing. Send a message at the wrong time, and it gets ignored. Send it at the right moment, and you boost engagement and conversions instantly.
Since every audience is different, the key is to test different days and times to see when your subscribers are most likely to respond.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
Consider time zones: No one wants a 3 AM text about a sale. This is where TxtCart’s Scheduler comes in handy. It allows you to send messages at the optimal time, based on each subscriber’s local time, increasing the chances of engagement.
Analyze response patterns: Track open rates, clicks, and conversions to identify your brand’s peak SMS engagement windows. Research shows that the best time to send SMS is 3 PM during break times and 6 PM as people wrap up their workday.
💡 Pro tip: Start by testing weekday vs. weekend sends and adjust based on results. Once you pinpoint high-performing time slots, you’ll see a noticeable lift in your SMS conversion rates.
When people feel like they might miss out, they act fast. That’s why limited-time offers and low-inventory alerts are some of the most powerful tools in SMS marketing. A well-placed sense of urgency or FOMO (fear of missing out) pushes customers to make a decision now rather than later—which means higher conversions for your business.
Here’s how to use urgency to your advantage:
Set clear deadlines: Phrases like “Sale ends in 3 hours” or “Only 10 left in stock” encourage immediate action.
Use countdown timers: If your sale has a hard deadline, let customers know exactly how long they have to claim it.
Make it exclusive: Give subscribers early access to sales or limited-edition drops to create a sense of urgency.
What works for one audience might not work for another—that’s why A/B testing is a game-changer for SMS marketing. By testing different message variations, you can fine-tune your approach and discover what truly drives conversions.
What should you test?
Message length and tone: Does your audience prefer short and direct messages or a more conversational approach?
CTA phrasing and placement: Does “Shop Now” or “Claim Your Deal” drive more clicks?
Offer types and discounts: Do customers respond better to percentage discounts or dollar-off deals?
Emojis vs. no emojis: Do emojis increase engagement or feel out of place?
Message timing: Are customers more responsive in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
💡 Pro tip: Run A/B tests on small audience segments first before rolling out changes to your entire SMS campaign. TxtCart’s built-in A/B testing allows you to effortlessly experiment with different message variations, monitor performance in real time, and refine your strategy for maximum results.
Getting a customer to click your SMS link is just the first step—what happens next determines whether they convert or bounce. If your landing page isn’t optimized, all that effort in crafting the perfect SMS marketing message goes to waste.
Here’s how to ensure a seamless experience from SMS to conversion:
Make it mobile-friendly: Since SMS marketing happens on mobile phones, your landing page must load fast, be easy to navigate, and require minimal scrolling.
Reduce friction: The fewer clicks it takes to complete a purchase or sign-up, the higher your SMS conversion rate will be. Remove unnecessary steps and streamline the process.
Keep messaging consistent: If your SMS offers “20% off today only,” your landing page should reinforce that same offer to avoid confusion.
Use clear CTAs: Guide visitors to take action with bold, obvious buttons like “Claim Your Discount” or “Complete Your Purchase”.
8. Follow up strategically
Not everyone converts on the first SMS—and that’s okay. The key is to follow up without being pushy. A well-timed reminder can bring hesitant customers back, but too many messages can lead to opt-outs.
Here’s how to time your follow-ups effectively for various SMS campaigns to maximize conversions without overwhelming your audience.
SMS Campaign
Time Interval
Follow-Up Strategy
Welcome Series
First SMS: Immediately after opt-in.
Send a warm welcome message introducing the brand and offering a brief overview of benefits.
Second SMS: 2-3 days after first SMS.
Offer a discount or incentive to encourage the first purchase. (e.g., “Here’s 10% off your first order!”)
Third SMS: 5-7 days after second SMS.
Remind them of the discount and include social proof in your message.
Cart Recovery
First Reminder: 1 hour after cart abandonment.
Send a reminder with items left in the cart and create urgency (e.g., “Hurry, your items are waiting!”)
Second Reminder: 24 hours after first reminder.
Offer an incentive (e.g., “Complete your purchase and save 10%!”)
Third Reminder: 48-72 hours after second reminder.
Add urgency with a final call (e.g., “Last chance to claim your discount!”)
Win-Back Series (Inactive Customers)
First SMS: 30-45 days after inactivity.
Send a “We Miss You!” message to re-engage with a personalized touch.
Second SMS: 3-7 days after the first SMS.
Highlight popular products and offer an exclusive discount (e.g., “Hi [Name], we’ve got some exciting new products just for you! Here’s a $20% discount – just for you!)
Third SMS: 3-7 days after the second SMS.
Request feedback on why they haven’t interacted and remind them of the offer.
Fourth SMS: 5-7days after the third SMS.
Final reminder, emphasizing urgency (e.g., “Last chance to claim your 20% off. Don’t miss out!”).
💡 Pro tip: With TxtCart’s one-click automation, you can send reminders to cart abandoners, inactive subscribers, or non-responders at the perfect moment—boosting engagement without overwhelming your audience.
9. Track and analyze results
If you’re not tracking your SMS performance, you’re guessing instead of optimizing. The best way to boost your SMS conversion rate is by understanding what’s working and what’s not—and that starts with accurate tracking.
Here’s how to measure your success:
Use promo codes: Assign unique SMS-exclusive discount codes to track which campaigns drive the most conversions.
For example, you can use one promo code for a cart recovery campaign and a different one for a win-back campaign. This allows you to track conversions and analyze the performance of each campaign based on how many people use the specific promo code.
Leverage trackable links: Shortened, UTM-tagged URLs help you see click-through rates, purchases, and engagement from your SMS campaigns.
Monitor response rates: Analyze open rates, replies, and conversions to identify high-performing messages and improve future campaigns.
💡 Pro tip: Don’t just track—act on your insights. Data without action is just numbers — use your data wisely. TxtCart’s real-time analytics provide in-depth insights into click-through rates, conversion performance, and customer lifetime value, enabling you to fine-tune your strategy with ease.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to take your SMS marketing to the next level. While standard strategies help drive engagement, advanced techniques can unlock even higher conversion rates and maximize your ROI.
Here are the strategies that will help you convert more customers and optimize your SMS marketing campaigns.
Leverage AI for personalized recommendations: AI-powered tools analyze customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences to send tailored product recommendations via SMS, making each message more relevant and effective. TxtCart one such example that costs 32x cheaper than human agents and has a 10x ROI guarantee for eligible brands.
Combine SMS with other channels: Integrate SMS with email marketing, social media, and other channels to create a seamless omnichannel experience. This reinforces messaging and increases conversions. For example, send an SMS reminder for an exclusive sale, follow up with an email for details, and retarget on social media for maximum impact.
Use upselling & cross-selling via SMS In your follow-up SMS messages, suggest higher-value products or complementary items to encourage a bigger spend. Ensure that the products recommended are relevant to their original purchase. If a customer buys a skincare serum, send an SMS recommending a matching moisturizer or an upgraded bundle.
A perfect example of this is shared below:
Implement cart recovery automation: Abandoned cart messages deliver some of the highest conversion rates in SMS marketing. TxtCart automates the process of recovering abandoned carts by instantly sending personalized SMS reminders as soon as a customer leaves items behind.
Through real-time, AI-powered, two-way conversations, TxtCart engages with customers, answers questions based on your store’s knowledge base, and helps convert abandoned carts into completed orders.
Joyride, an LA-based dog harness brand, leveraged TxtCart’s 2-way SMS to generate $1,841,617 in revenue, with 23,616 sales generated and over 2.8M customer conversations, driving massive growth in their eCommerce operations.
“Kyle and the team at TxtCart have been instrumental in our growth. They’ve worked closely with us to create custom solutions and the results have been phenomenal. TxtCart has helped us scale significantly and provided support at every turn.“
Avoid These Costly SMS Mistakes If You Want More Conversions
Even the best SMS marketing strategies can fail if common mistakes go unchecked. Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what works.
Here are the biggest SMS marketing mistakes that could be costing you conversions—and how to fix them.
Sending too many messages: Nobody likes being bombarded with texts. Send 1 to 2 messages a week. This frequency helps build a relationship with your subscribers, ensuring they know what to expect and when, without overwhelming them.
Neglecting compliance: Ignoring SMS marketing regulations can result in hefty penalties and a damaged reputation. Without proper consent and clear opt-out instructions, you risk losing trust. Always obtain explicit customer consent, provide easy opt-out options, and stay compliant with TCPA and GDPR guidelines to avoid legal issues.
Ignoring customer responses: SMS is a two-way channel, not just for promotions. Failing to engage with customer replies can hurt conversions and brand reputation. TxtCart sparks two-way SMS conversations, ensuring your customers receive prompt, personalized responses. Responses are sent exactly when they’re eagerly expecting it, ensuring real-time engagement that builds trust and boosts confidence in their buying decision.
Using a generic sender name: Messages from random shortcodes or unknown numbers often get ignored. Using a recognizable brand name in your SMS marketing builds trust and increases open rates.
Not offering an incentive: Customers are more likely to respond when there’s a clear benefit. Whether it’s a limited-time discount, free shipping, or early access, adding an incentive can increase SMS conversion rates.
Ready to See Your SMS Conversions Soar with TxtCart?
With the right strategies, personalization, and automation, SMS can become one of your highest-converting marketing channels. TxtCart’s AI-powered two-way messaging makes it easy to engage customers, recover lost sales, and drive measurable revenue.
Start optimizing your SMS marketing campaigns today and watch your conversion rates soar.
Joyride, an LA-based dog harness brand, leveraged TxtCart’s 2-way SMS to generate $1,841,617 in revenue, with 23,616 sales generated and over 2.8M customer conversations, driving massive growth in their eCommerce operations.
“Kyle and the team at TxtCart have been instrumental in our growth. They’ve worked closely with us to create custom solutions and the results have been phenomenal. TxtCart has helped us scale significantly and provided support at every turn.“
Co-founder at TxtCart | $50M+ revenue driven across 2500+ eCommerce brands via SMS marketing and conversational AI. Live in New York, D1 NHRA Champion, Penn State alum.
