People now prefer to type on their phones than speak. People text a lot nowadays, whether they are private or professional. This shift in habits was mainly due to the increased use of social media networks but also a change of lifestyles and habits.
Texting allows you to respond at your convenience, while calling is not. We all live busy lives these days and texting is a great option because it’s not as disruptive as calling.
This is confirmed by research, which shows that 75% of millennials prefer texting to talking. We’re looking into why.
Communication today: How it works
In the past few years, people have shifted to texting over talking. There are many reasons for this. We’ll cover them in a moment. These statistics clearly show that communication is changing. Take this example:
Worldwide, 4.2+ billion people have access to SMS and can send and receive messages. This is an increase of 1 billion mobile subscribers that were available in 2003.
Over the past decade, more than 7,700% of all monthly messages have been sent.
47% of US smartphone owners say that they wouldn’t be able to live without their smartphones.
Average users tap, swipe and click their phones over 2000 times per days
Text messages have a 20% higher response rate than email, phone or Facebook (60% customers read text messages within 1-5 minutes of receiving them=
Open rates for SMS are up to 98%
Texting vs calling
There are some distinctions when we consider mobile phones. While voice calls were originally the reason for phones being made, they are no longer used primarily for this purpose. There have been changes in the ratio of voice and texting. TextMagic says:
US smartphone users send five times as many texts and calls as they receive.
Americans average 26 minutes per day texting, compared with 21 minutes per days calling.
South Korea, India and Singapore consumers prefer to use SMS for customer service over voice calls.
31% of 10 consumers would rather use messaging than phone calls.
More than 68% of respondents said that they text more than they talk on smartphones
Read: How to text someone who blocked you.
There are many reasons why people prefer texting
Let’s not get into the details of how you can adapt your marketing strategies in response to texting’s popularity. Instead, let us look at the reasons texting is so popular.
Did you know that someone could “overhear” texting? You didn’t because it is impossible. This is not true when it comes to calls.
Texting is primarily used for private communication and is appreciated in many business and social situations. Imagine how your morning commute to work would look if everyone used their smartphones! It is also a matter courtesy in this context. Some things are better written than spoken.
Greater accessibility
Talking when there are many background sounds can make it difficult. Texting is therefore immune to background noise, weak network connections, and technological problems such as poor quality speakers or microphones.
Texting has the added benefit of being accessible to the hearing impaired. Texting is still a key part of communication for those with hearing loss. There are many apps available.
You’ll Spend Less Time
People texting more than calling because it offers them freedom and flexibility that texting does not. They can answer when it is most convenient for them.
Texting allows for a faster and more efficient information exchange. This short form of communication can be exchanged using abbreviations or emojis. It is evident that the goal of this communication method is to transfer information as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Less Stressful
There is less pressure to reply immediately when texting. However, you could be subject to “awkward silence” if your phone calls are not answered promptly. Texting allows you to take the time and form the message you want, without feeling pressure.
Another difference is that texting doesn’t allow you to hear the voice of the person you’re talking too. This does not necessarily mean that it is a good thing. Although it can have negative consequences, it will also help you avoid “disapproving tones”, which could increase your stress levels. These tips can help you cope better with phone calls.
Multitasking-Friendly
It takes only a small amount of attention to type a message, and it doesn’t need any preparations. This makes it easy to do along with any other tasks you have in mind.
Texting is a great way to communicate in today’s busy world. It can transmit and deliver messages regardless of the circumstances. This is why SMS has become a popular way for companies to communicate with customers.
Finding balance
We all love following our rules and schedules. This is why nearly everyone is on the “texting” side. This type of communication allows us to be in our comfort zone, while anyone else who doesn’t have a plan for the day is outside that communication bubble. We receive the text when it is most convenient for us and we send it out when it/is convenient. The content that we send out is carefully curated. We do care about our customers, and we will do whatever it takes to keep them happy. However, answering a few calls unplanned would not be a problem. Right?
We had to make some changes in the past and how we live our lives. It will take us some time to get them back. Perhaps communication via phone is the way to go. It’s a great way to start face-to-face communication. We don’t know about you but we sure missed all your faces!