Texting and messaging are often used interchangeably, but there are some key differences between the two. Learn about those differences and more.
Running a business involves communicating with customers, employees, and vendors. Two of the most common methods of doing so are texting and instant messaging, but how do they compare to each other? Take a closer look at the difference between texting and messaging to help you decide when to use each.
What is texting and why is it important?
Texting refers to sending short electronic messages between mobile devices. Texting uses your cellphone’s carrier service.
Businesses use texting regularly for multiple functions. Text messages are used to communicate among employees.
More importantly, texts are the main element of SMS marketing. This involves both one-on-one communication and mass communication. The latter comes via automated systems that can send mass texts, even personalizing them based on data in the system. One example of that personalization would be inserting the recipient’s name.
An example of one-on-one communication via texting would be providing customer support or sharing tracking information for an order. An example of mass communication would be announcing a sale or new product.
MMS vs. SMS
There are two main types of messages when it comes to texting: MMS and SMS.
There are two main differences between MMS vs. SMS. The first difference is the length of the message. SMS messages can only be 160 characters, while MMS messages can be up to 1,600 in most cases. If an SMS is longer than this, it gets split into multiple messages.
The other difference is that SMS messages do not allow for any multimedia. You can only include text. By contrast, MMS messages let you add pictures, emojis, videos, gifs, audio, and more. This is why it is called a multimedia messaging service. By contrast, SMS stands for short message service.
What is instant messaging (IM) and its benefits?
When talking about messaging, most people are referring to instant messaging. This is always a one-on-one conversation. For businesses, one example would be marketing through WhatsApp.
Instant messaging is different from text messaging in that it doesn’t rely on your carrier’s cellular phone service to send. Instead, it uses a messaging app along with any internet connection. That connection can be Wi-Fi or data.
Instant messaging also supports multimedia such as videos and pictures, just like MMS.
Types of messaging
While we already mentioned WhatsApp, that is far from the only option. The following are some of the most popular kinds of messages:
- Facebook Messenger
- Snapchat
- Telegram
- Viber
- Kik
- Skype
- Line
All of these require an application for the user to send and receive messages. It’s also worth noting that the individual popularity of the above instant messaging platforms varies significantly by region. For example, WeChat is very popular globally, but most of this popularity is focused in China and among people with connections to China who live elsewhere.
Texting or messaging: which works best for your business?
The above information only touched on some differences between instant messaging and texting. To get a better idea of which one to use and when, take a closer look at the difference between texting and messaging.
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to choose between the two. There are many situations when comparing texting vs. messaging that will give the advantage to SMS messaging. There are also situations when the opposite is true.
As such, you want to keep all of the following pros and cons in mind as you select between instant messaging vs. text messaging in a given scenario.
Pros and cons of texting
Pros
- Most people can receive text messages for free.
- Communications feel more personal.
- You can use bulk texting to send mass promotional texts.
- You get to take advantage of a 98% open rate.
- You can communicate with customers in real time.
- Customers don’t have to download anything to communicate with you. The native texting app is already on their phone.
- You can text international clients.
- Clients do not need a smartphone to receive texts. This is helpful for target audiences with lower access to smartphones or less technological proficiency.
- Customers generally prefer texting.
- Internet connection is not required.
Cons
- You need to use MMS to send multimedia or messages longer than 160 characters.
- It requires your customers to have a phone number.
- There are usually higher fees for texting international clients.
- You need to get opt-ins.
Pros and cons of messaging
Pros
- When comparing chat messaging and text messages, messaging always lets you include multimedia. This is not possible with SMS (but is with MMS).
- Most instant messaging platforms let you send messages longer than 160 characters, as they are not typically limited in length.
- Customers do not need a phone number for some methods, such as Facebook Messenger.
- You can use bots for many applications.
- You can communicate with customers in real time.
- Some instant messaging applications encrypt data.
- There are no additional fees for sending instant messages to international clients.
- Facebook Messenger, in particular, connects directly to your company’s Facebook page.
- It tends to be more intuitive for file sharing.
Cons
- Depending on the app or the shared information, there are potential security concerns.
- You cannot use instant messaging to send bulk messages, making it less useful for SMS marketing campaigns.
- Customers have to download the instant messaging app to communicate with you.
- You need to get opt-ins.
- Some platforms, such as Facebook Messenger, hide messages from accounts that are not friends with the recipient. This can dramatically reduce the open and read rates.
- There are numerous instant messaging apps. You will be forced to choose the one(s) that your customers use the most and will still end up excluding people. By contrast, nearly everyone has a phone that can receive text messages.
- Instant messaging requires an internet connection, as it doesn’t use the cellular network to send messages.
5 Messaging and Texting Best Practices
Messaging and texting can be extremely helpful for your business, as it gives you a relatively informal and easy way to communicate with leads and customers. Here are some best practices to follow as you implement messaging and texting into your marketing plan:
Default to Texting if Messaging Apps Are Unavailable
Not everyone uses instant messaging apps, and some of your clients may resist adding yet another method of communication to their devices. In that case, consider sticking with a text messaging platform, since all smartphones have texting capabilities.
Instant Messaging Is Preferable for More Informal Communication
Instant messaging should be used for friendly, warm chat interactions. Since instant messaging apps usually offer a number of fun features like GIFs and stickers, you can use IM texts to connect with your closest friends and family. For more formal messaging, such as B2C messaging, stick to text.
Both Methods Can Be Interchangeable
Instant messaging and texting can be interchangeable. However, you’ll want to be cautious about how you use them with customers. You may want to stick with more formal texting until you have long-term relationships or close relationships with customers, for example, or you might always start with IM if you prefer to connect through a specific messaging app. Keep in mind that you will want to connect with customers where they feel most comfortable—some may not want to download an extra app, making texting the right choice for them.
Keep Text Etiquette in Mind
While texting is more casual than some other kinds of outreach, you’ll still want to keep text etiquette in mind. Don’t send texts out at unusual times of the day (such as very early in the morning or late at night when you might disturb someone who’s sleeping).
Always Respond at Your Earliest Convenience
The nice thing about text marketing is that it’s quick and easy to reply to any texts that you receive. Always respond as quickly as you can, even if it’s just to say “I’ll get back to you with more information later.”
Conclusion
When communicating with your clients and marketing, both messaging and texting are good options. Most businesses will want to combine the two methods. Thanks to its high open rate, stick to texting for most marketing purposes, as outlined in our SMS marketing guide. Texting also lets you send bulk messages and doesn’t require customers to have an internet connection.
Then, consider supplementing texting with some messaging apps to appeal to a broader audience. This will let you reach customers via their preferred method.