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How WhatsApp & SMS Marketing Are Competing with Email in 2025

How WhatsApp & SMS Marketing Are Competing with Email in 2025

whatsapp marketing Sms marketing

In 2025, businesses are exploring new ways to connect with customers, and WhatsApp and  SMS marketing are emerging as strong competitors to traditional email marketing. While email remains a crucial tool, instant messaging platforms are offering faster, more engaging, and highly personalized communication.

In this article, we will explore how WhatsApp and SMS marketing are challenging email marketing, their benefits, and which method might be best for your business.

The Evolution of Business Communication

For years, email marketing has been the go-to method for customer engagement, offering structured messaging, automation, and detailed analytics. However, with decreasing email open rates and spam filters limiting reach, marketers have turned to more direct and instant messaging solutions—WhatsApp and SMS.

key Statistics in 2025

  • Email Open Rate: ~20-25%
  • SMS Open Rate: ~98%
  • WhatsApp Message Open Rate: ~85-90%
  • Average Email Response Time: ~3 hours
  • SMS & WhatsApp Response Time: ~3-5 minutes

These numbers highlight why businesses are shifting to instant messaging platforms to engage their customers quickly and effectively.

WhatsApp Marketing vs. SMS Marketing vs. Email Marketing

Open & Response Rates

  • Email: While email allows detailed communication, most emails get ignored, deleted, or end up in spam folders.
  • SMS: SMS messages have the highest open rate, as they directly appear in the recipient’s inbox without the need for an internet connection.
  • WhatsApp: WhatsApp messages are engaging, and since people use WhatsApp frequently, messages are more likely to be seen and acted upon.

Personalization & Engagement

  • Email: Allows personalization using automation tools but often lacks real-time engagement.
  • SMS: Limited personalization; mostly used for urgent alerts, OTPs, and reminders.
  • WhatsApp: Provides highly interactive features such as images, videos, voice messages, and chatbots for real-time engagement.

Cost & ROI

  • Email: Low cost but lower engagement rates.
  • SMS: Can be expensive, especially for bulk messaging, but has higher open rates.
  • WhatsApp: Costs depend on business API pricing, but with multimedia support and automation, it offers better ROI.

Compliance & Spam Issues

  • Email: Highly regulated; spam filters and GDPR compliance can reduce reach.
  • SMS: Must comply with opt-in regulations; spam SMS is heavily regulated.
  • WhatsApp: Requires user consent but is perceived as less intrusive than email and SMS.

Benefits of WhatsApp & SMS Marketing Over Email

Faster & Higher Engagement : Since most people check their phones frequently, WhatsApp and SMS messages have better engagement rates than emails.

Instant Notifications & Urgent Alerts : For time-sensitive messages like OTPs, appointment reminders, and limited-time offers, SMS and WhatsApp are much more effective.

Conversational Marketing : WhatsApp’s interactive features (voice messages, chatbots, video, and images) allow businesses to have real-time conversations, making customer interactions more engaging.

Better Customer Support : Many brands are using WhatsApp Business API for real-time customer support, reducing email response delays.

Automation & Chatbots : WhatsApp and SMS both support automation, allowing businesses to send automated responses, FAQs, and transactional messages instantly.

Challenges of WhatsApp & SMS Marketing

  • Cost Concerns : Unlike email (which is almost free with some platforms), WhatsApp and SMS marketing involve per-message costs.
  • Privacy & Regulations : Businesses must ensure compliance with privacy laws and obtain user consent before sending messages.
  • Limited Content Space : SMS is limited to 160 characters, while WhatsApp has more flexibility but still requires concise messaging.

Which One Should You Use in 2025?

 

Feature
Email Marketing
SMS Marketing
WhatsApp Marketing
Open RateLow (20-25%)Very High (98%)High (85-90%)
Response TimeSlow (~3 hours)Fast (~3-5 min)Fast (~3-5 min)
PersonalizationHigh (With AI & Automation)LimitedHigh (Multimedia & AI chatbots)
CostLow (bulk emails)Medium to HighMedium (WhatsApp API charges)
Compliance IssuesHigh (Spam Filters)High (Regulations)Moderate (User Consent Required)
Best ForNewsletters, promotions, and detailed contentUrgent alerts, OTPs, and short updatesReal-time engagement, customer support, and interactive campaigns

While email marketing is still relevant, WhatsApp and SMS marketing have become powerful tools in 2025 due to their instant delivery, high engagement, and interactive capabilities.

If you need high conversion rates and real-time engagement, WhatsApp and SMS marketing are the way to go. However, for long-form content, newsletters, and cost-effective communication, email remains a strong choice. IF you are interested to implement the whatsapp and sms marketing to your business, contact us please.

Which method will you choose for your business in 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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