Mobile Marketing in 2025: Key Insights & Strategies for Success

If there’s one device that will be one of the most used in 2025, it will be our mobiles. Mobile marketing is evolving at an unbeatable pace due to various online activities relevant to mCommerce. With consumers engaging more frequently with brands via SMS, digital wallets, and mobile offers, businesses must refine their strategies to stay relevant.
This article explores the report’s most critical findings, providing actionable insights for brands looking to enhance their digital communication strategies.

1. The Rise of SMS Marketing: What Consumers Want

Consumers are becoming increasingly receptive to SMS marketing from brands, with four out of five consumers preferring at least one text per week. However, the frequency preferences have shifted:

• Once a week: 42% (2024) → 31% (2025)

• A few times a week: 17% (2024) → 21% (2025)

• Once every other day: 7% (2024) → 15% (2025)

• Once a day: 6% (2024) → 13% (2025)

🔹 Key Insight: As long as messages provide value—discounts, loyalty benefits, and personalized offers—consumers are open to increased engagement. One in five consumers doesn’t mind frequent texts if the content is relevant.

What Motivates Consumers to Subscribe?

• Incentives & loyalty programs – 64%

• Exclusive content – 39%

• Transaction-related updates – 38%

• Brand new – 32%

📌 Takeaway: Brands must tailor messages to individual interests and avoid generic promotions. Personalization based on purchase history, location, and engagement can significantly boost conversions.

2. The Future is Now: Digital Wallets on the Rise

Digital wallets have transitioned from a convenience to a necessity. Fifty percent of consumers use them at least a few times a week, and 17 percent use them daily. This trend underscores the importance of mobile-friendly transactions.

Why Digital Wallets Matter

• 60% of consumers are more likely to engage with brands that offer digital wallet-based coupons.

• 57% of consumers wish they could replace physical wallets with digital alternatives.

• 55% say they would use digital wallets more often if offers and promotions were updated automatically.

How Digital Wallets Boost Engagement

Brands that integrate digital wallets into their strategies experience stronger engagement. Consumers are more likely to interact with brands that send timely wallet notifications, with 61% preferring reminders of available rewards and offers.

📌 Takeaway: Digital wallets present a frictionless, app-free way to deliver promotions, loyalty rewards, and incentives. Brands that leverage this tool effectively can drive higher retention and revenue.

3. SMS & Digital Wallets: A Revenue-Boosting Combination

The impact of SMS on purchase behavior is undeniable. According to the report:

• 28% of consumers are likelier to purchase from brands that send text messages.

• 44% sign up for texts from brands they intend to purchase.

• 86% of consumers prefer mobile offers via SMS over email or app-based promotions.

How Digital Wallets Drive Revenue

Digital wallets store coupons and encourage transactions. 54% of consumers have purchased based on digital wallet offers, with incentives and loyalty rewards cards ranking as the most commonly saved items.

Consumer Preferences for Digital Offers

• Gift cards – 57%

• Loyalty rewards cards – 47%

• Coupons/Incentives – 44%

• Event tickets – 36%

• Boarding passes – 26%

📌 Takeaway: Integrating SMS and digital wallets into mobile campaigns can increase revenue per message by 19x. Consumers respond best to timely, relevant, and seamlessly integrated promotions into their purchasing journey.

4. The Fine Line Between Engagement & Message Fatigue

While SMS marketing is booming, 44% of consumers report receiving unwanted brand texts. Even more concerning, 67% feel irritated when receiving irrelevant messages.

Top Reasons for Unsubscribing from Brand Texts

• Too many messages – 47%

• Irrelevant content – 37%

• Loss of interest in the brand – 36%

• Unattractive incentives – 30%

How Brands Can Avoid Fatigue

• Optimize send times:

  Over 25% of consumers consider messages that arrive too early or too late to be spam.

• Leverage AI and personalization:

  Vibes’ AI-powered tools analyze data to suggest optimal send times and message content.

• Respect privacy concerns:

  19% of consumers worry about security risks in SMS marketing. Brands must address these concerns and ensure their SMS marketing strategies respect consumer privacy, reassuring the audience about the ethical considerations in mobile marketing.

📌 Takeaway: A well-timed, personalized SMS strategy can engage customers without overwhelming them. Brands must balance frequency and relevance to maintain trust and retention, empowering the audience with a clear strategy for engaging customers.

What’s Next? The Future of Mobile Marketing in 2025

Mobile messaging is set to evolve even further with the widespread adoption of RCS (Rich Communication Services). RCS, as a more dynamic and interactive alternative to SMS, allows brands to send branded, multimedia-rich messages that can enhance customer experience. This technology, expected to gain traction in 2025, could revolutionize mobile marketing by providing a more engaging and interactive platform for brands to connect with their customers.

How Brands Can Stay Ahead

• Embrace Digital Wallets:

  Make them a core mobile engagement strategy.

• Personalize at Scale:

  Leverage data to tailor messaging based on preferences, location, and behavior. For instance, a retail brand can use a customer’s past purchase history to recommend similar products, or a travel company can send location-based offers to customers in specific areas. These personalized approaches can significantly enhance the effectiveness of mobile marketing strategies.

• Balance Frequency & Relevance:

  Avoid overloading users with excessive promotions to prevent opt-outs.

Final Thought

Brands that successfully integrate SMS, digital wallets, and personalized mobile engagement will dominate in 2025. Mobile marketing isn’t just about reaching consumers; it’s about creating meaningful, value-driven interactions that build loyalty and boost revenue.