Marketers in the Americas look to be embracing SMS at an unprecedented rate, defying global trends that show a decline in its usage.
According to Dotdigital’s 2025 Global Benchmark Report, SMS adoption in the region grew by 42%, while the global average fell by 19%.
The report revealed that SMS campaigns in the Americas achieved an average click-through rate (CTR) of 12%, more than five times higher than email’s 2.3%. This performance reinforces the region’s approach to mobile-first marketing, where SMS is regarded as an essential tool for reaching audiences directly.
While SMS is becoming a dominant force, email remains a trusted marketing channel in the Americas, maintaining a 46% open rate and an average 2.3% CTR. The research suggests that integrating SMS and email into multi-channel automation programmes is the most effective way to maximise returns, particularly for time-sensitive campaigns.
Automation driving higher engagement and conversions
Automation is playing a key role in driving marketing efficiency across the Americas, particularly in revenue recovery campaigns. Dotdigital found that click-to-open rates (CTOR) for abandoned cart messages were twice as high as those for regular campaigns, demonstrating the power of automated workflows in recapturing lost sales.
Juliette Aiken, chief marketing officer at Dotdigital, highlighted the opportunities SMS presents for marketers.
“With SMS growing significantly and returning a click-through rate six times higher than email, marketers in the Americas have a unique opportunity to use SMS as a direct, highly impactful channel for time-sensitive campaigns. By integrating SMS into their broader marketing mix, professionals can create cross-channel workflows that drive faster conversions, improve customer loyalty, and ultimately increase revenue,” she said.
“The report also shows how automation tools allow marketers to work smarter, not harder, by handling repetitive yet critical tasks such as abandoned cart recovery or audience segmentation. Automation can free up marketers to focus on innovation while still delivering standout results that validate investment in the team and its tools.”
Multi-channel strategies boost ROI
Dotdigital’s research indicates that businesses blending email and SMS into multi-channel automation programmes are seeing significant performance gains. In the Americas, abandoned cart campaigns using automation achieved a 13% CTOR, reinforcing how brands can drive conversions by optimising messaging across platforms. Globally, SMS campaigns boast a 19% CTR, six times higher than email’s 3%, further highlighting its potential as a primary engagement tool.
The 2025 Global Benchmark Report, based on data from tens of billions of emails and hundreds of millions of SMS campaigns across more than 40 industries, underscores the evolving nature of marketing strategies. With privacy-first consumer trends, automation, and cross-channel marketing continuing to shape engagement, businesses need to adapt their approaches to remain competitive.
For brands looking to refine their digital strategies, Dotdigital’s findings provide a blueprint for integrating SMS, email, and automation to drive engagement, customer loyalty, and measurable ROI.
The full report is available for download here.
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