Although mobile-optimized sites and apps can help brands successfully engage with smartphone users, Short Message Service (SMS), or text message marketing can help organizations connect with a larger sample of consumers.

Edmunds is an online platform that allows car shoppers and local dealers to connect directly, as well as research, sell and purchase cars. Using the SMS platform Carcode, Edmunds is helping consumers and dealers communicate on a more direct and intimate level.

Offering the Carcode feature to all partners free of charge, Edmunds has seen dealer leads increase by 19%. Moreover, 29% of text-based conversations eventually convert into phone calls.

“Our own research tells us that at least one-third of shoppers would prefer to communicate with dealers via text, and dealers know that text messaging is proven to be an effective tool to close more deals,” said Avi Steinlauf, CEO of Edmunds. “Carcode also allows them to better manage text messages on their customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, which has always been an obstacle when they’ve used text messaging in the past.”