SMS marketing, or promotions sent through mobile text messages, is considered "the closest thing in the information-overloaded digital marketing world to a guaranteed read," said the New York Times.

According to a survey from the Direct Marketing Association, approximately 70 percent of recipients react to SMS marketing messages, compared to 30 percent for email.

"I like to think of it as the certified mail of digital communications," Jeff Lee, president of SMS application and consulting firm Distributive Networks, told the Times. "When you want to be sure people see something, send it by text."

To get the best results from an SMS marketing campaign, the newspaper advised that small businesses avoid "cute" text message lingo, and highlight the benefits for a consumer to opt-in to the service (people will be more willing to sign up if they think they will get exclusive access to something, for example, instead of just being spammed).

An increasing number of businesses seem to be discovering the benefits of the platform, as a study from eMarketer projected that the market for ad-supported global messaging will grow from $1.5 billion in 2006 to $12 billion by 2011.