[Edaily Reporter Han Kwangbeom ] Empirical research has shown that KakaoTalk’s “Brand Messages” are having a significant positive impact not only on boosting sales for small business owners but also on enhancing consumer benefits.
Kakao(035720)Kakao announced on the 25th that a research team from Hanyang University presented the results of their analysis of the business performance of KakaoTalk Brand Message partners and user benefits through the Kakao Policy and Industry Research Brunch.
This study was conducted by a research team led by Professors Ryu Han-byul and Kim Ji-hwan from the Department of Economics at Hanyang University ERICA, targeting 2,510 BizMessage partners who utilized Brand Messages from June 2025 to May 2026.
According to the study’s findings, every 1 won spent on sending Brand Messages generated approximately 5 won in sales. Compared to before the messages were sent, sales increased by 46.2%, repeat purchases by 30.7%, and the number of visitors by 16.9%. Notably, the increase in repeat purchases tended to last up to three days after the messages were sent.
This effect was even more pronounced among smaller partners. When classified based on the median average revenue immediately prior to sending the messages, smaller partners recorded a revenue effect of 11.1 won for every 1 won spent on sending the messages. The revenue growth rate reached 90.2%, and the increases in repeat purchases (47.3%) and the number of visitors (22.6%) also significantly exceeded the overall average. Large-scale partners also showed a revenue effect of 4.1 won per 1 won spent on email campaigns.
The research team also estimated the benefits from the users’ perspective. Brand Messages are structured to clearly identify the sender by providing channel profiles and official verification information. Consequently, they were estimated to generate approximately 2.44 billion won in annual consumer benefits by reducing the effort required to verify message authenticity or link safety and simplifying the search process with personalized information. The analysis also indicates that, given the requirement for business verification, this system contributes to preventing corporate impersonation and smishing-related damages.
Ryu Han-byul, a professor in the Department of Economics at Hanyang University ERICA, stated, “This study is the first empirical research in Korea to economically analyze the effectiveness of technologically advanced text-based advertising,” adding, “In particular, the high advertising effectiveness observed among small-scale businesses will provide meaningful insights for small business owners seeking low-cost, high-efficiency marketing tools.”
Kim Ji-hwan, a professor in the Department of Economics at Hanyang University ERICA, explained, “Brand messages are also significant in that they overcome the limitations of traditional text message ads while creating additional benefits for consumers.”
Dr. Kim Seong-jun of Kakao’s Policy Agenda team stated, “Through this study, we confirmed that brand messages not only enhance our partners’ marketing performance but also provide users with a more convenient and trustworthy messaging experience,” adding, “We will continue to drive innovation in the business messaging market while increasing value for both our partners and users.”
