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SMS Marketing Campaigns

What Is SMS Marketing?​

SMS (Short Message Service) marketing is the practice of sending promotional or transactional text messages directly to mobile users.

In affiliate marketing, SMS campaigns are one of the fastest ways to reach potential customers with a clear call-to-action (e.g., “Reply YES”) or a direct link to an offer.

  • Messages are short (160 characters or less).
  • Highly visible — most are read within minutes.
  • Effective for time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, and high-conversion lead-gen offers.
tip

Unlike email or display ads, SMS marketing drops straight into a user’s pocket — perfect for urgent campaigns.

Who Can Use SMS Marketing?​

SMS campaigns are best suited to affiliates who:

  • Manage or have access to a POPI/DMASA-compliant database of opted-in users.
  • Specialize in direct response marketing and want quick turnaround results.
  • Operate in fast-moving niches (e.g., finance, short-term insurance).
warning

Purchased or scraped databases are not permitted and will result in disqualification.

Why SMS Works​

  • High engagement: Open rates often exceed 90%.
  • Urgency: Perfect for reminders or limited-time deals.
  • Reach: Nearly 100% mobile penetration in South Africa.
  • Direct response: Users can reply instantly with a simple YES.

What Doesn’t Work​

  • Non-compliant data → risks complaints, fines, and suspension.
  • Over-sending → causes opt-outs and user fatigue.
  • Weak copy → uninspiring SMS messages won’t convert.

Best Practices for SMS Campaigns​

1. Use Clean, Segmented Databases​

  • Segment by region, income, employment, or demographics to match campaign requirements.
  • Example: If an offer is only valid in Gauteng, send only to Gauteng numbers.

2. Ensure All Data Is Opt-In​

  • Subscribers must explicitly opt in to receive SMS marketing.
  • POPI and DMASA compliance is non-negotiable.
note

Opted-in databases not only protect you legally, they deliver better ROI.

3. Use Only Approved, Short, Impactful Copy​

  • SMS has strict character limits.
  • Affiliate.co.za will supply pre-approved copy that is concise and compliant.
  • For “Reply YES” flows, you’ll need an API integration to send leads to the advertiser.

4. A/B Test Messages​

  • Test send times (morning vs evening).
  • Test different sets of approved copy.
  • Monitor open rates and opt-outs to refine over time.

5. Get Approval Before Going Live​

  • Always submit a test SMS to your Account Manager.
  • They’ll confirm compliance, working links, and lead capture in the system.

Tips for Success​

  • Personalize when possible: “Hi John, don’t miss this offer.”
  • Avoid ALL CAPS or spammy punctuation.
  • Space out campaigns — less is more with SMS frequency.
  • Always honor opt-outs promptly.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid​

  • Using expired or inactive campaigns.
  • Sending copy that isn’t approved.
  • Ignoring delivery reports (bounce rates, delivery errors).
warning

Non-compliance can result in suspension and lost advertiser trust.

Why Affiliate.co.za Values SMS​

Affiliate.co.za values SMS because it delivers measurable, fast results.
When affiliates manage lists responsibly, SMS can provide some of the highest ROI of any channel.

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Compliance protects not just one affiliate, but the entire network’s trust with advertisers.