SMS Marketing Best Practices for South African Businesses 2026

1. Get explicit consent — POPIA requires opt-in before marketing SMS
2. Keep it short — 160 characters, one clear call to action
3. Include your brand name — use a registered Sender ID
4. Send at the right time — Tue–Thu, 10am–12pm or 2–4pm
5. Always include opt-out — “Reply STOP” is legally required
6. Personalise messages — 30% higher engagement with first name
7. Test first — send to your own number before the full list
8. Monitor reports — clean invalid numbers regularly