Transactional vs Promotional SMS South Africa: When to Use Each
Transactional SMS
Triggered by a customer action. No prior marketing consent required under POPIA.
Examples: order confirmation, OTP code, appointment reminder, delivery notification, payment confirmation.
Promotional SMS
Sent proactively to market your business. Requires explicit opt-in and must include opt-out option.
Examples: flash sales, loyalty rewards, new product alerts, birthday offers.
| Factor | Transactional | Promotional |
|---|---|---|
| Prior consent | Not required | Opt-in required |
| Opt-out required | No | Yes (law) |
| Sending hours | Any time | Business hours |
