The SimpliSend Blog
SMS marketing fundamentals, industry playbooks, and guides to getting the most out of the platform.
A Guide to Content Moderation and Why Your Messages Get Flagged
Every message sent through the platform passes through an automated content check. Here's what it's actually looking for, and why.
SMS for Recruitment Agencies: Faster Candidate Communication
Recruitment moves on speed - the agency that reaches a candidate first often wins the placement. SMS closes the gap email leaves open.
Transactional SMS vs Marketing SMS: Know the Difference
Not every SMS your business sends is "marketing." The distinction between transactional and marketing messages affects consent rules and how a list should be built.
SMS Subscription Plans vs Pay-As-You-Go Bundles: How to Decide
Two ways to pay for SMS credit on SimpliSend: a recurring monthly plan, or a one-time bundle. Here's how the two actually differ in practice.
Non-Profits and SMS: Donor Engagement and Campaign Alerts
Non-profits often run on tight budgets and volunteer time - SMS is one of the few channels that's both cheap per message and genuinely effective.
SMS Open Rates vs Email: The Real Numbers
You've probably seen the claim that SMS gets a 98% open rate. Here's what that figure actually means, and how to think about it for your own campaigns.
Choosing the Right SMS Bundle Size for Your Business
Bundle pricing rewards buying the right size upfront. Here's a simple way to estimate your real monthly SMS volume before you buy.
SMS Marketing for E-Commerce: Abandoned Cart and Order Updates
E-commerce SMS works best when it's tied to something the customer already did - a cart, an order, a delivery - not a cold promotional blast.
Two-Way SMS: Why Reply Handling Matters for Customer Engagement
A text a customer can reply to is a different tool than a text they can only read. Here's what changes when SMS becomes two-way.
How the Referral Program Works: Earn Credit for Every Signup
Referring another business to SimpliSend earns real SMS credit - automatically, once the referred account makes its first payment.
How Gyms and Fitness Studios Use SMS to Reduce No-Shows
A gym class with three no-shows is three people who could have come off a waiting list. SMS reminders close that gap cheaply.
SMS Character Limits and Concatenated Messages Explained
160 characters isn't an arbitrary marketing rule - it's a real technical limit with real cost implications once you go past it.
Using the SimpliSend API to Send SMS from Your Own App
If you want to send SMS from your own application rather than through the dashboard, the public API is built for exactly that.
SMS for Debt Collection and Payment Reminders (POPIA-Compliant)
Payment reminders by SMS work well and get read fast - but this is one of the areas where getting the compliance details wrong carries real consequences.
How to Build an SMS Subscriber List the Right Way
The fastest way to ruin an SMS channel is to start it with a purchased list. Here's how to grow one properly, and why it performs better anyway.
Connecting an External Database as a Contact Source
If your customer data already lives in a database, you don't need to export a fresh spreadsheet every time you want to message them.
Restaurants and SMS: Bookings, Specials, and Repeat Orders
A restaurant's SMS list is one of its highest-value assets - it's a direct line to people who've already chosen to eat there once.
SMS Marketing Compliance in South Africa: POPIA Explained
POPIA governs how South African businesses may collect, store, and message personal information - including phone numbers. Here's what it means in practice.
Reading Your SMS Campaign Delivery Reports
A campaign report full of statuses is only useful if you know what each one means and which ones need action. Here's the full breakdown.
SMS for Schools: Fee Reminders, Emergency Alerts, and Newsletters
Parents don't always read the school newsletter, but they read a text. Schools use SMS for the messages that genuinely can't wait.
The Best Times to Send Marketing SMS (and Times to Avoid)
Timing changes how a marketing text is received. Here's a practical send-time guide, including the hours you shouldn't be texting customers at all.
Setting Up Team Roles and Permissions for Your SMS Account
Not everyone on your team needs to see billing or delete contacts. Here's how to set up roles that match what people actually need to do.
How Estate Agents Use SMS to Close Deals Faster
Property moves fast, and the agent who responds fastest usually wins the deal. SMS is built for exactly that kind of urgency.
How to Write SMS Marketing Messages That Convert
A good marketing SMS is short, specific, and gives the reader exactly one thing to do. Here's how to write one in under two minutes.
Personalizing Bulk SMS with Templates and Variables
A template with variables lets you write one message and send a thousand personalised versions of it. Here's how the placeholders actually work.
SMS Appointment Reminders for Healthcare Practices
A missed appointment costs a practice real revenue and a real slot another patient could have used. SMS reminders are one of the simplest fixes available.
Bulk SMS vs Email Marketing: Which Gets Better Results in 2026?
SMS and email aren't really competitors - they're good at different jobs. Here's how to decide which channel a given message belongs on.
How to Import Contacts from a Spreadsheet Without Errors
Most contact-import problems come from one thing: a column that doesn't map cleanly to a phone number. Here's how to get it right the first time.
Bulk SMS for Retail: Flash Sales, Restocks, and Loyalty Reminders
Retail is one of the best-fit use cases for SMS: short offers, urgent timing, and a customer base that's already used to texting.
What Is Bulk SMS Marketing? A Complete Guide for Businesses
Bulk SMS marketing means sending one message to a list of contacts at once, instead of one at a time. Here's how it actually works end to end.