In this guide · 5 sections
Businesses in Kenya send two very different kinds of SMS, and treating them the same causes problems: annoyed customers, wasted credit and messages that break the rules. Here’s how to tell them apart.
Transactional SMS
A transactional message is triggered by something the customer did or needs to know about their own account. They expect it, and often they’re waiting for it.
- “Your verification code is 482913. It expires in 5 minutes.”
- “Payment of KES 3,200 received for invoice 1187. Thank you.”
- “Your order is out for delivery and will arrive today.”
- “Reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 10:00.”
These are usually sent automatically from your system through an SMS API, one at a time, at any hour, because they relate to something happening now.
Promotional SMS
A promotional message markets something: an offer, a launch, an event. It goes to a list of contacts at a time you choose.
- “Weekend offer: 20% off all school shoes until Sunday. Reply STOP to opt out.”
- “Our new Westlands branch opens on Monday. Visit us for a free check-up.”
These are usually sent as campaigns from a dashboard, scheduled for a sensible time of day.
The differences that matter
| Transactional | Promotional | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Inform about the customer’s own account or activity | Market products, offers or events |
| Trigger | An event in your system | A campaign you schedule |
| Consent | Part of the service the customer signed up for | Needs the customer’s agreement to receive marketing |
| Opt-out | Not usually offered for essential messages such as OTPs | Must give a simple way to opt out, such as a STOP keyword |
| Timing | Immediately, at any hour | Scheduled for reasonable hours |
| How it’s sent | SMS API from your system | Campaign from a dashboard or API |
Staying within the rules in Kenya
Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019 limits using people’s personal data for direct marketing without their consent, and Communications Authority of Kenya rules expect promotional messages to offer an opt-out. In practice:
- Only send promotions to people who agreed to hear from you, and record when and how they agreed.
- Include an opt-out in every promotional message and honour it promptly.
- Don’t slip marketing into transactional messages, such as adding an offer to an OTP.
- Send under a recognisable sender ID so customers know who the message is from.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. If your business handles large amounts of personal data, check your obligations with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner or a lawyer.
Sending both with one provider
With Ndovubase you can send transactional messages and OTPs from your system over the API and run promotional campaigns from the dashboard, on the same account and at the same published rates. Opt-out links and STOP keyword support are built in. See OTP and transactional SMS or our Bulk SMS service to get started.
