SMS marketing delivers open rates of 95%+ and average response times of 3 minutes. No other marketing channel comes close. Yet many Australian brands either avoid SMS entirely due to compliance concerns or use it so sparingly that they fail to capture its revenue potential.
This guide covers everything you need to know to run a compliant, effective SMS marketing programme in Australia.
Australian Compliance Requirements
SMS marketing in Australia is governed by the Spam Act 2003 and the Telecommunications Act 1997. The key requirements are consent, identification, and unsubscribe.
Consent
You must have express consent to send marketing SMS messages. This means the recipient has actively opted in, typically by providing their mobile number and agreeing to receive marketing messages. Implied consent (such as a business relationship) is not sufficient for SMS marketing under Australian law.
Identification
Every SMS must clearly identify the sender. Use your brand name as the sender ID where possible. If using a short code or number, include your brand name in the message body.
Unsubscribe
Every marketing SMS must include a clear and functional unsubscribe mechanism. The standard is ‘Reply STOP to unsubscribe’. You must process unsubscribe requests within 5 business days.
SMS Campaign Strategy
The most effective SMS campaigns share three characteristics: they are timely, relevant, and create genuine urgency. SMS is not the right channel for every message. It is the right channel for time-sensitive, high-value communications.
SMS and Email Integration
SMS and email work best as complementary channels, not substitutes. Email is ideal for longer-form content, nurture sequences, and campaigns that benefit from visual design. SMS is ideal for time-sensitive, high-urgency messages that need immediate attention.
A common and effective integration is to send an email campaign first, then follow up with an SMS to non-openers 4-6 hours later. This approach consistently improves overall campaign revenue by 15-25% compared to email alone.
Work with Vonnimedia
Ready to put this into practice?
Our team works with Australian brands to implement the strategies covered in this article. Get in touch to talk about your goals.
