E-mail service provider (ESP) GraphicMail launched its shortcode service in South Africa yesterday, 14 March 2013. Shortcode is a marketing package aimed at assisting marketers to connect with their audience.
What is it?
Shortcode marketing is a short sequence of numbers used to send and respond to mobile messages. Used primarily by businesses, GraphicMail says this type of mobile marketing offers a consumer-controlled, interactive Business to Consumer (B2C) exchange.
Long 10 digit phone numbers may be a thing of the past, as shortcode – as the name implies – shortens these numbers to shorter codes. Consumers can use these codes to contact the business concerned.
How it works
The marketing tool enables businesses to build free-standing mobile sites from customisable templates and send text messages with a link to their site.
GraphicMail clients rent a keyword of choice which is used to communicate to their prospects and clients via the shared Shortcode (44233). When consumers respond, GraphicMail automatically creates a list with all mobile numbers. The mobile sites and templates are free, while renting the keyword and associated services costs R200 a month.
Future prospects
The company quotes a report by Juniper Research that predicts by 2016 application to person messaging (A2P), like advertising, marketing, business administration and ticketing messages will have surpassed person to person (P2P) messaging.
* According to a survey by Nielsen.com, more than 29 million people in South Africa have a mobile phone subscription.
*Information on the company from www.graphicmail.co.za.
