In recent years, Kenya has experienced massive urban growth. This has made it great for new retailers, as they cash in on a growing middle class. Despite extreme economic inequality, Kenya has been able to grow its consumer base. This means more business for those who know how to find it.

Even better, Kenya has worked to digitize its population. In this way, a growing portion of the population can now be reached through digital marketing methods, such as SMS. Companies in Kenya would do well to take advantage of these new digital marketing features to get an early leg up on their competition.

Below, we take a look at the state of bulk SMS in Kenya by looking at vital statistics that affect its efficiency.

Kenya: An Overview

Several factors are currently contributing to the rise of the use of bulk SMS in Kenya. What’s more, many of these same reasons work to make it a much more worthwhile practice.

Some of these are:

• A Growing Urban Population

With an urban population that hovers just a bit over 25%, Kenya proves to be one of the most modern cities in Africa. Additionally, as a growing percentage of the population moves away from traditional practices to embrace modernity, the country has become a hub for new businesses.

What’s more, this population has become increasingly reliant on these businesses—and used to their methods. Even more importantly, however, this growing urban population is also growing in wealth, meaning that they now have the luxury of spending more money.

This makes them much more of a target audience for businesses.

• More Smartphone Users

Perhaps even more importantly, Kenya has a high cellphone penetration rate. In other words, a growing proportion of the Kenyan population is now using cellphones.

It’s not difficult to see why this is a boon to SMS marketing. As more individuals have access to smartphones, they’re able to receive new SMS updates. This makes it a much more practical and effective method for business owners to reach potential customers.

Currently, Kenya’s cell phone penetration percentage is right at 20%–meaning that millions within the country make use of their cellphones. This proves great for Internet marketers, as they can be sure to reach a significant portion of the population.

• More Opportunities for Retailers

So what does this all mean for retailers?

That’s an easy question—more opportunities for business. That’s right—with a growing number of people able to spend money, the number of potential customers a business has continues to climb.

However, in order to take advantage of it, businesses need to realize that they’re at the forefront of a digital revolution. This means taking advantage of new bulk SMS opportunities. Fortunately, the practice is becoming increasingly popular—giving retailers more opportunities.

The Bottom Line

Bulk SMS plays an integral part in the marketing methods of many in Kenya. Because of the growing urban and smartphone-using population, the nation is quickly evolving to meet new technological demands.