What is a bulk SMS aggregator?

An aggregator is a company that routes bulk SMS messages through multiple mobile carriers (the main four in the UK are EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone) so brands don’t have to send promotional texts through each carrier separately. 

There are two types of bulk sms aggregator companies —Tier 1 and Tier 2 aggregators—both acting as a bridge between your marketing automation platform and mobile carriers. They are one of the many things that make SMS marketing easier for brands that want to grow their list and extend their reach.

Difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 aggregators

The main difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 aggregators is their connections with mobile carriers. Tier 1 aggregators have direct relationships with mobile carriers, while Tier 2 aggregators rely on a third party, a Tier 1 aggregator, to route the messages. As a result, Tier 1 aggregators are faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective than Tier 2.

Why you need an SMS aggregator

  • Uninterrupted throughput: Makes sure your promotional and transactional messages sent in bulk reach your audience quickly and accurately, without any delays or failures.
  • Carrier connection: Helps you reach your audience nationwide or internationally across multiple carriers.  
  • Integrations: Provides APIs for seamless integration with your existing systems, making managing and automating SMS flows directly from your marketing automation platform easier.
  • Two-way communication: Besides sending messages, an aggregator helps you receive customer messages, improving communication with your audience.
  • Short code provisioning: Speeds up acquiring and setting up short codes by up to 50%, essential for high-throughput, two-way messaging.

Why aggregators are important for SMS marketing

You can’t run a successful, large-scale SMS campaign without aggregators because they enable you to do the following:

  1. Send targeted SMS messages: Send promotional messages and product updates directly to subscribers’ phones, ensuring timely and relevant communication.
  2. Provide order updates: Keep customers in the loop with automated order confirmations, shipping notifications, and delivery updates.
  3. Improve customer service: Rely on two-way messaging to handle customer inquiries efficiently and in real time.
  4. Optimise marketing efforts: Track and analyse SMS performance to optimise future campaigns and improve engagement.

If you sign up for Klaviyo, a marketing automation platform that connects you with a reliable aggregator, you can spice up your SMS marketing initiatives even more. With Klaviyo AI, you can automate SMS flows, personalise messages based on customer profiles, simplify SMS creation, and refine your strategy with predictive analytics to maximise the impact and increase revenue.

Additional resources