We will be looking at the short code business in Nigeria today

What it is

How to set it up

Businesses for it.

A. What is Shortcode?
Almost every one with a mobile phone has received a message from a short code one time or the other. The numbers usually used fall in the ranges of 22222 or 33333. They are tools of marketing used by network provided(over used by airtel),businesses and individuals to spread the word about their products and services. In essence they are a form of marketing tools, that can also be a form of revenue generation depending on the product or services used by them

Why use them?
As I said almost everyone in the country has a mobile phone, and research ahs shown that most people depend on their mobile devices for one service or the other since the local media via radio and television are sometimes not available due tolack of power.
These devices are always with an individual(can you leave you phone and go out or travel without your phone).meaning that no matter the time or date or the where or how, people are always with their phones, any message(advert) sent to the phone ensures that it is read first before the person deletes them or no.

B. How to set it up.
This is usually handle by the national communications commission or via the network provide. Simply walk up to their offices to enquire will point you in the right directions with the right information. Or you can work with some service firms that can handle it for you. A typical google search on shortcodes nigeria will show a list of sites that do this.

Types of shortcode service
On this there are usually two types

Shared
Dedicated

Shared services allows you to own a short code from which you can run different services from
Eg send 'music #name" to 33033, send "tickets #name #number" to 33033.
You get the idea, you can use the same short code to run different services or businesses,think of it as a site to with links to registor as a job seek or client,while also registering for a dating service and social media service.

Dedicated service is quite the opposite, this only allows access to one service on one short code.

The cost range for the 2 services range from N100,000 or less to N500,000 or more. This all depends on the service provide selling you the shortcode

To run this services you will also need a server attached to it, although some service provides will do that for you, but its best to handle it yourself so as to know how many users are on your service depending on what service your running.

If you will be using yur service as revenue generation tool
E.g play the raffle send"#name #Numebr to 331199" for N50 and stand a chance to win; you get the idea.
This means your service will be generating revenue for you, most times this is managed by the provide,the network provider and the gateway provide. This in itself is where issues tend to come as I have heard. The percentage sharing from the providers range in the area of 40-58% or more. So if your running a service for revenue generation for say N25 per sms, run the percentage through it and do the maths, that should tell you how much you get from each sms.


Businesses for shortcodes?

As long as your in a business that provides a product or service that needs clients and your willing to market on local tv or radio for the clients, this is the best for your firm. As its a direct link to all those people that are not watching local tv. Or listening to radio due to power outage or lack of interest in anything not on hitv or dstv(it did surprise you to know that most nigerians hardly watch local tv any more, the hear about news in Nigeria via foreign tv).

Dating,chatrooms and hook up; Although the network providers have entrenched themselves in this one,there is still a business in this for those who can see it.e.g monitored chatrooms, blind dates. As I said for those who can see it.

Facebook,Twitter: Also a network provider owned service, but sorely used, there are pages,pic,info and links by the ton on fb and twitty that a lot of people have not seen,that alone presents a service. Or fb and twitty search results via mms(hello).

Forsale,Buy,Rent: Yes there are a lot of them out there, but are there any of them like ebay or is there any of them with a sense to lead the group.

Sites: yes shortcodes that tell people of sites of interest,news,or events or videos, depeneding on the user preference.(I know google is out there, but sometimes I get some great info from a friend telling to check out this or that site). Enlighten your mind on this one and do you research.

For products and services details: a firm can use it for providing their customer supplier market and all on new information about their business,product or service.(did be fun if I get info from my bank once in a while inviting me for a program,I'm just saying).

I believe, this can be a starting point for anyone who truly wants to get into shortcodes. If you have any information to add to this or arguement for it. Feel free to drop it in the reply section below
If there is an area of business you need research or information please also state it below, as I believe I and some others will be willing to tackle them.

You can reach me via 08094770544.
Unemployed Researcher.

I will like to ask that after buying a shared shortcode, Will the shortcode provide free access to sending messages to people or i will have to go get a bulk sms for broadcast and can you give me one or two people that sell shared shortcodes.

Visit http://mysmslive247.com/short-code-service/ for easy and fast setup of shortcode

solutionscolony:
I will like to ask that after buying a shared shortcode, Will the shortcode provide free access to sending messages to people or i will have to go get a bulk sms for broadcast and can you give me one or two people that sell shared shortcodes.

mysmslive247:
Visit http://mysmslive247.com/short-code-service/ for easy and fast setup of shortcode

Nice