What’s RCS Messaging and Does Your Model Want It?

First issues first. What does RCS stand for anyway?

RCS stands for Wealthy Communication Companies, and also you’ll see why in only a minute.

Chances are you’ll recall that SMS stands for Brief Messaging Companies, which sounds a little bit imply, however there’s a 160-character restrict, so it’s correct. MMS stands for Multimedia Messaging Companies. So, if you happen to’re considering RCS gives an excellent richer cellular messaging expertise than MMS… you’d be proper. RCS is superior messaging.

Google says that RCS “upgrades SMS with branding, wealthy media, interactivity, and analytics.”

Since we’re on the subject of Google, it’s value mentioning that RCS is a Google-supported communication protocol that (as of this writing) solely works with Android gadgets. It’s mostly used with the Google Messages app the place all options will work as anticipated, but it surely ought to work with Samsung and Android Messages too. Most main wi-fi suppliers even have RCS help.

Whereas SMS messages are simply fundamental textual content with hyperlinks, and MMS is messaging with emojis, photos, and movies, RCS takes it to the subsequent stage. An RCS message can have all the above. Plus, it gives what’s usually described as an “app-like expertise.” Otherwise you may say a killer RCS message is like probably the most spectacular interactive e mail you may think about.

For instance, an RCS marketing campaign might look one thing like this: A chatbot dialog that results in a easy interactive recreation, ending with a promotional code for the recipient, which makes it straightforward to trace engagement and conversions.

RCS messages are designed to be interactive, two-way communication experiences. By that we imply you’re not simply studying and clicking. As an alternative, manufacturers can ship what’s referred to as conversational buyer engagement. So, as proven above, contacts can work together with chatbots that ship pleasant, automated responses as individuals navigate a multimedia expertise – all inside their messaging app.

Sounds fairly cool, proper?

Google Builders gives us with a extra technical explanation of how RCS messaging works:

Right here’s a mockup of an RCS interplay from the cellular messaging specialists at Sinch. It illustrates how a buyer may trade a latest on-line buy utilizing this type of digital communication. As you may see, it’s fairly painless. There’s no ready on maintain with customer support. In only a few clicks, the shopper will get what they want.

A typical RCS messaging expertise

There are a number of completely different RCS message sorts:

Textual content and file messages are self-explanatory. You’re simply sending a easy message or a media file equivalent to an image, animated GIF, or brief video to the recipient.

Instructed replies and actions make it simpler for recipients to work together with the message. They’re type of like a group of CTAs that give individuals choices to select from. The shirt sizes within the pattern RCS message above are an instance of recommended replies. (And it appears to be like such as you’re out of luck if you happen to want XXL).

Instructed actions embrace issues like dialing a telephone quantity, opening a URL, or viewing/sharing a location.

Wealthy playing cards and carousels are the place issues begin getting actually fascinating. An RCS message with a carousel permits the recipient to swipe by photos and probably choose an choice. You possibly can see it illustrated with the completely different shirt colours in our instance message above.

A wealthy card in RCS messaging features a mixture of various components:

This lets you construct a wealthy messaging expertise that basically stands out. See an instance of a wealthy card from Sinch beneath.

Instance of a wealthy card in RCS messaging

By the best way, there are additionally wealthy card carousels, which permit customers to scroll by a group of playing cards to match choices earlier than making a range and taking an motion.

Fallbacks are just like the fallbacks utilized in e mail growth when one thing isn’t supported in a sure consumer. With RCS messaging, the fallback is to revert to a plain SMS message for unsupported gadgets, or recipients who don’t have RCS turned on.

Is your artistic advertising and marketing thoughts overflowing with methods to make use of RCS proper now? There’s positively an extended record of potentialities:

• Reserving journey and resort lodging

• Selecting from menu gadgets to order meals

• Making reservations and scheduling appointments

• Product choice and customization

• Making customized suggestions

• Delivering survey questions for buyer suggestions

• Constructing a easy interactive recreation

So, what sorts of firms have jumped on the RCS messaging bandwagon, and the way has this type of buyer communication labored out for them?

Google shares a assortment of success tales, which embrace how fast-food manufacturers like Subway and Sonic are utilizing RCS in addition to wi-fi carriers and private finance functions like Orange and Fintonic, respectively.

Mailet’s mother or father firm, Sinch, gives RCS messaging capabilities to a wide range of manufacturers. They embrace the car producer Nissan and its advertising and marketing accomplice, Publicis Worldwide. A case examine on Nissan’s use of RCS messaging exhibits these outcomes from a marketing campaign launched in France and Spain.

• 4.7x improve in engagement

• 80% conversion fee

• 200,000+ prospects focused in six months

Right here’s a take a look at how Nissan used RCS messaging with its prospects:

Nissan conversational messaging with RCS

Nissan discovered these campaigns improved buyer loyalty, and the individuals at Publicis say it helps with amassing precious first-party knowledge about prospects to make the advertising and marketing technique even stronger and extra related.

Now, if we drive throughout the forecourt into frozen meals retailer Pricard’s advertising and marketing workplace, we’ll discover one other instance of how RCS messaging elevated buyer engagement by 42%.

With the vacation season accounting for 25% of Pricard’s annual income, the group had been looking out for brand spanking new communication options to extend engagement and gross sales. They landed on RCS messaging as a strategy to combine issues up and ship a extra interactive expertise for buyer’s searching for new Christmas dinner recipes.

By means of this interactive journey, prospects shared particulars about their dietary preferences, price range, and willingness (or lack thereof) to cook dinner — all inside their native messaging app.

Primarily based on their responses, they had been offered with a customized vacation menu and a call-to-action, directing them to the Picard web site:

Like absolutely anything, RCS has its execs and cons. Right here’s a fast take a look at the benefits and downsides of Wealthy SMS.

That final one about Apple is an enormous sticking level, isn’t it? Individuals utilizing iPhones are unable to view RCS messages as a result of Apple’s iMessage app received’t help it. And received’t is the suitable phrase there, not can’t.

There’s been quite a lot of controversy over Apple’s unwillingness to help RCS. Google has been placing stress on Apple to alter its thoughts. They went so far as launching a public marketing campaign with content material on Android.com devoted to all of the explanation why Apple must “repair texting.”

Even Apple fan websites like 9to5Mac suppose iOS ought to help RCS messages. So, you’ve received to imagine it’s going to occur sooner or later.

One other drawback that can seemingly emerge for RCS is one which’s very acquainted to e mail entrepreneurs… spam. Manufacturers and advertisers have a foul behavior of overusing and abusing communication channels. An article from Android Authority titled, “I enabled RCS on Google Messages and all I received was adverts”, states:

Based on Juniper Analysis, it’s estimated that RCS is now obtainable to 1.2 billion cellular system customers world wide. Google additionally cites some spectacular stats on the effectiveness of RCS in digital communications:

• 72% of customers are extra more likely to buy after they can ask questions in real-time

• 74% of customers are extra more likely to have interaction with a model by RCS

• Recipients are 35x extra more likely to learn RCS messages than emails

Ouch. Okay, that final one hurts a little bit. Let’s speak by the ache.

Over our useless our bodies! However severely… not anytime quickly that’s for positive.

We not too long ago surveyed customers in our 2024 report “The trail to e mail engagement,” we discovered that greater than 42% of respondents selected e mail as their most popular strategy to hear from manufacturers. Whereas RCS messaging wasn’t included on this survey, the report exhibits solely about 20% wish to hear from manufacturers by way of textual content messaging.

After all, you recognize what they are saying. “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

If you wish to see surveys suggesting cellular messaging is greatest, you’ll discover them. You’ll additionally discover different analysis indicating e mail is most popular by way more than 42% of customers. For instance, a Knowledge Axle examine discovered greater than 50% of each era prefers e mail for model communication. And e mail was the highest channel for each era moreover Gen Z respondents, who selected social media (go determine).

Electronic mail shares quite a lot of the identical capabilities as RCS messaging, particularly if you happen to discover methods so as to add interactivity utilizing strategies equivalent to AMP emails. And in some instances, e mail will likely be a greater choice. For example, chances are you’ll not wish to use RCS to ship a content-heavy e-newsletter. Necessary B2B messages could also be higher delivered to the e-mail inbox than by way of RCS too.

And let’s not overlook, as of in the present day solely Android telephone customers can expertise RCS. However virtually everybody has an e mail deal with.

So, don’t even take into consideration abandoning your e mail advertising and marketing technique. Nevertheless, chances are you’ll wish to rethink your general advertising and marketing communications combine.

Good buyer communication is all about reaching individuals wherever they’re, which implies giving them what they need. And all of us have completely different opinions and preferences, wouldn’t you agree?

Omnichannel communication isn’t nearly utilizing a number of channels. It’s about determining what channels your viewers prefers, utilizing the suitable channel on the proper time, and making a cohesive expertise irrespective of the place a message is delivered.

Whether or not it’s e mail, SMS, RCS, or every other choice, advertising and marketing communication’s most vital position is guiding individuals alongside a buyer journey. And don’t overlook, it’s known as a buyer journey as a result of your buyer is the hero of the story – not your model.

We’ve received an e book known as “The omnichannel hero’s journey” that can aid you wrap your head round that concept.

RCS appears to be a horny choice for a lot of B2C firms, particularly ecommerce firms in addition to leisure, shopper tech, eating, and journey/transportation manufacturers. However don’t put RCS into your advertising and marketing combine as a result of it’s cool and stylish. Do it as a result of it could add worth to the shopper expertise.

How might you mix RCS and e mail advertising and marketing to work successfully collectively? How will you use these channels to assist prospects and prospects? How will you delight them a little bit as they transfer alongside their buyer journey? These are the sorts of questions you must ask as you ponder the way forward for your advertising and marketing combine.