Getting started with RCS marketing: The complete guide

For years, SMS has been the workhorse of mobile marketing. With 98% open rates and $71 returned for every dollar spent, it’s earned its reputation as one of the most dependable ways to reach customers.

Now RCS is changing the game. Rich Communication Services takes that familiar text message and transforms it into something more like the rich, interactive experiences you’d find in a modern app. We’re talking 15-30% click-through rates with features like product carousels, branded verification badges, and buttons customers can actually tap to take action.

RCS keeps everything marketers love about texting—the universal reach, the immediate delivery—but adds the visual appeal and interactivity that today’s customers expect. All delivered right in their native messaging interface.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know: what RCS actually is, how it stacks up against other messaging channels, what benefits and challenges you’ll face, and how to get your first RCS campaign up and running.

What is RCS?

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an IP-based messaging protocol that enhances traditional SMS and MMS. Instead of relying on carrier systems, RCS uses WiFi or mobile data to deliver app-like experiences within Android’s native messaging app.

The evolution beyond SMS

SMS served marketers well for mass communication. MMS added media capabilities but brought file size limits, delivery issues, and higher costs that reduced ROI. RCS eliminates these problems by supporting:

• Rich media, including images, videos, and GIFs
• Suggested replies and quick-action buttons
• Verified sender IDs
• Real-time typing indicators and read receipts

Google drove RCS adoption by making it the default in Google Messages across Android devices. Through carrier partnerships, RCS now reaches over 800 million users worldwide.

Current availability

RCS works on most Android devices, though rollout varies by region and carrier. Apple added limited support in iOS 18, but only with compatible carriers. This creates adoption challenges for global campaigns.

How RCS works

Both sender and recipient need specific requirements to use RCS:

• Compatible device with RCS enabled
• Network that supports RCS Business Messaging
• WiFi or data connection

When RCS isn’t available, messages automatically fall back to SMS or MMS. You still get delivery, just without enhanced features. RCS provides delivery and read receipts, giving you better engagement visibility than SMS.

RCS vs. traditional messaging channels

SMS and MMS have been the backbone of mobile communication for years. App-based messaging platforms like WhatsApp or Messenger offer advanced features but require extra steps for users. RCS bridges this gap—combining SMS simplicity and reach with app-like interactivity.

RCS vs. SMS

RCS vs. MMS

RCS vs. app-based messaging

App-based channels like WhatsApp Business or Facebook Messenger offer similar functionality but require users to download third-party applications. RCS runs natively on Android’s default messaging app, giving it a broader reach. Integration is simpler since you don’t need to manage additional apps and channels for every campaign.

5 RCS marketing use cases and examples

You can use RCS marketing across different industries and use cases. Here are five examples to help you understand your options.

E-commerce and retail

E-commerce and retail sellers can improve shopping experiences with RCS’s interactive product catalogs, enabling customers to browse collections instantly. If a shopper abandons their cart, an RCS message can include product images and direct checkout paths—improving recovery rates and re-engaging potential customers.

Post-purchase communication also benefits from RCS messaging. Instead of sending plain text order confirmations, retailers can include branded tracking links and delivery maps, transforming updates into engaging interactions that keep customers informed.

Financial services

Financial institutions can use RCS to combine security with convenience. They can pair balance alerts with quick-action buttons like “View Statement” or “Pay Bill.” Fraud alerts can request immediate confirmation, reducing risks and response times.

For investment services, RCS provides a channel to share real-time performance charts and updates, keeping customers engaged with their portfolios. Financial support teams benefit from rich media for document submission, secure authentication, and video consultations.

Healthcare and wellness

Healthcare providers can optimize patient engagement with RCS. Appointment reminders become more effective when they include visual confirmations and reschedule options. Prescription refills can link directly to local pharmacies, and telemedicine services can send video consultation previews to improve attendance rates.

Preventive care can be enhanced through health tips delivered as infographics, making information easier to digest.

Travel and hospitality

Few industries rely on timely communication as much as travel. Airlines can send digital boarding passes that update automatically, while hotels can simplify check-ins with QR codes. For travelers exploring new cities, RCS messages can provide interactive maps and recommendations, helping them navigate destinations with ease.

Real-time itinerary updates ensure customers feel supported throughout their journey, strengthening loyalty in a competitive market.

Real estate

Real estate agents and platforms use RCS to deliver virtual tour invitations with preview images, helping prospects explore properties before visiting. Property alerts can include full photo galleries, while embedded mortgage calculators allow potential buyers to evaluate affordability without leaving the conversation.

For scheduling, RCS can sync directly with calendars, streamlining the booking process for property viewings.

Benefits of RCS marketing

RCS combines text messaging reach with app-like capabilities, unlocking opportunities that traditional channels can’t match. From interactive shopping experiences to detailed analytics, RCS benefits extend across every stage of the customer relationship.

Enhanced customer experience

RCS transforms how customers interact with your brand. Instead of plain text, you can create interactive product catalogs within the message window. Customers browse collections, view details, and compare options without leaving their messaging app. This reduces steps between discovery and purchase.

You can add tap-to-buy buttons and checkout flows directly within messages. Rather than forcing users to click links and load mobile browsers, RCS lets them complete transactions in a few taps. This frictionless commerce increases conversion likelihood.

RCS ensures visual brand consistency. You can include logos, colors, and custom fonts that reinforce brand recognition at every interaction. Combined with high-quality images, GIFs, and videos, you create polished experiences that go far beyond SMS limitations. Branded links can increase click-through rates by up to 39%, making them essential for both RCS and SMS campaigns.

Improved campaign performance

RCS delivers measurable engagement improvements. Studies show RCS campaigns can achieve engagement rates 35% higher than email and similar channels. Interactive elements like buttons and carousels attract more attention and clicks than plain text links, resulting in higher CTRs.

Since the customer journey happens inside the message, there’s less friction. A product carousel paired with a “Buy Now” button eliminates multiple steps between browsing and purchasing. This efficiency improves conversions and makes it easier to track where customers drop off.

Advanced analytics and insights

Traditional SMS marketing relied on indirect engagement measures like link clicks. RCS changes this with read receipts that confirm message opens. It also tracks interaction data, including button taps, carousel swipes, and content engagement time.

This visibility enables sophisticated campaign performance analysis. You can see when customers are most active, which interactive elements get attention, and how engagement patterns change over time. These insights help continuously fine-tune messaging strategy.

Brand trust and authentication

Spam threatens SMS marketing by eroding consumer trust and sender reputation. RCS combats this through verified sender status, ensuring customers know they’re hearing from authenticated brands rather than scammers. Messages display with company logos, brand colors, and verified checkmarks, creating instantly recognizable professional appearances.

This enhances brand credibility and reduces phishing or fraud risk. Customers are more likely to engage with messages they know are secure.

Limitations and challenges of RCS marketing

Despite its promise, RCS success depends on infrastructure, carrier adoption, and device compatibility—all of which vary across markets. You need to balance new possibilities with realistic views of current limitations.

Technical limitations

RCS remains heavily tied to Android devices, with support only on iOS 18 or higher. For businesses with large Apple customer bases, this creates campaign coverage gaps.

Carrier dependency creates another hurdle. Full RCS functionality requires network cooperation, and different rollout strategies mean features don’t always work seamlessly across regions. Device compatibility variations further complicate things, making cross-handset testing essential.

Market adoption challenges

Global rollout is uneven. Some regions have broad RCS support while others lag behind, creating uncertainty for international campaigns. Consumer awareness compounds this—many users don’t realize their device supports RCS, limiting engagement with advanced features.

Business adoption has been cautious. RCS implementation can be more complex than SMS with sometimes higher costs, especially at scale. Until adoption stabilizes, you need to weigh these costs against expected ROI.

Delivery and reliability concerns

Unlike SMS marketing, which is nearly universal, RCS faces cross-carrier fragmentation. Messages may fail to deliver consistently across networks, especially internationally. When RCS isn’t supported, the system defaults to SMS or MMS, altering the intended user experience.

This fallback system ensures basic delivery but creates inconsistency. For brands seeking polished, interactive experiences, the inability to guarantee uniform delivery remains a significant challenge.

Specific considerations for RCS marketing

RCS marketing evolves alongside carrier infrastructure. You need to navigate technical, legal, and operational considerations before launching at scale.

Security and privacy

Any marketing channel handling customer data needs strong safeguards. With RCS, this means complying with GDPR and other regional privacy laws, maintaining strict consent protocols, and ensuring transparent opt-in management.

Verification is another key element. By becoming a certified sender, you protect customers from spoofing attempts and reinforce brand credibility. Where available, end-to-end encryption provides additional protection, particularly in sensitive industries like finance and healthcare.

Compliance and regulations

RCS Business Messaging requires carrier approval, which adds time and complexity to campaign planning. Carriers also set content moderation guidelines to prevent spam or misleading promotions. You need to balance creativity and compliance, ensuring campaigns remain within regulatory boundaries. Using branded links helps ensure your RCS or SMS links aren’t security risks.

Geographic restrictions apply since not every region has fully adopted RCS. Additionally, frequency limits protect users from message fatigue. You must tailor strategies to specific audience segments based on common characteristics.

Technical implementation

Launching an RCS program requires technical setup beyond creativity. You must first create RCS Business Messaging accounts and complete sender verification. From there, integrate APIs to enable automation and campaign scaling.

Carriers often require message templates to be submitted and approved before going live, extending timelines. You need robust analytics pipelines to capture engagement metrics, enabling performance tracking that helps optimize strategies over time.

Getting started with RCS marketing

RCS marketing follows many of the same rules as SMS marketing. It requires clear strategy and outlines each step of the campaign, your implementation framework, and intended goals.

Planning your RCS strategy

First, understand your audience. How many are Android users, and in which regions do they live? Mapping RCS geographic availability is critical to ensure campaigns reach intended recipients.

From there, identify high-impact use cases—whether that’s abandoned cart recovery for e-commerce or appointment reminders in healthcare—and model expected ROI.

Content strategy development

Once you understand your potential audience, build a content playbook that outlines how you’ll engage based on their needs. Prepare message templates that meet carrier requirements, create rich media assets, and design interactive elements like carousels and quick-action buttons.

Every asset needs to align with brand guidelines and deliver a consistent look and feel with your existing marketing campaigns.

RCS marketing implementation

Carrier registration and approval: Before launching an RCS campaign, you must register with mobile carriers that support RCS Business Messaging. This process ensures your brand is recognized as a legitimate sender and allows carriers to review your intended use cases. Approval can take time, so start this step early.

Sender verification process: Verified sender status is essential for building trust, ensuring your brand identity is authenticated and displayed alongside messages. It reassures customers that your messages are genuine and reduces spoofing or fraud risk.

API integration and testing: Once approved, integrate RCS APIs into your existing messaging or marketing platform. This allows you to automate campaigns, trigger messages based on user actions, and manage large-scale deployments. Test these connections to confirm functionality across different devices and carriers.

Message template submissions: Carriers often require pre-approval of message templates, especially when interactive elements are involved. Submitting templates ahead of time helps prevent delays and ensures compliance with content guidelines.

Analytics implementation: RCS messages offer advanced metrics—such as read receipts, button clicks, and carousel interactions—that go beyond SMS. Setting up analytics pipelines allows you to capture these insights and optimize over time. Learn more about link analytics and how they can improve your campaigns.

Launch preparation

A/B testing protocols: Test different versions of your RCS messages, such as copy, images, or button placement, to identify which combinations drive highest engagement.

Fallback SMS strategy: Not all recipients will have RCS enabled, so well-planned SMS backup ensures your core message still reaches everyone.

Performance monitoring: Establish dashboards and alerts to track delivery rates, engagement, and conversions in real-time.

Customer support training: Prepare support teams to answer questions about interactive features so they can handle customer inquiries efficiently.

Measuring success and optimization

Make sure your tracking plan includes delivery and read rates, engagement with interactive elements, and CTR compared to SMS benchmarks. These key performance indicators help you understand performance and identify improvement areas.

Refine campaigns with timing analysis, content performance reviews, user journey mapping, and continuous testing to improve ROI over time.

3 RCS marketing best practices for campaign success

Understanding these best practices ensures every campaign provides value for both your audience and your company.

Design for RCS-specific capabilities

Unlike SMS, RCS supports rich media and interactive elements. Design every message to take advantage of these features. Use high-quality images that reinforce your brand, create interactive buttons that drive specific actions, and design carousels that showcase multiple products or options.

Optimize for mobile responsiveness and ensure accessibility for all customers, regardless of device settings or abilities. Your interactive elements should work consistently across different Android devices and carrier networks.

Integrate RCS into your cross-channel strategy

Your RCS marketing efforts must support your overall marketing strategy and deliver value at every interaction. Coordinate with email, social media, and SMS to ensure consistent messaging and branding across all channels.

Personalize every RCS message to reflect customer preferences and behaviors, but avoid overwhelming recipients. Use RCS’s advanced capabilities to create more engaging versions of your existing campaigns rather than entirely new communication streams.

Leverage RCS analytics for continuous improvement

RCS provides detailed analytics that go far beyond traditional SMS metrics. Use this data to understand customer behavior patterns, identify the most engaging interactive elements, and optimize message timing.

Map the full customer journey within your RCS messages to eliminate friction points. Gather customer feedback regularly and adjust campaigns accordingly. Continuously upgrade your tools and integrations to support new RCS features as they become available.

Make RCS marketing part of your cross-channel campaigns

RCS marketing represents the next step for mobile engagement. Merging SMS reach with app-based channel interactivity gives you a seamless way to deliver branded, personalized, and engaging experiences directly to your audience’s mobile devices.

Implementation takes planning—especially around carrier approval, content templates, and fallback strategies—but the payoff is worth it: higher engagement, stronger brand trust, and measurable ROI.

While global adoption remains inconsistent, you can prepare for when RCS becomes universal technology. To prepare for the shift to RCS, start building your link management operation and layer on RCS capabilities for users who support it today. 

Discover how Rebrandly can help you create scalable, branded links for SMS and RCS campaigns.