In a world where customers crave authentic connections with brands, how can businesses create meaningful conversations that drive engagement and boost conversions? The answer lies in the perfect blend of conversational messaging and Rich Communication Services.
This powerful combination is transforming how businesses communicate with their customers. Companies are moving away from one-way broadcasts to dynamic, two-way conversations that adapt and evolve based on customer needs.
While your competitors are already adopting these powerful tools, can you afford to wait? Keep reading to discover exactly how RCS and conversational messaging can give you the competitive edge you need.
What is conversational messaging?
Conversational messaging represents a shift from traditional one-way communication to two-way interactions between businesses and their customers. It’s about creating natural, flowing conversations that mirror how people communicate in their daily lives. It encourages engagement, feedback, and meaningful interactions that build lasting relationships.
What is RCS?
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an instant messaging protocol provided to mobile phone users through mobile operator networks. It brings rich media capabilities, interactive features, and enhanced functionalities to mobile messaging. Think of it as SMS 2.0, but with the ability to share high-quality images, videos, carousel cards, and interactive buttons.
What is RCS marketing?
RCS marketing takes advantage of the capabilities of Rich Communication Services to create engaging, interactive marketing campaigns. Unlike traditional SMS, RCS marketing creates a branded environment where customers can browse, shop, and interact without leaving their messaging interface.
Consider how established brands are already capitalising on this technology. Take Ziaja, a renowned cosmetics company with decades of market presence. When planning their anniversary sale, they moved beyond traditional SMS notifications to embrace the dynamic capabilities of RCS.
Through our messaging platform, they delivered an interactive shopping experience directly to their customers’ phones. It featured vivid product imagery and easy-to-navigate discount offers.
This demonstrates the transformative potential of RCS marketing for retail engagement. It modernised Ziaja’s communication strategy and created a seamless path from notification to purchase.
What are the benefits of RCS marketing?
RCS marketing delivers exceptional results that traditional messaging channels simply can’t match. Our recent pilot campaigns achieved click-through rates of up to 30 percent for website visits, while overall message engagement soared above 65 percent. These impressive metrics show just how powerful RCS can be when done right.
Beyond these remarkable engagement rates, RCS marketing offers several other compelling advantages. One key benefit is verified sender information. This means that each RCS message displays the company’s official brand name and logo to recipients, instantly building trust and reducing concerns about spam or fraud.
Cost efficiency is another key benefit. A single RCS message can deliver content that would typically require multiple SMS messages, significantly reducing communication costs. Early adopters of RCS are also seeing a strong novelty effect, with customers more likely to engage with these rich, interactive messages.
Trends that are shaping RCS marketing
As we dive into 2025, three powerful trends are reshaping how businesses connect with customers through mobile messaging. Technology is advancing, consumer habits are changing, and global reach is expanding, creating amazing opportunities for businesses that are ready to embrace RCS marketing. Let’s explore the major trends driving this transformation!
Huge number of mobile users worldwide
With over 4 billion smartphone users globally, mobile has become the primary channel for digital interactions. This massive user base presents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to reach and engage with their audience through RCS messaging.
Looking ahead, the numbers are set to grow by an additional 1.8 billion users by 2029, reaching more than 6 billion users worldwide. Such dramatic growth signals that businesses need to establish a strong mobile messaging strategy now.
Increased RCS adoption worldwide
Mobile operators worldwide are rapidly adopting RCS, expanding its reach and accessibility. Major markets have seen significant growth in RCS-capable devices, making it an increasingly viable channel for business communication.
As of 2024, RCS boasts 2.5 billion monthly active users, with full coverage across major markets including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and India. The momentum shows no signs of slowing, with RCS business messaging traffic projected to surge by 50 percent in 2025 alone.
Changing customer habits and expectations
Today’s digital consumers demand immediate, seamless interactions with businesses. The numbers tell a compelling story. Most customers check their text messages within five minutes of receiving a notification, with a third responding in under 60 seconds. This ultra-rapid engagement presents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to connect with customers in real time.
But speed is just the beginning. Modern customers expect brands to understand and adapt to their behaviours. In fact, 71 percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalised interactions. They’re looking for smart, contextual experiences that anticipate their needs.
RCS rises to meet these demands by delivering rich, interactive experiences that drive meaningful engagement. While maintaining the familiar simplicity of text messaging, RCS enables brands to create dynamic, personalised conversations enhanced with interactive elements that capture attention and drive action.
RCS and conversational messaging – The perfect mix
The combination of RCS and conversational messaging creates a powerful communication channel that enables true two-way engagement. It allows businesses to personalise interactions based on customer preferences and behaviour, adapt responses in real time, and create meaningful dialogues that drive results. The rich features of RCS further enhance these conversations with visual elements and interactive components, making interactions even more engaging and effective.
How to master conversational messaging with RCS
Success with RCS marketing isn’t just about adopting the technology. It’s about implementing it strategically. Here’s a comprehensive guide to creating impactful RCS campaigns that drive engagement and deliver measurable results.
Invest in the right personalisation strategy
Create messaging campaigns that speak directly to your customers’ needs and preferences. Use data insights to segment your audience and deliver relevant content that resonates with each group. Here’s how to build a personalisation strategy that delivers.
➡️ Customer segmentation – Build detailed customer personas based on behaviour patterns, preferences, and purchase history to guide your messaging strategy.
➡️ Dynamic content – Create content that adapts automatically based on customer data, from purchase history to browsing behaviour, ensuring each message feels personally relevant.
➡️ Location intelligence – Leverage geographical data to deliver timely, location-specific promotions and information that adds real value for customers.
➡️ Behavioural triggers – Implement smart automation that responds to specific customer actions, from abandoned carts to website interactions, with perfectly timed messages.
Make sure to use high-quality visuals
Take advantage of RCS’s rich media capabilities by incorporating eye-catching images, videos, and carousel cards. Quality visuals can significantly improve engagement and help convey your message more effectively. Here’s what to focus on.
➡️ Brand consistency – Maintain strong visual cohesion across all messages, ensuring every image and video aligns with your brand guidelines and reinforces your identity.
➡️ Content optimisation – Create visual content specifically optimised for RCS, considering factors like loading times, display sizes, and mobile viewing conditions.
➡️ Interactive elements – Leverage RCS’s carousel and rich card features to create engaging, interactive experiences that showcase your products or services effectively.
➡️ Performance testing – Regularly test different visual formats and styles to identify what drives the highest engagement with your specific audience segments.
Pay attention to the language you’re using
Keep your messaging conversational, clear, and aligned with your brand voice. Avoid complex jargon and focus on creating natural dialogues that make customers feel comfortable and understood. Consider these key aspects.
➡️ Voice consistency – Develop clear guidelines for your brand’s tone of voice that can be maintained across all RCS communications, from promotional messages to customer service.
➡️ Message structure – Design your communications with mobile reading patterns in mind, using concise sentences and clear paragraph breaks for optimal readability.
➡️ Action-orientated content – Craft calls-to-action that feel natural within the conversation while clearly guiding customers toward desired outcomes.
➡️ Audience adaptation – Adjust your language based on different audience segments, ensuring your message resonates with each specific group while maintaining your brand voice.
Find the right cross-channel messaging platform
Your choice of messaging platform can make or break your RCS strategy. When evaluating providers, there are several crucial factors to consider that go beyond basic functionality. Here’s what to look for in a messaging platform that will truly serve your business needs.
➡️ Integration capabilities – Choose a platform that seamlessly integrates RCS with your existing communication channels. Your customers should experience consistent interactions across all touchpoints, from SMS to email and beyond.
➡️ Enterprise-grade security – Look for providers who demonstrate their commitment to data protection through ISO certification and maintain rigorous security protocols with regular audits. Security and reliability should be non-negotiable.
➡️ Flexible pricing structure – The best platforms offer scalable pricing models that grow with your business. You will never pay for more than you need while maintaining access to enterprise-level features.
➡️ Dedicated support team – Partner with a provider that offers more than just technology. Look for responsive technical experts who understand your business context and can provide swift, knowledgeable support when you need it.
Build compelling and seamless conversation flows
Design conversation flows that guide customers naturally toward their goals while maintaining engagement. Consider different user scenarios and prepare appropriate responses that keep the conversation flowing smoothly. Here’s how to create effective flows:
➡️ Journey mapping – Create comprehensive maps of customer interaction paths, identifying key decision points and potential roadblocks in the conversation.
➡️ Adaptability – Build a flexible response system that can handle various customer inputs while maintaining context and conversation relevance.
➡️ Fallback planning – Develop robust fallback strategies for unexpected responses or technical issues, ensuring smooth conversation recovery.
➡️ Continuous optimisation – Implement regular testing and refinement of conversation flows based on actual customer interaction data and feedback.
Start using RCS conversational marketing and stand out from the crowd!
The future of business messaging is here, and it’s more interactive, engaging, and effective than ever before. By combining the rich features of RCS with the power of conversational messaging, you can create meaningful customer interactions that drive results.
