As digital conversations continue to evolve, businesses must constantly find new and better ways to communicate with customers. While SMS and email have been business staples for many years, these options aren't perfect. For starters, SMS has become the universal and immediate option for communicating with customers; however, it's mostly text-only and lacks interactivity. Emails, on the other hand, are often buried in other communications that can clutter an inbox and have declining open rates. This is where RCS messaging services come into play and are changing the game when it comes to businesses.

What is RCS Messaging?

In a nutshell, RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next generation of messaging protocol and will eventually replace SMS altogether. RCS provides for interactive and rich media communication on a mobile device. RCS merges the traditional reach of SMS with the capability of modern-day messaging applications, thus creating a significant method for businesses to communicate with their customers.

RCS messaging is often referred to as "SMS on steroids" because brands can now send messages that include images, video, GIFs, carousels, interactive buttons, and even real-time location sharing. Sending a message converted from plain text to an experience.

Key Features of RCS Messaging

Rich Media: Businesses can have audio, video, images, and GIFs included in their messages. RCS messaging improves conversations through a higher level of interactivity and graphical elements.

Actionable Buttons: RCS messages can support action buttons (e.g., Buy Now, Track Order, or Book Appointment), allowing users to act and complete the step instantly, without leaving the messaging platform.

Read Receipts and Typing Indicators: RCS has similar read statuses and typing indicators as an instant messaging app, so customers see the delivery, read, and when the user is typing. All of these increase transparency and build trust with your customers.

Brand Verification: RCS messages that are verified provide the brand's logo and name. Customers can be confident they are not receiving a scam message and lessen the risk of phishing attacks, while reinforcing brand trust.

Integrated Experiences: Your messages are hyperlinked to different sites and apps, maps, and customer support chats over the internet, allowing for effortless cross-channel engagement and experience.

How RCS Works

RCS utilizes the internet to route messages over mobile networks, and not just using the SMS gateways on mobile devices. It has redefined messaging in the mobile ecosystem as a standardized protocol to provide interoperability across devices and carriers that support RCS and the GSMA.

Benefits of Using RCS Messaging for Businesses

Message Delivery: The RCS platform sends the message over the mobile network, ensuring the message is received on any device that supports RCS. If the recipient’s device is not RCS capable, the message can roam to SMS, ensuring deliverability.

Interaction Analytics: Businesses have the ability to analyze how a recipient interacted with the message, whether the recipient clicked a button, viewed a video, or opened the message. It's important for businesses to have data since they need to know how engaging the message was to alter or adjust the direction of future marketing campaigns.

Real-Time Engagement: The interactive features and immediate response allow business to engage their customers in real time, assist them with support, confirm orders, or assist them through the purchasing experience.

Benefits of RCS Messaging for Businesses

Greater Customer Engagement: It is well documented that messages with imagery that allow for interactivity engage customers better and have a greater chance of eliciting customer action.

Greater Conversion Rate: Businesses can provide CTAs and link to purchase or book things, which gives them a greater opportunity to convert compared to a basic RCS campaign.

Personalized Messages: RCS also allows for dynamic content, which would enable businesses to send personalized messages to customers based on action, location, or interests.

Better Customer Experience: Customers have the ability to receive richer, more advanced content that could enhance their relationship with the brand or improve their experience.

Cost-Effective Marketing: Although RCS is slightly more robust than traditional SMS, it reduces development costs associated with a complex mobile app or managing multiple channels.

What is RCS Brand Rise?

As a leading provider of RCS Services, RCS Brand Rise allows businesses to take full advantage of RCS brand messaging technology. With strong features, verified messaging, and easy-to-use integrations, RCS Brand Rise can help businesses engage customers in a way that is meaningful, impactful, and personalized. Whether an e-commerce store or a service provider, RCS Brand Rise can help your brand engage customers in new ways by making it stand out from the competition. The benefits of using RCS Brand Rise include better customer relationships, brand inclusivity, and engagement like you have never had before.

Conclusion

RCS messaging services represent the future of business communication, allowing businesses to evolve from SMS, a one-way communication, to a modern messaging app environment. RCS messaging services allow for interactivity, rich media (images, videos, and documents), and actionable messaging. RCS will revolutionize engagement and customer experience, allowing businesses to engage customers and link them to a goal.

Aligning with leading platforms like RCS Brand Rise puts a business ahead of the digital marketing communication curve, engaging customers in a way that is timely, relevant, and captivating.

In this competitive digital economy, RCS is not an option for businesses that want to connect with their audience meaningfully in order to effect measurable change; RCS is a necessity.