RCS Marketing: definition, advantages, and limitations for your marketing campaigns
A mobile message that displays your brand, presents your products with images, and allows action in one click: that is the promise of the RCS marketing. This channel enhances interactions between companies and their customers, directly within a compatible phone messaging app.
Available at Efidem for a few months, RCS has been accessible from our interface Snappy. But how does it work? What are its advantages and its limits? And why can it be simpler to set up than WhatsApp for your campaigns?
What is RCS Marketing?
Visit RCS, for Rich Communication Services, is a messaging protocol that enhances mobile communication beyond traditional SMS. It is no longer limited to 160 alphanumeric characters and notably allows users to share multimedia content and benefit from delivery and read receipts.
For businesses, we talk about RCS Business Messaging, or RCS for Business. Messages can combine a brand identity, visuals, rich cards, and action buttons. The recipient receives them in a compatible messaging app, without having to install your company's app.
Imagine a brand announcing its new collection. An SMS can transmit text and a link. An RCS campaign can present a selection of products and offer a «Discover the collection» button. The reader thus has a preview of the offer before opening the site.
What are the benefits of RCS marketing?
A more easily identifiable brand
The professional profile allows you to present your company with its name and logo. Verified identity helps the recipient recognize the sender, a useful cue when receiving numerous requests on their phone.
More visual and interactive messages
Images, videos, carousels, and buttons make it possible to adapt the presentation to the message. An invitation can lead to a registration page; a product announcement to its product sheet; practical information to a route. The available formats depend on the capabilities of the device and the service used.
More indicators to evaluate your campaigns
RCS can provide information on reading and interactions, depending on available events. This data helps compare messages and calls to action. It does not guarantee conversion: you also need to measure what happens after the click. Features of RCS for Business.
For a first try, choose a specific goal: get a sign-up, generate a visit to a product page, or make it easier to get in touch. A short message, a relevant visual, and a primary action make up a simple foundation for analyzing the results.
Why can RCS be easier to set up than WhatsApp?
For a company that already uses SMS, RCS can be a natural evolution: the mobile number remains the point of contact, and the message arrives in a compatible messaging app on the phone. There is no need for the recipient to have a WhatsApp account.
The difference also concerns the organization of the campaigns. On WhatsApp Business Platform, company-initiated messages require approved templates. Free-form replies are possible within 24 hours of the user's last message; beyond that, an approved template is required.
RCS marketing does not impose this same mechanism of WhatsApp templates and response window. It nevertheless requires the creation and validation of a RCS agent, meaning the profile representing your brand. Google, the operators, or both are involved in approving the launch. This feature secures the messages sent, and content rules also apply.
The gain in simplicity therefore depends on your starting point. If your goal is to enrich existing mobile campaigns, RCS is worth considering. If your customers are already interacting with your customer service on WhatsApp, the latter may retain all of its value.
What are the disadvantages of RCS Marketing?
Compatibility that varies depending on the recipients
Not all phones can receive all business RCS messages. Availability depends, among other factors, on the device, operating system, messaging app, carrier, and country. On iPhone, RCS requires a compatible version of iOS and a carrier that supports it. Support for person-to-person RCS is not enough to guarantee support for business campaigns. Apple's explanations regarding RCS Marketing.
An internet connection is required
RCS messaging uses a Wi-Fi connection or mobile data. It is therefore necessary to account for recipients who cannot be reached on this channel.
Efidem offers a fallback to SMS when RCS is not available. It remains necessary to prepare a coherent text version: an SMS does not reproduce the images and buttons of the rich message. Discover Efidem's RCS marketing solution.
Preparation to plan ahead
Agent validation must be integrated into the project schedule. Rich content also requires preparing visuals and testing the rendering. Before a major send, multi-device testing helps verify readability, links, and the proposed user journey.
A budget to be assessed according to your usage
The cost of a campaign depends on the selected offer, the destinations, and the formats used. Compare the budget to the business objective: cost per useful visit, per registration, or per sale. A richer format is only worthwhile if it adds something to your message.
Consent rules to respect
Having a phone number is not enough to authorize marketing solicitation. Google's rules require informed consent and a simple way to opt out. Before reusing an existing database, verify that the permissions collected cover the intended use. RCS Business Messaging Guidelines.
Launch your RCS campaigns with Efidem and Snappy
Do you want to add RCS messaging to your mobile communications? Efidem supports you in registering your agent and offers a solution to create, send, and track your messages. The service is available from our interface. Snappy.
To start, just like a email campaign, identify a test campaign and audience. Prepare your message, its visual, and the expected action, then evaluate the results before scaling up sends.
Want to test RCS marketing for your business? Discover our RCS campaign offer marketing and let's discuss your project
