Why is RCS the Future of Personalized Mobile Marketing?

Hey there, LinkedIn fam?

How are you doing on this wonderful Wednesday?

In today’s newsletter, I’ll talk about the future of mobile marketing and how one channel can make significant changes to how we communicate using mobile in the upcoming days.

Mobile devices have become a necessity for us. Heck, we might skip taking a meal, but we never forget to charge our phones. Because smartphones allow us to manage our day-to-day activities and communicate with others promptly.?

The same is the case for businesses. Mobile marketing has evolved significantly in the past decade, transitioning from basic text messages to multimedia-rich experiences.?

However, today, mobile users expect more personalized and interactive communication from brands, challenging you to rethink your sales engagement strategies. And one of the advancements that can help you stay updated with these ever-growing demands is RCS.?

Some of you might not be aware of? RCS, but worry not, as I’ll explain it to you in the simplest way.?

What is RCS?

In technical terms, RCS is the next-generation messaging protocol developed by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) in collaboration with Google to enhance the level of communication for Android users and support cross-device conversations between Android and iOS phones.?

In simple language, it is an advanced version of the traditional SMS and MMS, with modern functionalities like media-rich messaging, read receipts, and interactive elements for effective communication. It is similar to popular messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger but works with the default messaging app on Android devices.

Plus, major carriers and Android device manufacturers are already supporting it, giving businesses the ability to run RCS marketing initiatives to reach customers through enriched, actionable messages.

Now, you might ask, “Prem, how exactly is RCS better than SMS and MMS?”

Unlike SMS, which limits communication to plain text or simple media, RCS allows you to include high-resolution images, videos, GIFs, product carousels, and even chatbots in your messaging campaigns.?

This makes it easier for your customers to interact with your messages, allowing them to access product information, browse catalogs, or complete actions like booking appointments or making purchases—all within a single chat thread.

This feature-rich communication boosts engagement and increases the overall open rates. In fact, Google says that your customers are 35x more likely to read RCS messages than their emails. This shows the outstanding reach of RCS messaging and its ability to drive conversions.?

How is RCS changing the future of mobile marketing?

Since RCS offers so many advanced conversational features, it can be an amazing channel to transform how you communicate with customers, enhancing mobile marketing from traditional text exchanges to delivering an immersive experience.?

Better interactions

Traditional SMS misses the spot when it comes to providing highly interactive customer engagement. But with RCS, you can send an interactive message containing CTA buttons and carousels to make it easy for recipients to take action.?

For example, if you are sending RCS messages to get more product sales for your e-commerce business, then by attaching a product carousel, you can compel customers to complete the purchase straight from the chat.?

Seamless two-way communication

SMS is mostly used as a one-sided channel, where you can only send marketing messages to your customers, but they don’t have the capability to reach back to you.?

On the other hand, RCS allows for real-time, two-way communication to let you have meaningful customer interactions. For instance, you can automate your outreach by setting up an RCS chatbot for answering frequently asked questions and guiding users through the purchase process.?

Personalized & contextualized messaging

Research shows that 71% of customers want to receive personalized communication for businesses. That being said, RCS enables you to create tailored marketing campaigns for driving better results.?

Also, the platform supports dynamic content for you to deliver contextually relevant messages based on user behavior or preferences since the past conversation history is readily accessible because all the messages take place in a single chat window. This leads to a more tailored experience for increased ROI.

Verified brand authenticity

When it comes to business communication, features are not the only aspects you should consider. Having a verified business identity will let you build trust and establish long-term relationships.?

RCS ensures that your company is verified by the carrier and Google before you can start using this channel to connect with your audience. Just like WhatsApp’s Green Checkmark, you can get a verified tick on your RCS profile, signaling recipients who they are talking to and whether they are a legitimate brand.?

This aspect reduces concerns around spam or fraud, ensuring secured communications and increasing the probability of customers engaging with the messages.

5G integration

As 5G networks become more widespread, RCS will benefit from the enhanced speed and lower latency of these networks. This will allow for even more seamless interactions, with faster load times for rich media and instant access to embedded features for a streamlined engagement experience.

To sum it up, RCS is shifting mobile marketing towards more immersive, engaging, and trusted experiences. With the increasing adoption of RCS, the potential to revolutionize customer-brand interactions on mobile will only grow.?

Some use cases of RCS

With the increased adoption of RCS, there are numerous ways to make use of this communication channel and leverage its capabilities to boost overall engagement. Here are some examples of how businesses, both big and small can use RCS:

B2C/ Retail

One of the most prominent uses of RCS has been in the B2C industry, where you can utilize it to provide a more interactive shopping experience. For instance, you can launch an RCS campaign that features product recommendations based on customer preferences.?

Plus, by pairing it with high-quality images and videos showcasing the products, you can convince customers to make a purchase decision directly within the messaging interface.

Traveling & hospitality

Travel agencies and hotels can also capitalize on RCS to streamline customer communication. For example, RCS can be used to send boarding passes, journey updates, and booking confirmations in a visually appealing format.?

Additionally, customers could select their seats and even order food & beverages from the chat screen (via suggestive buttons). This way, you can not only enhance satisfaction but also reduce pressure on customer service lines.

Finance

RCS can be used by banks or financial institutes to improve customer service and increase transparency. For example, a bank using RCS can provide account details, a review of recent transactions, or personalized financial advice. One particular use case for banks can also include sending RCS OTPs to verify customer actions and reduce fraudulent activities.?

It goes without saying that these use cases are just a few ways of using RCS messages. RCS can be adapted across multiple sectors to create an interactive experience. Whether it’s facilitating purchases or providing real-time updates, RCS enables you to connect with customers in a more meaningful manner.?

Final thoughts

RCS was developed so that Android users can also enjoy similar messaging experiences to iPhone users, thereby creating a universal standard for communication.

It gives you the ability to deliver rich, interactive experiences for driving engagement, resulting in increased conversions.?

As more carriers support RCS and the technology becomes more accessible, RCS will likely emerge as a critical channel in business communication. So, the quicker you start embracing it, the higher your chances of gaining a competitive edge.?

What are your thoughts on the future possibilities of RCS? Are you already using it for interacting with your audience? Share your thoughts in the comments, and I’ll see you next week.?

Cheers,?

Prem Saini