RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is the next generation of mobile messaging that’s designed to replace traditional SMS and MMS. It brings together the reliability of text messaging with the rich, interactive features that users expect from modern apps. In practice, this means messages can include images, videos, buttons, carousels, and branded elements. These can all be displayed directly inside a customer’s default messaging app, without needing any extra downloads.

This means that RCS lets brands deliver a far more engaging experience. Imagine sending a product launch message that includes a high-quality image, a Shop now button, and your brand’s verified sender name, all inside the same thread. Post-purchase updates can show order details, delivery tracking, or even a map preview. Because RCS supports interactive buttons, it can guide customers smoothly from awareness to action in just one tap. Unlike SMS, which is plain text, RCS also allows you to measure engagement through delivery and read receipts, so you can better understand what resonates with your audience.

How RCS will work in Engage

From next year Engage will include support for RCS messaging. From a user perspective, creating an RCS message will be like creating email campaigns. You’ll work within the Design Studio, which you'll know from creating email sendouts. You can build messages using templates, add personalization through dynamic data fields, and manage sendouts through your existing marketing groups. Scheduling, previewing, and analytics will also work in much the same way. This continuity means you can use your existing marketing knowledge and workflows with minimal adjustment.

You’ll be able to personalize each message with variables such as customer name or order details, making the experience more relevant. Once your message is ready, you’ll send it to your chosen marketing group and Engage will handle delivery across supported devices. If a recipient’s network or device doesn’t yet support RCS, it will be possible to fall back to a standard SMS version, ensuring that everyone still receives the communication.

Another benefit is that because RCS messages are delivered through your customers’ default mobile messaging app, they offer a more visual, conversational experience optimised for small screens. The Design Studio keeps the same familiar workflow: You start with a template, personalise your message, define your audience, and schedule your sendout. Before sending, you can preview both the RCS and fallback SMS versions to ensure your content looks great in all formats. 

Global rollout and device support

RCS availability varies between countries, carriers, and devices, and the rollout is still expanding globally. Many Android devices already support RCS natively, but Apple devices do not yet support RCS in all countries, meaning those users will continue to receive SMS fallback messages for now.

As with any emerging technology, there are differences in how RCS is implemented by carriers and device manufacturers. Engage will handle this automatically: if a device or carrier cannot display an RCS message, it will simply receive the SMS version instead. This approach ensures consistent communication while allowing you to take advantage of RCS where it’s supported.

Why RCS matters

RCS represents a major step forward for mobile marketing. With support for rich media, interactivity, and verified branding, it lets you deliver more engaging, trusted, and visually appealing messages directly to your customers. Early results from messaging providers suggest that RCS campaigns can achieve higher engagement and conversion rates than traditional SMS, thanks to their richer, more interactive format.

This means that you have a new way to connect with customers without adding complexity to your workflows.

Want to get started with your RCS registration? Open the Step-by-step guide.

Article last reviewed 11 December 2025 10:51