RCS benchmarks and success stories every marketer should know

Marketers are under more pressure than ever. Campaigns need to land fast, feel personal, and drive measurable ROI – all while an audience scrolls by in seconds.

Inboxes are overloaded. Ads are easy to ignore. And even SMS can fall short when you’re trying to truly connect with your customers.

That’s why more brands are turning to Rich Communications Services (RCS), a messaging protocol that brings branded, app-like experiences directly into a user’s default messaging app. This means branded visuals, interactive buttons, carousels, videos, and more – all within a native mobile channel customers regularly use.

More and more brands are using RCS to stand out and are seeing measurable results. But when it comes to tracking an RCS marketing campaign, what does “good” actually look like? And how do you know if you’re hitting the right benchmarks?

Let’s dive into the data – and the real-world stories – that show what’s possible when RCS is done right.

With over one and a half billion active users and growing support from Apple, RCS is quickly becoming one of the dynamic messaging channels in business communication today.

And the momentum isn’t just hype. In our 2024 BFCM Communications Survey, 51.2% of consumers said they’re likely to engage with interactive mobile messages like RCS. That tells us that richer messaging experiences are what consumers expect.

_{Lodema Steinbach, VP of Product & Carrier Relations, breaks down why RCS can be such a gamechanger for businesses.}

And what can marketers stand to gain from RCS? Here’s what they’re paying attention to:

• Branded messaging: Every RCS message comes with an official brand name, logo, color schemes, and verified sender details.
• Verified sender profiles: Boosts trust at first glance by confirming your brand’s identity before the recipient even opens a message.
• Rich media: Add carousels, videos, CTAs, and more for better engagement.
• Native mobile inbox delivery: Messages are delivered straight to a user’s default messaging app (no downloads required).
• Actionable insights: Marketers can track opens, clicks, reads, and replies directly.

RCS isn’t new or experimental as a business messaging channel – it’s nearly two decades in the making, and is now optimized for today’s mobile-first marketing strategies. And because of that, there’s now enough real-world data to establish reliable benchmarks for marketing teams.

Here’s what RCS performance typically looks like:

• Open rates: RCS frequently has open rates above 90%.
• Read rates: A good RCS campaign can achieve read rates of over 70%, often much higher.
• Click-through rates (CTRs): Brands have seen CTRs three to seven times higher than SMS, which averages around 20%. A good RCS campaign could significantly boost clicks to your offer.  
• Conversion rate: Because it’s so engaging, RCS frequently sees higher conversion rates than other channels. Conversion rates over 80% are common.  
• Engagement time: RCS can hold attention for up to 45 seconds – quite a feat in today’s fast-scrolling world.
• ROI: A good interactive RCS campaign can increase average order value by nearly 10% compared to other channels.

These numbers consistently outperform other channels, and that’s part of the reason marketers are so excited about RCS. And the best part? They’re backed by real outcomes. We’ll look at that next.

Seeing is believing, right? Let’s take a look at how leading brands have used RCS to drive impressive results.

Picard, a beloved French retail brand, used RCS to send promotional holiday offers. They let customers choose holiday menu options with a rich, conversational experience that felt tailored just for them. And it worked!

• 42% higher engagement than Rich SMS
• 3x higher click-through rate than Rich SMS
• 10% more web traffic driven via RCS

This aligns with the 79.8% of consumers in our 2024 BFCM Communications Survey who said personalized recommendations impact their decisions. Turns out, giving people what they want in an interactive format gets results!

Micromania-Zing, the gaming retailer, took their holiday marketing to the next level by using suggested replies to guide shoppers in their shopping journeys. And it had great results:

• 86% higher read rate vs. email newsletters
• 7x higher CTR than Rich SMS

It’s a powerful example of how simplifying the customer journey can drive real, measurable results.

One of Europe’s leading skincare brand, Clarins, used RCS for seasonal promotions, pairing a branded profile with engaging visuals and clear CTAs.

• 79% read rate
• 22% click-through rate

Even better? Those numbers were significantly higher than the same campaign sent via Rich SMS. RCS clearly made Clarins’ seasonal campaigns more compelling.

BUT, a big-name home retail brand, used RCS to re-energize rebate offers that had traditionally diminishing returns with Rich SMS. The returns of RCS speak for themselves:

• 13.3% click-through rate
• Doubled ROI compared to other channels
• 123% increase in WhatsApp opt-ins via RCS

By using RCS as a bridge to other messaging channels, BUT turned a single campaign into long-term engagement.

The best RCS campaigns combine interactivity, personalization, and timing. Here are some smart, high-impact ways to use RCS today:  

• Abandoned cart nudges: Bring a forgotten cart back to focus with an image carousel that reminds shoppers what they’re missing.
• Loyalty rewards updates: Keep your best customers in the loop with updates on new rewards or exclusive offers.
• Product launch previews: Use videos to update your subscribers directly in their native mobile messaging app – no need to send people elsewhere.
• Interactive surveys or quick polls: Get easy feedback as customers engage with single tap replies that feel more like chatting. Bonus: You get clean, actionable data in return!
• Transactional notifications: Receipts, one-time passwords, delivery updates, and more can be on-brand, trustworthy, and a whole lot more helpful for your customers when they’re sent via RCS.
• Flash sale countdowns: Create urgency and action with timed offers and interactive CTAs.

RCS is a great messaging channel for marketing, but you’ll still need to keep best practices in mind. These tips will help you drive strong performance.

• Be true to your brand: Ensure your messages reflect your brand’s voice and values. RCS allows for rich features, so use these to your advantage.
• Personalize: Use consumer data to tailor your messages to individual preferences. Personalized messages will perform better!
• Think mobile-first: RCS is a mobile messaging channel, so you need to get your mindset into engagement there – big visuals, short copy, clear CTAs.
• Pair with other messaging channels: RCS works best when it’s used as part of a broader omnichannel marketing strategy. Combine it with SMS, email, and other messaging channels to reach customers at the right time.
• Make it easy to opt in and out: The good news? You can use the same opt-in for SMS that you have to send RCS. But just as important, you’ll need to make it easy to opt in and out. This experience, and respecting your customers’ preferences, will build trust.

And – perhaps most importantly – test and learn! RCS is new territory for many marketers, so testing and iterating will help you understand what good looks like for your organization and audience.

Apple’s support for RCS in iOS 18 marks a massive shift in messaging, and marketers have an opportunity to lead the charge rather than play catch up.

Our 2024 Customer Connections survey found that 77.9% of consumers now prefer to hear from brands through multiple channels, with messaging apps on par with email and social platforms in perceived value. We expect that preference will only grow in 2025, as consumer expectations for richer, more interactive messaging continues to grow.

Enterprise brands are already proving that RCS delivers real engagement. And with richer messaging becoming the new standard, now’s the time to start building RCS into your customer journeys.

The best part? You don’t need to overhaul your current systems to get started with RCS – it can work right alongside SMS, email, and other messaging channels, making it easy to plug into your existing marketing strategy.

Curious to see what RCS can do for your brand? Connect with the Sinch team to start building smarter, more engaging messaging journeys today.