RCS in Sinch Engage: Rich, branded messaging in the native inbox 

With more than a billion RCS messages sent every day in the US alone, and businesses seeing seven times higher click-through rates with it than SMS, RCS (Rich Communication Services) represents an enormous growth area for business messaging.  

Starting December 1, RCS will be available across Sinch Engage so you can send rich, branded, interactive messages – whether you want to send from our web app, API, or our HubSpot integration (with more integrations to come). 

Here’s an overview of how RCS in Sinch Engage works, the value it brings to your customer communications, top RCS use cases, and how to get started today.

How RCS works in Sinch Engage 

Sending an RCS message 

There are no extra apps to download (either for you or your message recipients) when you send an RCS in Sinch Engage. RCS messages get sent by your carrier just like SMS, so when you’re in the Sinch Engage platform, sending an RCS campaign is just as easy as sending an SMS.  

Since RCS messages support rich media and interactive chat functionality that SMS doesn’t, you’ll find additional options for sending RCS in Sinch Engage including: 

• Choosing your message content type, Rich Cards or Text Message 
  • If Rich Cards: Incorporate standalone media, rich card, or carousel 
  • If Text Message: Incorporate Up to 2,000 characters and up to four optional button types: 
    • Quick reply 
    • Open a URL 
    • Call a phone number 
    • Share a location 
• SMS fallback message: This is what your recipients receive if their device does not support RCS messages.  

To make it even easier for you to learn and visualize how RCS works, we’ve made a quick demo of how to send an RCS in Sinch Engage: 

Compared to SMS, RCS messages offer the benefit of being Branded, Verified, Interactive, and Immersive. 

RCS is also available in HubSpot Workflows 

Using HubSpot for customer communication? Our HubSpot integration allows you to automate RCS campaigns directly from your Workflows.  

Here’s what that means for you: 

• Capture engagement with rich media – Send interactive RCS messages with images, buttons, and carousels triggered by HubSpot automations. 
• Build trust with verified brand messages – Stand out in the inbox with verified sender IDs. 
• Optimize with real-time insights – Track reads, clicks, and replies directly in HubSpot. 

Shrewsbury College, a leading UK college and one of our valued customers, is already using RCS via the Sinch Engage & HubSpot integration to promote upcoming courses, apprenticeships, and qualification exams. They have seen an improvement in key metrics like increased applications, and improved student engagement and response times, while simultaneously reducing administrative burden. 

“We’ve built some really complex workflows,” says Miles Porton, Shrewsbury College’s Website Coordinator. “Before Sinch Engage, if a student didn’t respond to an email, we didn’t have an alternative communication channel. Now we can trigger a text or RCS message as a follow-up, which keeps the conversation going.” 

Read more about how Shrewsbury College uses Sinch Engage with HubSpot for SMS & RCS or explore our app yourself in the HubSpot App marketplace.  

The value of RCS: More engagement and conversions 

RCS’s rich, interactive nature allows you to turn every conversation into a more visual, trusted, and measurable experience. With RCS now live in Sinch Engage, that means our users instantly benefit from four key value pillars: 

1. Branded messaging without an additional app. Send high-impact messages with your logo, images, and action buttons – all delivered straight to your customer’s inbox in the same way you’d send an SMS.  
2. Visual, engaging conversations that convert. Turn one-way messages into interactive threads with carousels, suggested replies, and clickable CTAs, which invite your reader to read, respond, and engage more. 
3. Built to fit your stack and scale. Whether through Sinch Engage’s no-code builder, via the Engage API, or our integrations, RCS flexes to meet your volume, automation, and compliance needs. 
4. Verified and secure. Every branded message is sent from your verified RCS Agent. Plus, SMS fallback ensures you always reach your customers no matter what

RCS use cases  

So many customer conversations can benefit from rich media and interactivity – but the reality is that many messages get sent as text-only SMS due to cost, deliverability, or operational reasons (like assuming you need to download another app).

With RCS now available in Sinch Engage’s secure messaging platform, you can easily incorporate eye-catching media, carousels, and suggested replies into your existing SMS strategy – delighting your customers and increasing engagement right from the same platform you send SMS. 

Here are a few example RCS use cases you can now explore in Sinch Engage that can immediately drive more ROI out of business texting: 

RCS for promotional messages 

Drive more engagement for your marketing messages with engaging visuals and tappable CTAs: 

• Offers, discounts, product updates 
• Campaigns and launches 
• Reminders to complete a purchase (e.g., abandoned cart) 

RCS for reliable transactional updates 

Deliver important, timely information with more clarity and brand presence: 

• Fraud or security alerts 
• Confirmations (tickets, appointments, purchases) 
• Travel, delivery, or service updates 
• Account or product updates 
• Feedback requests or news alerts 

RCS for secure authentication (OTP & 2FA) 

Send trusted, branded verification messages customers can act on instantly: 

• OTP / 2FA 
• Password resets 
• Online transaction approvals 

RCS messaging availability and how to get started 

With this product launch, RCS is now available in the Sinch Engage platform across most of our core regions including US, UK, Germany, Spain, and France. 

Pricing and functionality is tailored to each market’s plan structure: Explore our RCS overview page for more FAQs and feature highlights, or talk to one of our experts if you have questions about regional availability.   

Whenever you’re ready to go, our team will walk you through every step. The process itself is simple: 

• Submit your RCS Agent Registration inside Sinch Engage 
• Complete carrier and Google approval 
• Confirm RCS terms and pricing 
• Start sending rich messages (no developer needed) 

Getting started with RCS 

Here’s a quick video overview for RCS registration – from RCS Agent setup to sending your first test message in five minutes: 

Ready to add RCS to your customer engagement strategy? 

RCS is one of the fastest-growing messaging channels in the world today and it’s currently the best way to stand out in the native inbox (where customer attention is highest). And with this product update, it’s easier than ever to bring it into your existing messaging workflows with Sinch Engage.  

Start your RCS journey: Connect with our team to discuss your goals and next steps, or get started now by exploring our messaging platform yourself.