How RCS makes texting better in the US

According to Forbes, a whopping 23 billion text messages are sent every day; that is 270,000 messages per second! Six billion of these messages are sent in the US alone, making SMS the cornerstone of communications in the region. 

As of April 2024, WhatsApp has hit an impressive milestone with two billion monthly users! Its popularity is especially strong outside the United States, making it one of the top chat apps worldwide. Messenger isn’t far, with around 1.01 billion people globally.

This global trend has provoked businesses to leverage these channels to provide conversational experiences, engaging with customers like they would with friends across the entire journey.

However, when it comes to North America, the story is different. SMS and MMS remain everyday messaging essentials for Americans. Many adults check their texts moments after receiving them, highlighting how quick and reliable these channels are.

So, why the difference between global messaging habits and the US? Well, here is what Americans say on Reddit:

According to a recent study by CTIA, 93% of US participants trust text messages more than emails, citing a low spam rate of 2.8% for texts compared to a 53% spam rate for emails. With that said, it’s not a surprise that businesses still use SMS and MMS. Even though it’s simple and secure with high open rates, American customers are open to more engaging experiences.

And when it comes to “conversational messaging” the go-to is iMessage: a combination of SMS and app-based messaging on iPhones. This channel is particularly convenient given Apple’s high penetration in the US market, providing users with a unified messaging experience across iOS devices. 

The iOS market share:

But more than anything, iMessage doesn’t need a separate app to download. Why is this important? Two words – app fatigue. A ComScore survey found that 65% of Americans won’t download a single app in a given 3-month period.

As Max Buodonno, contributing writer, mentions on ZD Net: “There have been a number of times I’ve tried texting my brother — who has a Pixel 7 Pro — something urgent, only to find out he never received my message for some reason or another. Try to send a photo over SMS, and you’ll be praying that it goes through successfully. And you can forget about video sharing; I just resort to Telegram for that. I realize I could use third-party messaging apps to solve this problem. After all, that’s what I’ve done with video sharing. But I like to have all my message threads in the same place, and I’d prefer that place to be the same app where I have all my iMessages. With RCS, I’ll finally be able to do that, even if it doesn’t get all of the features that the technology is capable of.”

But just like life imitates art, A2P (business) messaging imitates P2P messaging habits. What if you had one channel that calls roll SMS, MMS, and iMessage all into one channel?

Enter RCS.

A channel that can help you provide a secure conversational experience without the need to download another app. RCS — the future of texting in the US. Or should we say – present? 

Your customers are already using RCS for chatting with family and friends:

The US was the first country where all major operators supported RCS. However, the high penetration of iOS devices had previously limited its growth as an A2P messaging channel. 

With Apple’s recent announcement of iOS support for RCS in 2024, the adoption of this advanced messaging channel is expected to surge. RCS adoption in the US is forecasted to skyrocket to 92.9% by 2025. 

This rapid market expansion offers enterprises a compelling opportunity, especially in A2P messaging, to leverage RCS for enhanced customer engagement and communication effectiveness.

Actually, Apple is already testing RCS in the US. Want to try it out? Install iOS18 Beta on your phone, and you should be able to send RCS messages if your Mobile Network Operator (MNO) is T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T.

And along with being user-friendly, RCS ensures always-on connectivity with your customers. Imagine you go on vacation outside the US, and your mobile network operator has an outage. You cannot send texts or make calls, and you cannot stay in touch with family and friends. This would be tricky and frustrating, whether you’re traveling or just going about your daily life in the US.

However, RCS works over Wi-Fi or mobile data, ensuring your messages are delivered in real-time, even if a mobile network outage occurs. Whether you’re managing a business or staying connected with loved ones abroad, RCS offers a multipurpose solution that allows you to send multimedia messages and engage in interactive conversations globally without extra roaming charges.

RCS takes engagement to a new level, enabling conversational experiences across all touchpoints of the customer journey. From marketing to support, RCS covers it all in a single chat.

Start your marketing campaigns with high-quality images, interactive carousels, rich cards, and videos that captivate your audience. Imagine launching a new product with an interactive carousel that showcases its features and benefits, drawing customers in with visually appealing content.

As customers engage, RCS supports document and location sharing, which is ideal for customer support. When a customer needs help, they can easily share their location or relevant documents, making the support process more efficient and effective.

Interactive elements like suggested actions and quick replies guide conversations effortlessly. For example, customers can receive a rich card with product options and use quick replies to select, seamlessly moving from the chat to their shopping cart with a single tap. And AI-powered chatbots ensure that your customers have always-on support. 

With RCS, you’re not just sending messages—you’re creating an engaging, trustworthy, and seamless experience that covers all the touchpoints of your customer’s journey, all within a single chat.

But that’s not all. RCS comes with advanced analytics, so you can see how each rich card, button, or document is performing. Detailed click-through rate analysis helps you understand what your audience loves, allowing you to optimize your future communications.

Branding is another strong point of RCS. You can integrate your logo and brand colors directly into your messages, boosting your brand identity and recognition. Did you know that 78% of consumers can recall a logo’s primary color, while only 43% remember the brand’s name? By using these visual elements in your messages, you make your brand instantly recognizable, strengthening trust and connection with your audience.

Finally, RCS puts security and reliability first. Your business must undergo sender verification by Google and MNOs, ensuring your messages are trustworthy and reducing the risk of them being flagged as spam. Plus, your customers can rest easy, knowing that messages are genuinely from your business and not from fraudulent sources, which builds trust and maintains your credibility.

How is this different from SMS and MMS? Check out our blog to know more about RCS vs. SMS and MMS.

The future of RCS in the US looks promising. Predictions suggest that by 2028, the revenue generated from RCS Business Messaging could exceed $2.2 billion. The expected increase in active RCS users, driven by major MNOs and technological advancements, signals a bright future for this messaging channel. Innovations in RCS technology will continue to enhance its capabilities, making it a key tool for businesses across various industries. (Source: RCS Business Messaging 2023-2028 Strategy, Forecast – Juniper)

Now that you’ve become an RCS master explore best practices for implementing RCS across various industries:

As technology keeps advancing, RCS stays ahead in modern communication. With easy integration with Google Vertex and the help of AI, RCS is getting even smarter, offering an enhanced conversational experience. Whether you’re reaching out to new markets or staying connected with customers worldwide, RCS with AI tools make communicating easier and more effective in our digital age.

The future of mobile messaging in North America looks bright, with RCS poised to offer richer, more engaging experiences. As more enterprises adopt RCS, we can expect a significant shift in the messaging landscape, making our interactions more dynamic and immersive.

In a world where Americans remain loyal to their SMS roots, RCS emerges as a game-changer, bridging the gap between traditional texting and the advanced capabilities of modern messaging apps.