RCS campaign: the guide to successful SMS 2.0 sends

Standard SMS is showing its limits. Brands now need a channel that can enrich their mobile communication. That is exactly what RCS (Rich Communication Services) offers. This format reinvents the customer relationship with rich messages and a conversational approach.

How do you actually roll out this new channel? This guide walks you through designing, testing and sending your RCS campaign from A to Z.

To understand how it works technically, its pricing model and its regulations, read our full article on RCS marketing.

What is an RCS campaign?

What is RCS?

Developed by mobile operators and Google, RCS is a mobile communication channel designed to enrich traditional SMS.

What are the key features of an RCS campaign?

Why send RCS campaigns?

What are the differences between an RCS and an SMS campaign?

Standard SMS campaign and RCS campaign compared

Criteria	Standard SMS	RCS
Sender	Unverified sender name (Sender ID)	Verified brand identity (logo, Google certification)
Connection required	Works without an internet connection	Active internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi)
Content format	Plain text limited to 160 characters	Rich content (images, videos, product carousels, etc.)
Interactivity	Hyperlinks	Action and quick reply buttons
Type of exchange	One-way communication	Conversational experience
Performance tracking	Delivery receipts	Real-time tracking of reads, clicks and interactions

RCS transforms your communication: it lets you capture your customers’ attention instantly and drive their engagement. Compared with a plain text message, this rich format (visuals, carousels, interactive buttons) increases clicks, maximises conversion rates and simplifies the customer’s path to purchase.

SMS fallback for full deliverability

To receive an RCS campaign, customers need a compatible smartphone and an active internet connection on their phone (4G, 5G or Wi-Fi). With SMS fallback, available directly in the WAX platform, your message automatically switches to a standard SMS if it can’t be delivered as RCS. This mechanism maximises your marketing campaign’s deliverability.

How to send an RCS campaign step by step with WAX

Step 1: Register and verify your RCS agent

Before sending your first messages, you need to submit your company name, logo and a description to Google and the mobile operators to create a certified RCS agent. With WAX, your agent is approved in less than a week, so you can launch your campaigns quickly.

Step 2: Set your goal and target audience

You can reuse your SMS opt-in base for your RCS campaigns, and also grow your contact list through other collection points (website pop-up, checkbox at checkout, email campaigns, in store, etc.).

Bear in mind, though, that a targeted send is far more effective than a general campaign to your whole base. By segmenting your contacts precisely in the platform by average order value, interests or purchase history, you bring a tailored offer to each customer. This maximises engagement and conversion.

Step 3: Design your rich message in WAX

Write copy true to your brand’s tone, with a punchy hook to grab the recipient’s attention from the first lines. Then enhance your message with photos, videos or product carousels, along with action buttons or quick replies to smooth the path to purchase.

To increase your campaign’s impact, you can also insert dynamic variables such as the customer’s first name: this personalisation drives engagement and speeds up conversion.

Step 4: Test your message

Before sending your RCS campaign widely, the WAX platform lets you send a test message straight to your own phone to check how your campaign really looks. This feature is essential to guarantee a flawless result before the final send.

Step 5: Send your RCS campaign at the right time

Choosing when to send is key to capturing your recipients’ attention. First, make sure you follow the af2m code of conduct: in France, marketing campaigns may be sent Monday to Saturday from 8am to 9.30pm, and are discouraged on Sundays and public holidays.

Favour the moments when your customers are receptive, such as lunchtime, early morning or the end of the day. To start, rely on the open-rate peaks of your email campaigns, then vary your send slots to identify the best-performing time for your brand.

Step 6: Handle replies

RCS is a conversational channel, so to keep your recipients satisfied, it is essential to handle their replies. WAX gives you several options to manage them:

• WAX AI + customer service: hand everyday requests to our AI for instant support, and transfer complex queries to your teams.
• WAX AI only: automate 100% of replies for responsive, round-the-clock support, without involving your advisers.
• Customer service only: route every message to your teams for a fully personal, human exchange.
• Automatic replies: set up template messages (generic or tailored to each campaign) to redirect customers to your website or a dedicated channel.

Step 7: Measure and analyse your performance

Once your RCS campaign is sent, access all your key metrics in real time in WAX: delivery, read, click, engagement and conversion rates. Analysing these results helps you identify the content that performs best with your customers and optimise your future sends.

4 high-impact RCS campaign examples

New collection launch

Choose an RCS campaign with an interactive carousel to showcase your best-sellers or a new collection. Customers dive into your brand’s world straight from their messaging app, and you simplify their path to purchase. On WAX, this type of campaign reaches conversion rates of up to 10%.

Private sales and early access

Reward your most loyal customers with an early-access offer or an exclusive RCS campaign. Your recipients feel privileged, which strengthens their engagement while naturally boosting their purchase intent. Brands typically see conversion rates of up to 12% with this approach.

Flash sales

An RCS campaign is ideal for announcing a short-lived sale and creating a sense of urgency. Pair action buttons with a time-limited offer to grab your customers’ attention as soon as the message arrives and boost your sales. On the WAX platform, these flash sales convert at up to 10%.

Brand anniversary

For your company’s anniversary, send a message with a video or a festive visual to thank your customers. Pair this gesture with an exclusive reward or a fun quiz using quick reply buttons. This approach humanises your communication, strengthens attachment to your brand and generates conversion rates of up to 7% on average.

How to choose a tool to send an RCS campaign

An easy-to-use platform

To send your RCS marketing campaigns, choose an intuitive, user-friendly platform. Your tool should let you design rich messages in a few clicks, without any technical skills.

A test feature is also essential to protect the user experience: make sure your teams can preview exactly how your campaign looks on a smartphone before scheduling the final send.

Integration with your existing tools

To be fully effective, your solution should integrate directly with your e-commerce tools (Shopify, PrestaShop), marketing tools (Klaviyo, Yotpo, Splio, Adobe, Salesforce, Attentive, Batch, etc.) and support tools (Gorgias, Zendesk).

This sync simplifies retrieving contact data, makes customer segmentation easier and makes conversion tracking more reliable.

Multichannel management

To make sure every message gets through, choose a tool with automatic SMS fallback, the key to maximum deliverability. Also consider running campaigns on WhatsApp, a preferred channel for talking with your most loyal and engaged customers.

Bringing all these levers together in a single interface simplifies your day-to-day management. It also lets you compare each channel’s performance to refine your mobile communication strategy.