Unlocking the Power of RCS with OneSignal and Google

If you’ve been wondering when messaging would finally catch up to the way people actually use their phones, the answer is: as we speak.

From Nespresso’s 73% read rates to Axis Bank’s 4x higher click-throughs and IHG’s seamless search-to-chat experience, brands across industries are proving just how powerful rich messaging can be.

In our recent session with Google, we explored the strategies behind these results, and why RCS is quickly becoming the default for rich mobile messaging.

Catch the highlights below!

The RCS opportunity in a nutshell

• RCS brings the power and flexibility of the browser into the messaging app.
• With Apple’s support in 2024, RCS has become the industry-standard for text messaging, with over a billion people worldwide currently using it every month.
• Send images, files, wallets, and passes, making it far more expansive than traditional SMS.
• Google & OneSignal expect a big uptick in RCS adoption in 2026 as more people realize the benefits of rich, more secure, and revenue-friendly interactions.
• OneSignal’s visual RCS editor allows anyone to design RCS messages, exactly how it will appear on customers’ phones.

The RCS difference

RCS offers a noticeable difference for users, transforming messages from "unknown numbers" immediately into interactions with familiar brands, logos, and visuals.

Key features that enhance the experience and build trust include:

• Verified and Branded Sender: The verified and branded sender appears upon the first interaction, which is critical for trust, especially with aggressive spam filtering. Carriers verify these profiles, providing immediate and powerful recognition to the user, complete with your brand's name and logo.
• Rich Media Experience: Brands can leverage cards, carousels, images, PDFs, and GIFs.
• Easier Engagement: RCS supports buttons, quick replies, and quick actions.
• Web Views: This powerful feature allows a link to open right within the messaging channel, offering a seamless, app-like experience that avoids redirecting the user to a separate browser. This creates "infinite possibility" for creating interactions.

The results speak for themselves: brands are seeing high engagement from these rich interactions, which is leading to significantly more revenue. RCS is supported on iOS devices, ensuring the same impact for a wider audience.

RCS in action: Real-world results

We were delighted to have Alexandre Allemand, Business Development Lead for Google Messaging, share three main areas where RCS is driving customer engagement:

Marketing promotional campaigns

Nespresso France used a guided, interactive, and playful RCS journey during the end-of-year holidays. They saw a 73% read rate, a 2.3x higher click-through rate (CTR) versus SMS, and a 3.7x higher lift in purchase intent compared to SMS.

Transactional messaging

Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India. They use RCS to support loan inquiries and credit card applications, seeking an innovative channel beyond SMS. Axis sends 10 million messages overall per month, saw a 6.5% increase of service requests created via their chatbot, and reported a 4x greater click rate versus SMS.

Customer care

IHG Hotels & Resorts utilized RCS to enable click-to-message from Google Search, bridging the user experience from search directly to a one-on-one conversational experience. They also implemented a feature to deflect calls to messaging, giving users the option to enter a conversation with an agent via messaging instead of voice. This helps reduce operational costs and improves customer care satisfaction.

On average, across all observed use cases, RCS typically sees 50% to 150% higher CTR versus SMS.

It’s the perfect time to start with RCS

The rise of RCS marks a turning point in mobile messaging: a shift toward interactions that feel personal, seamless, and genuinely useful. With OneSignal’s visual editor and Google’s robust ecosystem, bringing these experiences to your customers has never been more accessible.

If you’re ready to unlock richer engagement and measurable results, our team would love to help you get started.

Reach out to our team to learn more about RCS and get started today!