Creating an RCS Message

Goals and Outcomes

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an advanced messaging technology that enhances traditional SMS with rich media. It supports up to 1,600 characters, allowing you to deliver more engaging, personalized, and visually appealing content to customers—all in a single message.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create an RCS message in Yotpo SMS & Email.

RCS Overview

With Yotpo’s multi-message campaign builder, you can easily send an RCS message in just a few steps. RCS falls under the same compliance regulations as SMS marketing, so there's no need to gather additional consent. If a customer has agreed to receive SMS marketing messages, this consent also applies to RCS.

Important

Currently, RCS messaging is offered only in the US. It is available to selected merchants and requires registration for the service. To learn more, see Registering for RCS Messaging.

Accessing the RCS Message Composer

To access the RCS message composer, open the multi-message campaign builder:

1. On the Yotpo SMS & Email home page, click Create campaign in the header.

2. Select Multi-message and click Create campaign.

3. Add an RCS message to the campaign and the composer will open on the right.

Creating an RCS Message

To create an RCS message, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Choose a name for the RCS step

To change the name of the RCS step, click the edit (pencil) icon in the composer’s header. In the modal that appears, enter the new name and click Save.

Step 2: Craft your message

We will now guide you through the key components of an effective RCS message.

Content

This is where you can unleash your creativity by writing a fun and engaging text. A pre-set message will appear in the RCS message box, but you can always change it, so it matches your brand’s voice.

Important

Mobile carriers require opt-out language in marketing messages to prevent spam complaints. To make sure you stay compliant at all times, the “Stop to opt out” verbiage will be included in all your RSC messages.

Visuals

To make your message even more compelling, click the image box in the bottom right corner of the copy editor. You can upload your own file or choose from the available media libraries, including Pexels, Giphy GIFs, and Giphy Stickers. You can upload only one image per message that meets the requirements below:

• Recommended size: 400 x 300 px

• Maximum file size: 100 MB

• Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, and GIF

Tip

When you add a JPEG or PNG image, it will load in the built-in image editor. The default crop frame is set to a 4:3 aspect ratio due to limitations of the RCS technology. Use the slider to zoom in and out and move the frame to select the portion of the image you want to include in your message. You can see how the image will appear in the dynamic preview on the right.

Note

If you send an RCS campaign to recipients with phone numbers outside the US or US numbers that don’t support RCS, a fallback message will be sent. Customers in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Australia will receive an MMS, while those in other countries will receive an SMS.

Next to the image box, you’ll see a smiley face button, which allows you to add an emoji and even more flavor to your message. Note that each emoji is counted as 2 characters.

Message length

One of the greatest advantages of RCS is that it supports up to 1,600 characters when including an image and 1,000 characters for plain text, giving you the freedom to be creative with your message. In comparison, an SMS message supports up to 160 characters, but adding a special character or emoji reduces the limit to 70 characters.

Note

An SMS can be combined with other SMS messages to create a longer sequence. In contrast, RCS messages have a 1,600-character limit, and you can only send one RCS message at a time.

Personalization tags

Personalization tags fetch dynamic customer information directly. Use them to make your message much more personalized and engaging. Some of the most commonly used tags are Site name and First name. You can see all available options under the RCS message box. Choose which tags to add to your message by simply clicking each one.

Business details

To ensure that your brand complies with anti-spam regulations in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Yotpo allows you to add your business details to messages. Insert the Business details tag in the message and when customers receive it, the tag will be replaced by a link. Clicking it will take them to a dedicated landing page with your brand’s business information.

Note

The tag will be visible in the composer only if the Business details landing page is activated. To turn it on, go to Yotpo SMS & Email main menu > Settings > General Settings > Compliance tab. For more information, see Compliance Settings.

Step 3: Review fallback message

If the RCS message cannot be delivered, recipients will receive a fallback message with the same text as the original RCS. The fallback can be an MMS if the RCS includes an image or an SMS (or multiple SMS messages depending on the length of the original message).

Important

In the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Australia, customers will receive an MMS. Outside these countries, customers will get an SMS.

In the Text message fallback section, you will find the SMS composer displaying the text of the original RCS message. You can edit the content, but keep in mind that any changes you make will not be reflected in the original.

If the original message does not include an image, or if the image is removed from the fallback, a label will indicate how many fallback SMS messages each customer will receive. However, if the original message contains an image and it’s not removed, no label will appear, as the fallback will be sent as an MMS.

To check how many SMS messages customers in regions without MMS support will receive, review the character count in the SMS composer and select the relevant country.

Step 4: Configure message settings

Under Settings, you can edit the date and time when the message will be sent.

Note

If you select hours that coincide with your quiet hours settings and this affects more than 50 percent of your audience, you will be notified that those subscribers will receive the text message after the quiet hours period ends. To learn more about quiet hours, see Compliance Settings.

Once you’re ready with the message’s content, click Save.

Step 5: Preview and test message

We recommend you send a test of your RCS message to ensure everything looks as expected before sending it out to customers. Note that both the test number and the receiving device must support RCS.