Guide to Messaging Channels for 2025

Modern Business Messaging Cultivates a Richer Customer Experience

You have multiple messaging channels to pick from when engaging customers today, each with its unique advantages.

There's short message service (SMS), which many people use for everyday texting. Then, there's SMS's multimedia-enabled cousin, multimedia messaging service (MMS), which can handle emojis, images, audio and video clips, and longer text messages.

Popular social chat apps, like WhatsApp, are a central part of this messaging universe, too. WhatsApp allows for more sophisticated communication with customers, better protection from spoofing and fraud, and integration with your marketing, customer care, and e-commerce platforms.

But as businesses look to the future of customer engagement, RCS stands out as an especially promising channel. Already used by more than 1 billion people worldwide on Android devices, with 2.1 billion active users expected globally by the end of 2026, RCS is now available to Apple customers using iOS 18.1* or better on their devices. RCS offers more robust features, enhanced security, and a better user experience over SMS, but it doesn't require downloading an extra app, and it can be more cost-effective for businesses. It also has higher read and response rates than conventional channels, offering an attractive return on investment for your communications spend.

RCS Messaging Delivers Future-Ready Business Communication

Business communication isn't about choosing a single channel; it's about meeting your customers where they are and giving them a great customer experience there. Digital customer engagement, which began with simple text messages, now encompasses rich, interactive conversations that drive engagement and commerce.

What is RCS messaging, and what role does it play in modern business messaging? As the new default messaging standard on carrier-provided smartphones, RCS delivers a visually engaging experience with images, videos, and GIFs, along with interactive elements, like suggested replies and action buttons — right to the default messaging application where your customers already receive SMS messages. This means your RCS messages appear exactly where your customers already expect to hear from you, making it natural and convenient for them to respond..

With RCS, your customers can easily schedule appointments, make purchases, or access maps without leaving their native messaging app. This saves them time and provides a more convenient experience, increasing the likelihood they'll remain engaged with your business. You can even provide suggested replies (customized, if you wish) to make the experience even more convenient.

RCS gives you the ability to send messages up to 3,072 characters, along with rich media like images and videos, as well as interactive buttons that invite immediate action. This powerful combination of longer messages and engaging features generates more impactful results than SMS. For example, when a customer can tap a button to make a purchase or schedule an appointment directly within your message, they’re more likely to follow through. And since businesses typically pay for each SMS message they send, RCS is more cost-effective for longer and more nuanced communications.

Verified branding can also help reduce fraud compared to SMS and give your customers crucial peace of mind. RCS even provides better metrics, including client-based delivery receipts and read receipts. In addition, RCS metrics give you detailed insight into how your communications are performing, so you can continue to optimize them.

RCS vs. SMS

When you send your customer an SMS message, you only have a limited canvas to work with. You have to use plain text, and you only have 160 characters per message. When the customer receives your message, they might see your company name (known as an alphatag) if it’s a one-way message. For two-way communications, however, they’ll only see a phone number or a short code. As a result, they may question whether your message is legitimate and decide not to respond to it. On top of that, because you have limited insight into whether your message was delivered to the customer, it's hard to know whether your communication was successful.

RCS solves these common business messaging challenges in several ways. With RCS, your message arrives with your verified business name and your logo prominently displayed, so your customer can trust it came from you. Then they're more likely to read and respond to your message. Because of the longer text limits and rich features that customers can click through and interact with, your messages can be more comprehensive and engaging. These enhancements also help customers understand that your message is authentic.

Because RCS gives you access to rich media, like images, videos, and GIFs, in any color scheme you like, you can reinforce this branding in a visually pleasing way that makes the experience more engaging. You can even add interactive buttons that make it easy for customers to take an action, such as making a purchase, booking an appointment, or getting directions to your location. And because RCS fails over to SMS if a customer doesn’t have an RCS-enabled device, you can be sure they’ll still get the message.

Lastly, you're no longer in the dark when trying to figure out whether your message made it to your customer or how they engaged with it. You can track delivery status, find out when your messages are read, and discover how each customer interacts with your communications in detail. This insight can help you refine your messaging strategy over time.

WhatsApp's Effective Customer Engagement Capabilities

Many businesses use WhatsApp as part of their customer engagement strategy. WhatsApp provides fast and reliable message delivery, with both delivery and read confirmations. (SMS only lets you know whether a message has been delivered, not whether it has been read.) This social messaging app also offers verified business accounts, easing potential customer concerns about spam or fraud. Its robust security features help reduce risks of pumping and phishing, providing an additional layer of trust for both businesses and customers.

WhatsApp also provides integrated possibilities for marketing, customer care, and shopping experiences, allowing you to meet your customers where they are and give them exactly what they need without asking them to switch applications. On Android devices, it offers convenient autofill capabilities that can significantly boost conversion rates. You can even do these things using a WhatsApp chatbot if you like, providing 24/7 responsiveness without having to staff up your customer service organization.

Vonage Messages API Enables Flexible Customer Communications

Flexibility is key to effective customer communication in today's multichannel environment. Different customers prefer to spend their time on different channels, and no single messaging channel can perfectly resonate with every customer. But by using Vonage Messages API to integrate multiple messaging platforms, like RCS and WhatsApp, your business can create a more comprehensive customer engagement strategy that meets your customers wherever they are.

Some customers might prefer the native, app-free experience of RCS, while others are more comfortable with WhatsApp. By offering both, you can ensure your message reaches the widest possible audience and inspires continued engagement. The goal isn't to choose one channel but to create a seamless, adaptable communication ecosystem that can evolve with your customers' tastes and preferences.

Vonage Messages API also gives your business powerful flexibility beyond what's available on individual platforms. With low-code options and support for multiple channels, including RCS, SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and others, you can easily communicate with your customers on their preferred platforms. The API even includes an automatic failover feature, so if RCS isn't available, your message can default to SMS, ensuring your communication reaches its destination.

Make the Most of Your Business Messaging Channels

Not so long ago, business messaging was limited. You had plain text, 160 characters, and that was about it. Customer channels have significantly evolved to include not just SMS and MMS but also WhatsApp and RCS. The future of business messaging is rich, interactive, and customer-centric. By embracing multichannel strategies and innovative platforms like RCS, your business can create more meaningful conversations that drive real results.

Ready to transform your customer communications? Explore Vonage's RCS messaging solutions and unlock the power of flexible, modern customer engagement.

_{* RCS availability varies by region and carrier network. Contact your Vonage representative to learn more about RCS coverage in your target markets.}