You’ve heard it 100 times by now, mobile marketing is changing, and businesses must adjust to remain competitive…
Which is important to note, of course, but how exactly is it changing and what do you need to measure this change against?
Well, traditional SMS marketing, while effective, lacks the sophistication required to meet the demands of modern consumers.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging provides an advanced, alternative approach that amplifies customer engagement through interactive and visually compelling content.
As eCommerce stores explore new mobile marketing strategies, they need to continuously track key performance indicators to assess effectiveness and ensure that messaging campaigns contribute to measurable business outcomes.
Leading to the point here- we’re examining the critical RCS marketing metrics that influence eCommerce campaign performance metrics, and providing a framework for businesses seeking to improve their sales initiatives.
Why RCS Messaging is the New Game-Changer for eCommerce Sales
RCS Business Messaging has brought about a significant shift in the ways online stores communicate and exchange pertinent sales information with customers.
Unlike SMS, which is limited to plain text, RCS enables businesses to incorporate branding elements, images, videos, and interactive buttons, which translates to a more engaging and informative customer experience.
This shift is expressly important for eCommerce, where visual appeal and ease of interaction influence consumer decisions.
Understanding how to wield RCS for sales requires a data-centric approach- using engagement metrics to refine messaging strategies and gain the best results from each and every customer interaction.
Key Metric #1: Message Open Rate
Know if You Are Capturing Customer Attention
This may seem obvious, but it’s imperative to know how many of your users are opening the messages you send.
A high message open rate indicates that recipients find the content relevant and compelling enough to view.
Text message open rates have traditionally been high, but RCS improves on this visibility through rich media previews and branded messages.
Analyzing open rates helps to determine whether campaign strategies align with consumer expectations.
If open rates are lower than anticipated, adjustments in content structure, timing, and personalization may be necessary to improve effectiveness.
Key Metric #2: Engagement Rate
Use Proven Standards for Measuring Customer Interaction
Open rates alone do not fully capture the effectiveness of a campaign.
Which is why we need to take things a step further and analyze the engagement rate. This offers a deeper understanding into how customers interact with messages.
RCS messaging allows for a range of engagement opportunities, including quick-reply buttons, carousels, and embedded links.
A high engagement rate suggests that recipients are actively interested in the content, while a lower rate may indicate a disconnect between messaging and consumer preferences.
Measuring engagement against open rates will give you a concrete data sample to showcase how many open messages are being engaged with.
Sinch’s RCS messaging statistics offer good benchmarks to go by.
RCS engagement rate: 90% of rich media messages are opened within 15 minutes, with users interacting for up to 45 seconds.
Better readability: RCS messages are read 35 times more often than emails.
Strong conversions: Business campaigns using RCS see an 80% conversion rate.
Improved performance: RCS campaigns see a 200% increase in click rates compared to other channels.
Key Metric #3: Conversion Rate
Turning Customer Interest Into More Sales
Ultimately, the success of any marketing campaign is determined by its ability to convert interest into action.
Conversion rate measures the percentage of recipients who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information on a product.
eCommerce brands must be aware that RCS conversion rates are between 3 to 7 times higher than standard SMS conversion rates.
This is owed to the differences in interactivity and the multimedia capabilities of RCS, which contribute to improved conversion rates, marking it as a valuable tool for sales-focused campaigns.
Key Metric #4: Customer Retention
Building Loyalty That Stands the Test of Time
Customer acquisition is only part of the equation. Retaining existing customers is essential for long-term profitability.
RCS messaging facilitates ongoing engagement through personalized promotions, order updates, and prompt customer support.
Tracking retention metrics will aid in determining whether RCS interactions encourage repeat purchases and sustained brand loyalty.
A strategic approach to retention through smart loyalty programs, special discount offers, and other repeat business incentives can offer an edge over the competition, helping to strengthen customer bonds.
Key Metric #5: Calculating ROI
Understanding Campaign Profitability With Accurate ROI Calculations
For businesses investing in RCS messaging, calculating return on investment is essential to justify marketing expenditures.
ROI is determined by assessing the costs associated with an RCS campaign against the revenue it generates.
We recommend you utilize an ROI calculator to assess whether your campaigns have yielded good returns. Clear Tax offers a free, easy to use ROI calculator.
Factors such as message open rates, engagement levels, and conversion rates contribute to a comprehensive analysis of profitability.
Using data-centric insights will help you refine your RCS campaign approach, giving you confidence that your marketing budgets are allocated efficiently to achieve the best “bang for my buck” outcomes.
Conclusion
RCS Business Messaging isn’t just an upgrade from SMS- it’s a power move for eCommerce brands that actually want results.
With richer features, interactive tools, and better engagement, it’s the modern way to connect with customers who expect more than basic texts.
But here’s the kicker: if you’re not tracking key RCS marketing metrics, you’re basically flying blind.
Open rates, engagement, conversions, retention- these numbers tell you what’s working and what’s just wasting budget.
Smart brands use data, not guesswork, to fine-tune their strategy and maximize ROI.
Mobile marketing is shifting, and eCommerce brands who lean into RCS (instead of clinging to outdated SMS) will be the ones dominating the digital conversation.
Adapt, analyze, and refine- because in 2025, the brands that don’t evolve get left behind.
