+17% Lift in CTR with Rich Communication Services at Attentive
CONTEXT:
In late 2024, a new messaging type called Rich Communication Services began to emerge. Google had announced the future of messaging with rich content, card carousels, longer videos, and one day, shopping over text. As an SMS marketing company, we got to work with the goal of being the first to launch clients on RCS.
DISCOVERY & USER INSIGHT:
RCS was entirely new territory, so we began with early documentation from Google and rapid user testing. We first researched subscriber reactions to the new message format, then worked with marketers to understand how they would build and manage RCS campaigns.
My role focused on defining design specs and building a component library for GTM, Product Marketing, and Product as the team prepared for launch with partners like Google, Apple, and Verizon.
PRODUCT EXECUTION:
I built components based on the spec documentation and began testing early RCS interactions. Using insights from research, I also prototyped new RCS experiences that were shared in client communications to introduce the channel and encourage sign-ups for the Verizon waitlist.
The first RCS types we supported were:
Rich Card
Rich Card Carousel
Contact Card
Suggested Action
Suggested Replies
As we began testing with early alpha clients, we partnered closely with Google on best practices, bug reporting, and strategic applications of RCS for marketers. This collaboration led to an opportunity to host joint product events with Google. We hosted partner events at Google’s New York office and CA headquarters, where we invited marketing leaders from top and prospective client companies to discuss the future of RCS. I helped facilitate roundtable sessions where clients shared their goals and concerns, and used our RCS components to mock up message concepts for their brands in real time.
IMPACT
RCS campaigns drove a +17% lift in CTR, with an average of 4.75M messages sent monthly across more than 50 active clients. Despite a complex, multi-step approval process with phone carriers and message aggregators, adoption continues to grow as brands embrace more interactive messaging experiences. The channel is still evolving, with expanded capabilities driven by new OS releases such as iOS 26.