RCS Messaging Campaign Metrics: What to Track & Optimise

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of business messaging. Often described as the next evolution of SMS, RCS combines the simplicity of text messaging with the rich features of modern messaging apps — think branded sender IDs, interactive buttons, carousels, high-resolution images, and verified business profiles.

But as with any marketing channel, the true value of RCS lies not just in sending messages — it’s in measuring what works and using that data to optimise your campaigns. This guide covers the essential RCS campaign metrics every marketer should track.

What Makes RCS Different from SMS?

Before diving into metrics, it’s worth understanding what sets RCS apart. Traditional SMS is limited to 160 characters of plain text with no visual elements and no native tracking. RCS, by contrast, supports rich media (images, videos, GIFs), interactive elements (quick reply buttons, suggested actions), branded business profiles with verified badges, read receipts and delivery confirmations, and native tracking capabilities built into the protocol.

These features fundamentally change what’s possible in business messaging — and significantly expand the metrics available to marketers.

Core RCS Campaign Metrics to Track

1. Delivery Rate

Delivery rate measures the percentage of RCS messages successfully delivered to recipients’ devices. A delivery failure can occur if the recipient’s device or carrier doesn’t support RCS — in which case the message may fall back to SMS.

Formula: Delivery Rate = (Messages Delivered / Messages Sent) x 100

A healthy delivery rate for RCS campaigns targeting a supported network should exceed 90%. If your delivery rate is lower, investigate carrier coverage, device compatibility, and the quality of your contact list.

2. Read Rate (Message Open Rate)

Unlike SMS, RCS supports read receipts, giving marketers a genuine open rate metric. Read rate tells you how many recipients actually opened and viewed your message.

Formula: Read Rate = (Messages Read / Messages Delivered) x 100

RCS messages typically achieve higher read rates than email because they deliver to the native messaging app on a phone — a space most people check far more frequently than their inbox. Industry benchmarks suggest RCS read rates often exceed 70-80%.

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

RCS messages can include interactive elements like ‘Shop Now’ buttons, ‘Call Us’ actions, or carousel navigation. CTR measures how many recipients engaged with these interactive elements.

Formula: CTR = (Interactive Element Clicks / Messages Delivered) x 100

RCS CTR tends to be significantly higher than traditional SMS with links because the call to action is native, prominent, and requires no copy-pasting of URLs. Tracking which buttons drive the most clicks helps you understand what resonates with your audience.

4. Conversion Rate

Ultimately, the purpose of most RCS campaigns is to drive a specific action — a purchase, a booking, a download, or a sign-up. Conversion rate measures how many recipients completed that target action after engaging with your message.

Formula: Conversion Rate = (Conversions / Messages Delivered) x 100

To track conversions accurately, use UTM parameters on all links within your RCS messages and connect your analytics platform (Google Analytics, your CRM, etc.) to attribute revenue and actions back to specific campaigns.

5. Response Rate

One of the most exciting capabilities of RCS is two-way communication. For campaigns that invite replies or use chatbot-style interactions, response rate measures the percentage of recipients who actively engaged in a conversation.

High response rates are a strong indicator of audience interest and message relevance. They also create opportunities for further personalisation and sales conversation.

6. Fallback SMS Rate

Not all users are on RCS-enabled devices or networks. Your platform should automatically fall back to SMS for these recipients. Tracking your fallback rate tells you what percentage of your audience is receiving a degraded experience.

As RCS adoption grows (especially with Apple adding RCS support), fallback rates are decreasing. Monitor this metric over time to understand when RCS can become your primary channel for all users.

7. Opt-Out Rate

As with any messaging channel, tracking how many users unsubscribe from your messages is critical. A rising opt-out rate signals that your content, frequency, or relevance needs adjustment.

Keep opt-out rates below 1-2% to maintain a healthy, engaged list. If you see spikes after specific campaigns, analyse what made those messages less welcome.

8. Cost Per Conversion (CPC)

Understanding the cost efficiency of your RCS campaigns is essential for budget allocation. Cost per conversion puts your spend in context of the results generated.

Formula: Cost Per Conversion = Total Campaign Cost / Total Conversions

Compare this across your various marketing channels to determine whether RCS is delivering ROI relative to other investments.

Advanced RCS Analytics: Going Beyond the Basics

Carousel Interaction Data: If your RCS message includes a product carousel, track which items received the most views and taps. This data is invaluable for inventory planning, product prioritisation, and personalisation.

Time-to-Action: Measure how long after delivery recipients take action. This helps optimise your send times and understand urgency triggers in your messaging.

Device and OS Breakdown: Understand the split between Android and iOS (where available) recipients. This informs format choices and feature availability.

A/B Test Results: RCS platforms allow you to A/B test different message formats, button labels, images, and copy. Always run controlled tests and let data guide your creative decisions.

Building an RCS Measurement Framework

Metrics only create value when they feed into a continuous improvement cycle. Here’s a simple framework for turning RCS data into action:

Set clear KPIs before each campaign — know what success looks like before you send.
Benchmark your metrics against industry standards and your own historical performance.
Identify your highest-performing message formats, CTAs, and content types through A/B testing.
Investigate underperformance — low read rates suggest send time or audience issues; low CTR points to weak creative or CTA.
Iterate and improve with every campaign, building a library of tested best practices.

The Future of RCS Metrics

As RCS matures and adoption grows globally, the metrics available will become increasingly sophisticated. We’re already seeing AI-powered personalisation engines that optimise message content in real time based on user behaviour, deeper integration with CRM systems for full customer journey attribution, and predictive analytics that forecast which users are most likely to convert before you even send.

Conclusion

RCS is not just a messaging upgrade — it’s a measurement upgrade. The rich data available through RCS campaigns gives marketers an unprecedented level of insight into how customers engage with brand messages. By tracking the right metrics, you can continuously refine your approach, improve customer experience, and drive measurable business results.

At MDS Media, we help businesses design, execute, and optimise RCS campaigns that go beyond message delivery — we build strategies grounded in data and focused on outcomes. Reach out to learn how we can help you unlock the full potential of RCS for your brand.