How to create RCS designs with the RCS builder

Objective

The RCS Builder allows you to create Rich Communication Services (RCS) message designs for one-shot campaigns and automated marketing flows. RCS is an advanced form of SMS that supports high-resolution images, videos, interactive buttons, and rich multimedia content - offering conversion rates 2.5 times higher than traditional SMS.

Prerequisites

• RCS channel configured for your account

• Media files prepared in supported formats (images, videos)

• RCS is subject to Google's sector-specific restrictions; for example, adult content is strictly prohibited. For more information, please refer to Google's official documentation.

1. Accessing the RCS Builder

• Navigate to the Designer menu from the left navigation

• Select RCS to access the new content type
  
  

2. Selecting Your RCS Format

Choose from three available message formats:

• Vertical Format: Media displayed above text content

• Horizontal Format: Media displayed on the left or right side

• Carousel Format: Up to 10 cards in vertical format
  
  

3. Configuring Your Vertical Format Design

When creating a vertical format:

• Upload media (image, video, or dynamic media)

• Select media height: short (112 DP), medium (168 DP), or tall (264 DP)

• Add a title (up to 200 characters)

• Add a description (up to 2,000 characters; variables supported)

• Configure up to 4 buttons with customizable text and static or dynamic URLs
  
  

4. Configuring Your Horizontal Format Design

For horizontal layouts:

• Upload media positioned on the left or right side of the card

• Add a title (up to 200 characters)

• Add a description (up to 2,000 characters; variables supported)

• Configure up to 4 buttons with customizable text and URLs
  
  

5. Configuring Your Carousel Format Design

For carousel layouts:

• Add up to 10 vertical format cards

• For each card:

  • Upload your media (image, video, or dynamic content)

  • Choose the media size: small (112 DP), medium (168 DP), or large (264 DP)

  • Add a title (up to 200 characters)

  • Add a description (up to 2,000 characters; variables supported)

  • Configure up to 4 buttons with customizable text and URLs
    
    

6. Preview and Testing

• Generate message previews with variable substitution

• Send test messages to yourself or specific contacts

• Important: Each test message uses one RCS credit

• Test messaging is strongly recommended as appearance varies significantly between Android and Apple devices

The RCS Builder supports various marketing scenarios

• Promotional campaigns: Rich media communications with clear call-to-action buttons

• Product showcases: Using carousel formats to display multiple products

• Event invitations: Interactive messages with RSVP functionality

• Store location sharing: Integrated mapping and contact information
  
  

Practical Advice/Best Practices

• Media optimization: Prepare images at recommended sizes - Vertical: 1440 x 720 px, Horizontal: 768 x 1024 px

• Button strategy: Use up to 4 action buttons effectively to guide user behavior

• Variable usage: Leverage personalization variables in descriptions

• Cross-platform testing: Always test on both Android and Apple devices due to rendering differences

• Fallback planning: Remember that carousel format requires JSON expertise for now