Research from Infobip has revealed significant growth in the adoption of Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging among UK brands, with Apple's recent iOS support cited as a key contributing factor.
Analysis of more than 530 billion interactions conducted on Infobip's cloud communications platform throughout 2024 indicates a rapid transformation in the way UK businesses manage their customer engagement strategies. The findings suggest that the introduction of RCS support via the iOS 18 update in late 2024 led to a 65% increase in RCS messaging traffic across the United Kingdom.
According to Infobip, organisations in the UK are utilising RCS as part of broader omnichannel communications strategies. Alongside RCS, UK brands are increasingly leveraging other channels such as SMS, Voice & Video, and WhatsApp to facilitate seamless journeys for their customers.
James Stokes, Head of Enterprise, UK & Nordics at Infobip, highlighted the reason for this surge in RCS messaging:
RCS is taking off because it works. The branded and verified experience reduces hesitation, while rich visuals capture attention and drive engagement. In A/B tests, RCS rich cards delivered up to 70% higher conversion rates than MMS. More significantly, RCS has driven conversion rates two to three times higher, and sometimes even ten times higher, than standard marketing channels.
The United Kingdom now represents the largest market in Europe using the Infobip platform, with usage expanding by 31.7% from 2023 to 2024. The data shows that the wholesale communications services sector forms the largest group of adopters, followed by the telecommunications, technology, and software industries.
The Messaging Trends Report also identified WhatsApp as a rapidly expanding channel for conversational marketing within the UK. The platform noted a 392% year-on-year increase in marketing messages sent via WhatsApp, fuelled by new features that enable consumers to make purchases entirely within a chat conversation. The report also reported a twelvefold increase in conversational marketing messages, predominantly channelled through WhatsApp.
Alongside WhatsApp, Infobip's platform tracked notable growth in other chat applications, including Telegram, Line, and Viber, mirroring the shift towards chat-based communications among both consumers and businesses.
On a global scale, the number of brands using Infobip's platform for orchestrating conversational marketing grew by 30%. This move towards more interactive, automated, and conversational engagement reflects broader trends in digital customer experience management.
The report further points to an increase in the adoption of artificial intelligence tools. Data from Infobip's AI Hub suggests widespread uptake of AI-powered chatbots and automation, especially within the finance and insurance sectors, where data security and regulatory compliance are considered paramount. These tools are increasingly used by businesses to provide personalised interactions, bolster fraud prevention measures, and deliver real-time support to customers.
Stokes also commented on the convergence of these technologies:
With RCS adoption accelerating and AI transforming customer interactions, 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for conversational messaging.
Infobip's analysis underscores the significant changes in the use of messaging solutions among UK businesses, pointing towards a period of continued transformation in customer communications as additional technologies and channels gain mainstream traction.
