Infobip’s Messaging Trends Report highlights the impact of Apple’s RCS support and the growing dominance of conversational messaging in the UK
Global cloud communications platform Infobip has released its latest Messaging Trends Report, which reveals that the adoption of Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging has skyrocketed, transforming the customer experience landscape.
Infobip analysed more than 530 billion interactions on its platform between businesses and consumers in 2024 to identify the latest business messaging trends. The data suggests Apple’s support for RCS, following its iOS 18 update in late 2024, contributed to a 65% increase in UK RCS traffic.
UK businesses have embraced the channel for highly engaging, two-way customer interactions. Infobip’s data shows that the increase in RCS usage is part of increasingly omnichannel approaches, with UK brands leveraging it alongside SMS, Voice & Video and WhatsApp for a seamless customer journey.
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James Stokes, Head of Enterprise, UK & Nordics at Infobip, commented: “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 UK is the largest European market utilising the Infobip platform, growing by almost a third (31.7%) from 2023 to 2024. Companies in the wholesale communications services sector represent the largest segment, followed by telecoms and technology & software companies.
The Messaging Trends Report has revealed that as UK brands refine their customer engagement strategies, WhatsApp has emerged as a significant channel for conversational marketing, where the channel’s growth has surpassed the growth of SMS and email. Infobip recorded a 392% increase in marketing messages sent over WhatsApp in the UK, driven by new features enabling seamless purchases within a single chat. This was accompanied by a 12x increase in conversational marketing messages, with majority being over WhatsApp. The platform also saw significant growth in other chat apps like Telegram, Line, and Viber.
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Globally, Infobip saw a 30% increase in the number of brands orchestrating conversational marketing interactions with their customers on its platform.
AI adoption has also increased, according to data from Infobip’s AI Hub. AI-powered chatbots and automation are being widely adopted, particularly in finance and insurance, where security and compliance are paramount. Businesses increasingly use AI for personalized interactions, fraud prevention, and real-time customer support.
James Stokes added: “With RCS adoption accelerating and AI transforming customer interactions, 2025 is set to be a pivotal year for conversational messaging.”
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Source – Businesswire
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