# Make your texts look like your store, with RCS

A plain text with a link does the job. But picture a bright product card instead: your logo up top, a photo, a price, and a **Shop now** button your customer can tap. It does the job, and it looks like your store.

Your OneText flows have always texted your customers. Now those same messages can be **RCS**, so instead of a grey SMS bubble your customer gets something rich, branded, and tappable. It's built right into the message step you already use, so there's no new tool to learn, and every phone still gets a message.

## Build it where you already build your flows

Open a flow and pick a **message step**. You'll find a new **Message Type** choice waiting there. A live phone preview updates as you build, so you always see exactly what your customer will get.

![Composing an RCS message in the flow editor, with a live phone preview](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961040/25a98606-6f08-4ac1-8ea1-98f67c931540.png)

## Start with one choice: the message type

Every RCS message begins by picking one of three types. That's the whole high-level decision. Everything else is optional detail you layer on top.

**Text Only** is a normal-looking text message. Reach for it when you're starting a conversation or sending a quick heads-up.

![Text Only, a plain text message with optional tappable buttons: quick replies plus a link](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961278/688a5192-3bfc-4f08-b437-c6bbb38c2f98.png)

**Media + Text** sends a product card and a short follow-up message together. It fits a note like "here's the thing you loved, reply if you'd like a hand."

![Media + Text, a rich card followed by a short text message](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961397/11fdb1db-b256-4915-b523-a0742da256c7.png)

**Media Only** is one or more product cards and nothing else. Best when you want to show off products cleanly.

![Media Only, a swipeable carousel of product cards, as the shopper sees it](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961605/865b74d8-f278-4662-b43b-4fedc6436d01.png)

## Then layer on the extras (all optional)

Once you've picked a type, you decide how much to add. None of this is required. Reach for it when it helps.

### Tappable buttons

Any message can carry up to four buttons, in any mix:

- **Link buttons** send someone straight to a product or collection.
- **Quick replies** let a customer answer with one tap, like "New arrivals" or "Track my order", instead of typing.

Buttons are optional, but they turn a message people read into one people act on.

### Cards and carousels

A media message can be a single card. It can also be a **carousel** of up to **ten** cards: new arrivals, a few bestsellers, or the items left in a cart. Give each card its own photo, title, price, and button, then **drag to reorder** them until the story flows the way you want.

![Building a carousel of up to ten cards, each with its own photo and button, drag to reorder](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961766/9ec8f868-32d2-477c-8765-01d9d688b08d.png)

## Nobody gets left behind

Not every phone can receive RCS yet, and that's handled for you. Set an **SMS/MMS fallback** and OneText automatically sends a clean text version to anyone who can't get the rich one. It's one message step that covers every customer, with no forked flows and no guesswork.

![The automatic SMS/MMS fallback for phones that can't receive RCS](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1783203961968/46a6e296-cf0a-4757-80e6-28f4602f4800.png)

## Why it matters

Rich, branded messages get noticed. When a message shows up from a verified sender with your name and logo, carries a real product card, and offers a button to tap, it feels like your store rather than a spam text. You'll see more taps, more replies, and fewer opt-outs. And because it all lives in the flow editor, any automation you already run can look this good without extra work, whether that's a welcome, a cart reminder, or a win-back.

**Open any flow, pick a message step, and choose a Message Type.** Build a card, watch the preview, and send your next automation as something your customers actually want to open. Then pair it with [Segments](https://onetext.hashnode.dev/2026-07-04-segments) so the shoppers who see it are the right ones.