![```json{ "type": "message", "text": "Would you like to proceed with your order?", "suggestedActions": { "actions": [ { "type": "imBack", "title": "Yes", "value": "Yes" }, { "type": "imBack", "title": "No", "value": "No" } ] }}```](https://rcs-api.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/suggested-action-json-code.webp)
In previous articles, we have gone through the journey from SMS to RCS, Universal Profile, architectural differences, and how we build visual carousels, now it is time to look at how we actually get the user to do something.
Honey Suggested Actions & Replies let's take the leap into pure interactivity. That is how we transform a passive message into an active two-way communication, directly in the phone's native messaging app.
Reply vs. Action - What is the difference?
Before we start mapping buttons, we need to understand the two fundamental types of interaction suggestions in RCS. Although they look identical to the end user, their underlying logic differs significantly.
Suggested Reply
A suggested reply acts as a ”quick reply”. When the user clicks the button, the text (or an associated hidden code/payload) is sent directly back to your chatbot or system as a regular text message.
- Typical applications: ”Yes”, ”No”, ”Select size M”, ”Talk to customer service”.
- What happens: The bot receives the response and drives the conversation forward in the next step.
Suggested Action
Sending an activity suggestion inte a text message back to the bottom. Instead, it triggers a built-in function (native app) on the user's smartphone. This could be about opening the web browser, starting the map function, or opening the calendar.
- Typical applications: ”Find the store”, ”Book in calendar”, ”Call us”.
- What happens: The phone opens the correct app with pre-filled data that you have sent along.
Implementation: How to map the proposals
In our RCS API, these suggestions are defined as part of the message or card's JSON payload. Here are the technical concepts for how to map the three most common external functions.
Map to a URL (Open URL Action)
This is the most common action for driving traffic to an external landing page, a checkout, or a specific article.
...
"suggestions": [
{
"text": "Read the full article",
"postbackData": "user_clicked_week3_url",
"type": "OpenUrlAction",
"url": "https://www.dinhemsida.se/rcs-guide"
},
...
],
...- textWhat is written on the button itself (keep it short!).
- postbackDataA hidden string sent to your backend system so that you can track and measure Att. the user clicked, even if they leave the messaging app to go to the browser.
Map to a map (View Location Action)
Perfect for ”Find the store”, ”Pick up your package here” or logistics solutions. You can map this using either exact GPS coordinates or a search query.
...
"suggestions": [
{
"text": "Find the store",
"postbackData": "store_locator_sthlm",
"type": "ViewLocationAction",
"latitude": 59.3293,
"longitude": 18.0686,
"title": "Our flagship store"
},
...
],
...- When the user clicks the button, the device's default maps (e.g., Google Maps) open with a pin placed at the specified coordinates provided in the latLong object.
Map to a calendar event (Calendar Action)
Booking a service, reminding about a webinar or an important meeting becomes extremely smooth when the user can add it to their calendar with a single click, without having to enter the details themselves.
...
"suggestions": [
{
"text": "Book in calendar",
"postbackData": "calendar_rcs_workshop",
"type": "CreateCalendarEventAction",
"startTime": "2026-06-15T10:00:00Z",
"endTime": "2026-06-15T11:00:00Z",
"title": "RCS Workshop: Part 4",
"description": "Review of next week's implementation and API connections.",
},
...
],
...Best Practices for UX and Design
Having access to these buttons also entails a responsibility to use them correctly. Here are three golden rules for your implementation:
Keep the microcopy short
Buttons on mobile screens have limited space (often around 25 characters before the text is truncated with an ellipsis). Use action verbs: ”Book an appointment” works better than ”Click here to book your appointment”.
Activate fallback
If a user has a phone or carrier that does not support RCS, the message falls back to a standard SMS. Make sure your text logic works so that important links or instructions are then included as plain text in the message body.
Do not overload the user
You can offer several buttons (often up to 4 in a ”Rich Card” or more as standalone ”chips” below the message), but cognitive overload is real. 2–3 strategically chosen options generally yield the best conversion.