Rich Media
Rich media are all message contents beyond plain text — images, video, audio, documents, buttons, lists, carousels, and location pins. They make conversations more interactive, more click-worthy, and visually more striking than text-only SMS.
What is rich media?
Rich media is the umbrella term for everything a message can contain beyond plain text. Where a classic SMS caps at 160 characters of text, a WhatsApp message can carry images, video, PDFs, reply buttons, selection lists, product catalogs, and location pins.
Types of rich media in messaging
| Type | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Image | Product photo, receipt, QR code | Captured at a glance, no text-click needed |
| Video | Short explainer, product demo | High attention, more information per second |
| Audio / voice note | Service advisory as spoken text | More personal, good for senior demographics |
| Document | Invoice PDF, contract, delivery note | Direct send instead of mail attachment |
| Button | "Confirm appointment" / "Reschedule" | Quick action, no typing required |
| List | Selection menu with 3–10 options | Guided conversation instead of free text |
| Carousel | Multiple product cards to swipe | Product selection directly in chat |
| Location | Store address as map pin | Direct jump into navigation |
| Product catalog | WhatsApp catalog with images, prices, descriptions | E-commerce experience inside the chat |
Why rich media work
- Higher click-throughs: Buttons in WhatsApp templates yield 2–5× higher reply rates than plain text "Reply YES."
- Comprehension: An image explains complex topics instantly.
- Lower action friction: Instead of free-typing ("How do I rebook?"), the customer just taps a button.
- Lower service load: Guided lists prevent agents from answering the same 50 questions a day.
Rich media by channel
| Channel | What works | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| All types, including product catalog and click-to-action | File size up to 100 MB (video), 16 MB (image) | |
| Telegram | All types, large files (up to 2 GB) | Buttons via bot |
| Messenger | Images, video, buttons, quick replies, carousels | 24-hour window for proactive messages |
| Instagram DM | Images, video, quick replies, buttons | Limited feature set compared to WhatsApp |
| SMS | No rich media — 160 characters plus optional link | RCS still patchy in most markets |
| HTML, images, attachments | Buttons are just links — no state |
Best practices
- Optimize images: Under 1 MB, clearly cropped, brand visible.
- Use buttons sparingly: Maximum 3 buttons per WhatsApp message — more feels cluttered.
- List instead of button cluster: Above 3 options, switch to the list component.
- Alt text for audio: Provide a text companion in case the recipient can't play audio.
- Carousel with titles: Each card needs a clear title — otherwise content gets lost in the image.
- Mobile-first thinking: 90 % of recipients read on phone. Vertical images outperform horizontal.
Rich media at SendSeven
SendSeven supports rich-media sending across every channel that allows it technically. The WhatsApp integration covers all official Meta components (buttons, lists, carousels, catalog cards). Rich-media blocks are directly available inside the Flow Builder — no API coding required.