Branded Messaging is a powerful way to build trust and strengthen communication with patients. It allows your organization to display your name, logo, and brand colors alongside text messages when supported by the patient’s mobile device or carrier through Rich Communication Services (RCS).

By clearly identifying who the message is from, Branded Messaging reassures patients that the communication is legitimate. This added layer of transparency not only enhances your organization's credibility and builds trust with patients, but increases the chances of patients engaging with the message, making it easier for them to act on important health information with confidence. 

Artera provides the ability for customers to leverage Branded Messaging (RCS) in order to add branding and rich messaging capabilities to their Artera-initiated communication. If you are interested in Branded Messaging for your Practice(s), please connect with your Customer Success Representative.

Branded Messaging: Patient Perspective

A patient will receive a text message with your organization’s branding for the line that was used to send the message. Artera’s branding will not display to a patient; the image below is for demonstration purposes only.

NOTE: Branded Messaging appearance may vary slightly between Android devices. The feature is visible on “light mode” and "dark mode" enabled devices.

Branded Messaging: Android Devices

Branded Messaging: iPhone

Which Patients will Benefit from Branded Messaging?

Currently, this feature is available with a select group of carriers, but it works independently of whether the patient’s device is Apple or Android. The list of supported carriers is growing rapidly, with more providers adopting the standard. We expect major carriers, like AT&T and T-Mobile, to join the network in 2025. 

Which Carriers Currently Support Branded Messaging?

The following US carriers are supporting Branded Messaging:

• Tracfone
• Google Fi
• Xfinity
• C-Spire
• Verizon (in beta) 

Customer Assets Required to Implement Branded Messaging

To begin with Branded Messaging, your organization must provide Artera with several pieces of key information for the line that you want enabled with Branded Messaging. 

NOTE: Branded Messaging is enabled at the line-level, therefore, this information must be provided for each line you wish to enable with Branded Messaging. 

Required Information:

• Sender Display Name

• Description

• Brand color

• Banner Image

• Logo

• Phone Number

• Phone Label

• Website

• Website Label

• Privacy Policy

• Terms of Use

• SMS Consent Form

• Brand Approver Name, Title, Email

We have established guidelines and considerations for each requirement. Your Artera Representative will provide you with detailed information.

Branded Messaging Differences: Android and Apple Devices

Which File Types are Supported when an RCS Message is sent to a patient?

JPEG, PNG, MP3, MP4, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, and TXT file types are supported. 
NOTE: PDFs are not supported with RCS messages, but are supported with SMS/MMS messaging.

Which File Types are Supported when a Patients send in an RCS Message?

JPEG, PNG, MP3, MP4, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, and TXT file types are supported. 
NOTE: JPEG files are not supported with RCS messages for Apple devices, only Android. PDFs are not supported with RCS messages for either device type, but are supported with SMS/MMS messaging.

FAQs:

1. Which type of resources from our organization will be necessary to implement Branded Messaging?
   1. For this initiative, it is critical that you obtain engagement from Marketing representatives that manage your organization’s brand assets. The most crucial part of this project will be selecting the right images and crafting the appropriate messaging for your branded assets. Since there are no changes required to staff workflows, the impact on IT will be minimal.
   2. For testing and validation purposes, having a device on a Branded Messaging (RCS) supported carrier is recommended to help validate configurations. If you do not have access to one, Artera can assist with testing. 
2. Can we have one brand for all lines across the Artera Enterprise?
   1. No, as Google does not support more than one phone being associated with a line.
3. Can we update our brand once it is created for Branded Messaging support?
   1. While this is possible, we recommend trying to avoid this. When an existing brand is updated, it can cause downtime for as long as 2-weeks. This downtime accounts for a time window that Google needs for validating the new brand and resubmitting the brand with each carrier.
4. How large can a file be when sending an RCS message?
   1. Patients and Artera users can send files as large as 16 MB. However, if the patient is not using an RCS-enabled device, the file can be no larger than 5 MB. For this reason, we do not recommend creating files larger than 5 MB. Additionally, ensure that file names do not include a space, are fewer than 20 characters, and avoid special characters.
5. Will Artera users know that they may be sending RCS messages?
   1. No, users will not know whether they are sending RCS or SMS/MMS messages to patients as the user experience does not change. 
6. Will patients know that they are texting into an RCS-supported line?
   1. If a patient texts into a line enabled to support RCS and the patient has a device and carrier that is also RCS-supported, their message will be sent to the line as an RCS message. Patients will know that they are sending an RCS message because of the visual assets associated with the message itself. Another indicator is that the text box within the message will read as "RCS message" for Android devices and "Text Message - RCS" for iPhones.
7. Is Branded Messaging viewable on a device’s light and dark modes?
   1. Yes, Branded Messaging is viewable on a patient’s light or dark-mode enabled devices.