Push notifications are crucial for driving user acquisition increasing engagement and retention. Understanding your customers is the first step before planning how to use push notifications effectively to drive conversions. It’s no secret that our world is becoming more mobile. You must understand this notion and adjust your strategy appropriately as a marketer. Because your clients consume content on their mobile devices, you should target them there. Those of you who have created a mobile app is already on the right track. In reality, you won’t leverage push notifications as a marketing strategy until you have the app as a platform. Even if you don’t have a smartphone app, you should read the rest of this article. While you may not be able to put this technique into action right now, you will be able to after your app is out. Let’s begin with the fundamentals. What is the definition of a push notification? Even if you didn’t know what they were called, I’m sure you’ve seen push notifications before, most likely on your own mobile devices. It’s a message that shows on your screen in the same way as a text message does, but it’s from an app. This is a fantastic way for you to communicate with people who have downloaded your app on their devices and exchange information, offer updates, and keep in touch. Enormous power, however, comes with great responsibility. Overburdening your consumer with these signals might backfire, as I’ll explain more as we go.
Targeting mobile customers with push notifications:
1. Keep the number of words to a minimum.
It would be best to comprehend the distinction between messages and push notifications. Even though they are similar and seem to be the same on the screen, they are incredibly different. When someone sends you a text message, for example, the first few lines of the text will show on your home screen. The complete text of the message will appear when you open it. With push notification, however, this is not the case. When a user opens a push notification, the app opens, but the message is no longer visible. If your push notification is too lengthy, a section of it may be chopped off, leaving the user unsure of what you’re saying. To avoid this, it’s advisable to utilize as few words as possible when drafting your communications. Shorter push notifications are thus more effective.
As you can see, using fewer words results in a greater click-through rate. Push notifications are still incredibly powerful, even if you don’t have as much flexibility with your word limit as you would with a text message. Business SMS messages might be seen as spam. Users know where a push notification comes from since the app is loaded on their smartphones. Furthermore, receiving a push notification is free for users. However, users may have to pay to receive SMS texts depending on their plans. Unsolicited SMS messages are also unlawful, so stick to push notifications and keep the word count minimal to guarantee your complete message appears on the screen.
2. Send stuff that is unique to you.
Now that you know how lengthy your push notifications should be, it’s time to speak about the content and why you’re sending them. Push notifications are not the way to go if you simply want to say hello and remind your consumers who you are. It’s inconvenient and will end up harming you rather than helping you, but we’ll get into that later. So what kind of information should you send? Personalized messages.
As you can see from these figures, sticking to material that is relevant and tailored to the individual is your best chance.
Here are some suggestions for segmenting your audience so that you may give material that is targeted to each individual:
- gender
- location
- age
- interests
- history of browsing
- history of purchases
There are several solutions available to you. Let’s imagine your organization plans to attend an industry event in South Florida. It would be counterproductive to send that notice to everyone who has downloaded your program. People aren’t going to travel for anything like that, realistically. It’s pointless for you to send them anything unrelated. However, if you’re giving an incentive to attend the event, you might broadcast that message to app users in Florida. This form of push notification is personalized for the receiver and offers value.
3. Don’t bother anybody.
As I’ve previously said, you must exercise caution regarding your push notification approach. It will backfire if you send too many push alerts or unrelated messages. Because people may opt-in or out of receiving your communications, this is the case. That’s correct. If you irritate a user, they’ll just turn off your alerts. People’s reactions to these messages are already decided. 52% of app users consider push notifications to be an annoyance. It’ll be almost tough to convince the user to switch alerts back on after you’ve been silenced. Unless you send them an email, you won’t reach them. However, sending an email pleading with a customer to enable push notifications isn’t the most excellent way to represent your company. You’ll be better off reducing the number of push alerts you send each week to attempt to avoid this from occurring in the first place.
As you can see, sending more than two push notifications in a week might lead up to 37% of consumers to turn off push notifications. On the other hand, sending too many push notifications might result in the user being muted, which is a bad thing. If they get six to ten alerts in a week, more than 30% of consumers will quit using the app completely. Keep your push notifications to no more than once per week as a general guideline. Send only material that is useful to the user, such as a coupon or a critical update.
4. Encourage flash sales.
Push alerts are an excellent way to take advantage of flash bargains. FOMO, or the fear of missing out, results from these sorts of marketing. The consumer will believe that if they do not purchase anything immediately, they will lose out on a fantastic offer. Think about it. Your brand has already piqued the curiosity of the app user. That is why they first downloaded the program. They’ve undoubtedly bought stuff from you before. The flash sale may be enough to persuade the consumer to purchase something they’ve been considering. Flash sales may last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Just be sure to send it out at the right time. If the flash sale isn’t till Friday, don’t send a notice on Tuesday. Remember that you’re attempting to keep the number of weekly push notifications to a minimum. Also, avoid sending it around 3 a.m., when most people are asleep. This may seem obvious, but you’d be shocked how often I encounter errors like this. Send the notice at 1:00 p.m. if the flash sale is from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you send it too soon, folks who click on the information won’t be able to take advantage of the offer. You’d have to depend on them returning to purchase later, which they could forget.
5. Send regular updates.
To improve the customer experience, use push notifications. For example, if your consumers are waiting for anything, send them a push notification to let them know. Here’s an excellent example of Uber’s use of this concept:
The software alerts customers when their autos are on their way. Users do not need to have the app open to monitor their drivers’ whereabouts. They won’t have to wait outdoors in the cold, rain, or heat, either. Although this form of communication does not provide a discount, it adds value to the user’s experience. This strategy isn’t exclusive to ride-hailing applications. It may be used for any kind of delivery. “Your meal arrives,” for example, is a message that an app user would want to receive. They won’t have to wait for the delivery guy outside. This also removes the need for drivers to make phone calls, making the procedure safer and more efficient for your business. Customer service like this goes a long way. The consumer will be more inclined to use your app in the future and spend more money to continue to get excellent service that improves their lives.
6. Understand the distinctions between Apple and Android.
Push notifications aren’t all created equal. If your app is accessible on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, you’ll want to know how these alerts will appear on the user’s screen. Take a look at this. Take a look at the difference in click-through rates between iOS and Android users:
Users of iOS devices, on the other hand, open push alerts seven times quicker than users of Android devices. What causes this to happen? It has to do with the software on each device being different. The push notice vanishes from the screen when an Apple user opens their phone. Android users, on the other hand, must manually clear their alerts. If they don’t manually remove the notice, it will remain on the notification screen until they open it. As a result, although Android users open alerts more often, Apple users do it more quickly. There are also minor differences in signs on the same platform when viewed on various devices and software versions. When measuring particular indicators, you must take all of this into account. Although, for example, your Apple users’ click rates are lower, it doesn’t imply they aren’t interested in your brand. Don’t take harsh measures, such as eliminating your marketing strategies for those users.
7. Geofencing is a technique that allows you to set boundaries around an area.
Personalization is linked to geofencing. To target users, the app takes advantage of location-based services. This is how it goes. Let’s pretend you own a chain of physical stores. If a consumer has your app installed on their phone, they may get a sale message when they walk within a few blocks of your business. To illustrate what I’m talking about, look at this sample from Vitamin World:
When a user of the app visits one of those geofenced locations, they will get a push notification on their phone offering a discount. This guarantees that your push alerts are relevant and timely. If you have a mobile app for your restaurant, it works brilliantly. Send a push notification with a lunch promotion to an app user who wanders by at lunchtime. You can utilize geofencing technologies to improve your push alerts even if you don’t have actual locations. Let’s imagine your mobile commerce business offers water sports equipment like surfboards, paddleboards, and wetsuits. You may send a notice to someone who uses your app and enters a geofenced region near the beach. However, sending this promotion to someone who lives in the desert or mountains makes no sense. Does it make sense? Customers are more likely to spend more money if you use geofencing. Allow customers to spend money straight immediately from inside your app as they get a notice. You want to make sure your push notifications are actionable, whether they’re for a product, service, or subscription. Just recall what we discussed previously. Although geofencing is a practical marketing approach, it should not be used excessively. If you send too many push notifications, you may irritate your users and get muted.
Conclusion
Push notifications are a terrific technique to boost your mobile app’s sales. However, a few things to bear in mind before sending them out. The number of words each notice should be kept to a minimum. Send push alerts seldom. These communications must include material that is current, relevant, and individualized. Offer promotions or flash sales to add value to the receiver. To target app users in a specified region, employ geofencing technology. Finally, recognize the differences between iOS and Android consumers’ reactions to a push notification. You’ll be able to strengthen your mobile marketing approach and boost revenue if you follow these suggestions.
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