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November 1, 2024

Benefits of Push Notifications in Mobile Apps

Everyone likes a little reminder every now and then. We get so busy in our lives that we tend to forget things often. When it comes to mobile apps, we download so many that you notice one app suddenly sending a “Yoohoo, long time no see!” notification. These app reminders are called push notifications. While users have the option to deny push notification activations, you will be surprised that a number of individuals prefer to have them on their devices.

Push notifications are a powerful tool for keeping users engaged and active on your app while also driving app retention. When used effectively, they can greatly improve user experience and boost overall app performance.

For push notifications to be as effective as possible, there needs to be a proper strategy and then an overview of how to write and send them for your mobile app or game. Let’s get started with the benefits of push notifications in mobile apps.

What are Push Notifications?

Push notifications are messages sent from an app directly to a user’s device. These notifications can appear on the lock screen or as a banner alert, even if the app is not actively in use.

They serve as a direct line of communication between the app and the user, delivering timely updates, reminders, calls to action (CTAs), and personalized content.

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Significance of Push Notifications for App Store Optimization

Push notifications are essential for app store optimization (ASO) because they enhance user engagement and retention, both of which are crucial for app store ranking algorithms.

Well-crafted push notifications encourage users to return to the app more frequently and for longer periods, thereby improving retention rates. Higher retention rates indicate to app store algorithms that the app is valuable to users, which helps boost its ranking.

6 Strong Strategies to Implement for Push Notifications in Apps

While using all strategies at once might be tempting, it is all about how you use the strategy and when. By slowly implementing these strategies for your push notification methods, it can help you regain your users in no time. So, let us get right into it.

1. Develop a Strong Push Notification Strategy

Before sending push notifications, take the time to develop a strategy. This strategy should include key elements to engage users and drive desired actions.

• Objective Setting

Clearly define your goals for push notifications, such as increasing user engagement, driving sales, or enhancing retention rates. Ensure the objectives are measurable and supported by data.

• Content Planning

Create a content calendar that outlines your messaging strategy, ensuring alignment with your objectives and user preferences.

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• Timing and Frequency

Identify optimal notification times based on user behavior and preferences. Avoid overwhelming users with excessive notifications that may lead to opt-outs or app uninstalls.

• Personalization

Utilize user data to customize notifications based on individual preferences and behaviors, making messages more relevant and engaging. We will discuss personalization further in the next section.

2. Learn about Your Users

Knowing your users, as in your target audience, is very important. When you understand what your users want and expect from your mobile app, you can customize your push notification message accordingly to truly make them want to click the notification.

The key here is to make them curious and want to learn more about what they are missing out on by not using your application. Effective push notification campaigns depend on precise user segmentation. App marketers and developers collect data from the app launch and divide the user base into different groups based on certain criteria.

Here are a few examples:

• Demographics like age, gender, location, etc.
• Behavioral data like in-app actions, purchase history, engagement levels, etc.
• User Preferences like interests, favorite features, preferred notification times, etc.
• Users’ Lifecycle Stage – new, active, lapsed users, etc.
• Users segments

As we mentioned previously, start with basic and simple user segmentation or learn about user segmentation. Understand criteria such as user demographics like gender, age, activity, and key patterns and behavior of your users. Align all segmentation criteria with the goals you want to achieve or the actions you want your users to take within the apps.

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Users Behaviors

Monitor user responses to your notification campaigns. If a user reacts to a push notification by completing the desired action, refrain from sending the same message again.

As you collect more data, refine your user segments to focus on more specific behaviors and preferences. This iterative approach ensures that your notifications remain relevant and engaging.

For highly active users, adjust your communication strategy to maintain their engagement using a different approach. For users who do not respond to campaigns, analyze their behavior within the app and experiment with various types of notifications to determine which messages yield positive results.

Customized Messages

Customize your push notifications to align with the preferences and behaviors of different user segments. It’s important to not only tailor the content but also adjust the tone and timing of your messages.

For example, a notification aimed at a young, tech-savvy audience might use a casual tone and be sent in the evening. In contrast, a notification for a professional audience should adopt a more formal tone and be delivered during business hours.

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3. Write Persuasive and Concise Messages

There are a few golden rules when writing push notifications. These guarantee better user engagement and higher conversion rates. The important key here is to drive value through your notifications while respecting the user’s preferences and time.

• Write Generic Messages for a Small User Sample

Say, for example, that you have an app with a small user base. On top of that, you are only starting with your engagement strategies and methods. You should start with generic messages and measure those messages for their impact on your users and their first reactions.

The important factor here is never to mass-send to all the databases. Instead, try testing different segments, groups, and user types to compare and contrast the understanding and the different reactions or behaviors derived from the action.

• Concise and Clear Messages

Push notifications are generally short. If they end up being long and boring with too much content, the user will not even read them. Push notifications are supposed to be short and, ideally, to the point.

Try aiming for brevity while keeping the message informative and clear. Of course, depending on the topic, your notification does not necessarily have to be boring and dry. We will learn more about that later.

For example, instead of writing a push notification message such as: “There is a new feature that you might find interesting, tap to check it out now!” you should go for “Check out our new feature (it’s interesting!).”

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• Strong CTA (Call to Action)

CTAs are meant to be short and compel users to click on them. They are another form of clickbait, except here, where there should be no bait. The CTA encourages users to take the desired action immediately. Phrases like “Learn More” or “ Shop Now” can be very effective. However, make sure that the CTA is relevant to the notification and clearly states the benefits to the users.

• Use Emojis

As we mentioned earlier, push notifications do not have to be boring or plain. It all depends on the kind of notification. But at this point, there is an emoji for almost everything. Emojis can add a personal touch to the message. A study shows that push notifications that contain emojis have a higher chance of being opened—almost 85% open rates. They also help with conversation and retention as visual elements catch users’ attention.

The most common emojis used for push notifications are 🎉, 👏, 🙌, and 💯, which work best as they evoke positive feelings in users and are relevant to the message. For example, “Hurray 🎉 you have a 15% discount. Shop now!”

• Customize Push Notifications for a Larger User Base

Remember that customizing push notification messages can significantly improve their impact on users. Use the user’s name and tailor the content to match their preferences and behaviors.

For instance, you could say, “Hi [Name], your favorite item is back in stock!” Personalization ensures that the message feels more relevant and engaging to the user.

• Use Deep Linking

To improve user experience, notifications should direct users to specific sections of the app that correspond to the content of the notification. For instance, if a notification promotes a sale, it should link directly to the sale section of the app.

Additionally, it’s essential to continuously measure the effectiveness of these notifications and track user interactions to refine your engagement strategy.

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• Cross-Channel Communication

Notifications are most effective when they are part of a comprehensive cross-channel communication strategy. By combining push notifications with other channels, such as in-app messages, emails, and social media, brands can significantly enhance user engagement.

A report from Braze indicates that brands that integrate push notifications into their cross-channel communication strategies can experience engagement rates that improve by up to 844% compared to those that do not.

Now that we’ve covered the basics of writing notifications let’s discuss how and when to send them.

4. Time Your Notifications Right

How you send push notifications and their timing can significantly impact effectiveness. In this part of the article, we will focus on writing tips related to timing and sending.

Push notifications can be sent in 4 different ways:

• Time-Based Scheduling

Schedule push notifications for specific times, either as a one-time alert or on a recurring basis (e.g., every Friday). This method is ideal for sharing news, updates, or reminders about ongoing events.

• Action-Based Scheduling

Notifications are activated by specific user actions, like completing a purchase or reaching a milestone in the app. This ensures the messages are highly relevant to the user’s current activity.

• Sent-Time Optimized Scheduling

An optimized scheduling method sends notifications when users are most likely to engage with them. By analyzing user behavior, the system determines the best times to send messages to increase interaction. For instance, an e-commerce app might notify users about flash sales early in the morning if they typically shop before work.

• API-Triggered Scheduling

APIs can trigger notifications, enabling real-time updates based on external data like location or weather conditions. This method helps provide highly relevant and timely information. For instance, a travel app could notify users about flight delays using real-time data from an airline’s API.

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• Push Notification Timing and Frequency

Sending push notifications at the right time and frequency is crucial for maximizing user engagement and minimizing opt-outs. ASO professionals should experiment with different days and times to determine when notifications are most effective.

Start by analyzing the days and times your app is most frequently used, using analytics tools like Google Analytics. Avoid interrupting the user experience with poorly timed prompts. Instead, select moments when users are likely to be satisfied and willing to provide feedback.

Adjust the frequency of notifications based on user behavior and their responses to your campaigns. Sending too many notifications can overwhelm users, leading to app uninstalls or users opting out of notifications altogether.

Continuously monitor user feedback and engagement metrics to identify the optimal frequency for sending notifications. This approach ensures users stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.

5. Use Push Notifications to Get Reviews and Increase Ratings

Positive reviews and high ratings significantly influence potential users’ decisions and enhance your app’s ranking in app stores.

Consider using push notifications to encourage satisfied users to rate and review your app. This is especially effective after users have a positive experience or reach a milestone within the app. For instance, a notification like, “Enjoying our free app? We would greatly appreciate your support with a positive review,” can effectively motivate users to provide feedback.

Make it a habit to regularly engage users for reviews to maintain a steady flow of fresh ratings.

6. Benefit from Push Notification Tools

Push notification tools are available, and they now come with advanced features such as segmentation, analytics, and automation, which allow you to send highly targeted and personalized notifications.

For example, push notifications can offer comprehensive tools that improve your push notification strategy, simplifying user engagement and driving conversions. When you use these tools properly and effectively, you can automate the delivery of notifications based on user behavior and preferences. You can also track the performance of your campaigns and continually refine your approach.

This not only saves time but also guarantees that your push notifications are as effective as possible in boosting user engagement and retention.

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A Final Word on Push Notifications

Push notifications are a stringent way to remind users that your app is still downloaded on their device. They are also an effective way for users to open the app and stay present in it. Push notifications are powerful ways to drive user engagement and retention, essential for successful app store optimization.

A successful push notification strategy includes clear objectives, precise user segmentation, personalized messaging, and optimal timing and frequency. Effective push notifications should be concise, relevant, and engaging. They can achieve this by incorporating strong calls to action, personalization, and rich media elements. Furthermore, integrating push notifications into a broader cross-channel communication strategy can enhance their effectiveness, leading to higher engagement rates and improved app performance.

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