When it comes to app push notifications, getting it right is crucial for driving engagement and conversions. To help you achieve success, we've compiled five essential best practices for optimizing your push notification strategy.
Turn Your Audience into Subscribers
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of push notifications, it's essential to understand that providing value to your audience is key. This means turning your users into subscribers by offering them something unique and valuable in return for their consent.
Get Explicit Consent
When asking users to opt-in to push notifications, make sure you're getting explicit consent. This can be done through a clear and concise message that explains the benefits of receiving push updates.
Customize Your Opt-In Message
Don't just ask people to opt-in without giving them a reason. Customize your message by explaining what they'll get by signing up and what type of messages they can expect to receive.
Leverage Other Channels
If you're struggling to get users to download your app or provide consent for push notifications, don't be afraid to leverage other channels like email, SMS, social media, and your website. This will help spread awareness of your app and its benefits.
Make Messages Actionable and Desirable
Push notifications should always include an action the recipient wants to take. If you can't say why someone would want a certain message, then maybe it's not worth sending. Good use cases for push notifications include alerts for limited-time offers or events, major app updates, reminders, and more.
Tips for Crafting Your Message
When crafting your message, think about your push content like an email subject line. You have 1-2 sentences to pique the recipient's interest enough to open the message. Some tips for creating interesting messages include using selective capitalization, creating a sense of urgency, asking a question or brain teaser, and more.
Personalize Your Content
Personalizing messages helps you connect with your recipient on a deeper level. This can be as simple as using their name or as complex as picking an item that matches their style. The more personalized you are, the more likely your messages will lead to conversions.
Ideas for Personalizing Push Notifications
Some ideas for personalizing push notifications include using the recipient's first name, items in previously viewed or purchased categories, style recommendations, and price drop notifications.
Avoid Over-Sending
When it comes to sending push notifications, timing is everything. Avoid over-sending by monitoring your metrics and adjusting your strategy accordingly. According to Helplama, sending between 2-4 notifications per week causes ~43% of users to turn off push notifications, while sending 5 or more weekly leads to ~60% quitting an app entirely.
Be Aware of What Time You Send
While there's no official quiet hours for push notifications like there is for SMS, you should still be conscious of what time of day you're sending push updates. Avoid sending at odd hours, as this can lead to user frustration and a higher likelihood of opting out of future notifications.
By following these five best practices, you'll be well on your way to unlocking the full potential of app push notifications and driving meaningful engagement with your audience.