With today’s consumers being mobile dependent and online driven, it’s safe to assume that they are aware of push notifications, which are brief mobile alerts. Almost every time people download a new app on their mobile device or smartphone, it automatically asks the user if they want to receive push notifications. When the alerts pop-up on the mobile screen, it appears as text messages. The major reason for the notifications is to prompt users to open the particular application and use it.
Consumers are now familiar with different types of message alerts that pop-up on their screen. They are suitable and provide up-to-date information. Push notifications cover a wide range of application types, but some are more popular than the other.
Many social media brands are now improving their approach to the way push notifications are used. Social media alerts on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter are what keep people on social irrespective of where they are. Here is how Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram make use of push notifications.
Snapchat Pushes User Anticipation
Snapchat favors creative product innovation which is the key to driving user engagement growth on the platform. Snapchat has been a needy and innovative app for mobile marketing. The app builds user expectation with lock screen which alerts or notifies users whenever their friend is typing. People are satisfied with these notifications because they are resourceful and they create a natural human response. It always keeps people on the screen waiting for a response and this is how human normally converse. Snapchat is indeed trying to make this feel like a real conversation and it increases engagement.
Twitter’s Tweaks
Twitter constantly tweaks its push notifications by striving to deliver relevant and valuable contents while limiting the annoyance of unsolicited messages on the users screen. Twitter was one of the first social media platforms that adopt rich push notifications which include expandable images and thumbnails, which improves direct open rates by users.
Just like other social media platforms, Twitter developed systems to tease suggestions for users, prompting notifications which recommended people that follow accounts and who are also followed or messages retweeted by different people in their networks.
However, a good push notification to one user may be a bad push to another. Generally, when new types of push notifications emerge, the user pulls back. Therefore, Twitter adjusted the services to clearly showcase how people can turn it off by themselves. Now, people that want to discover new account appreciated by their peers in their networks can either maintain the default setting or disable the notifications.
Instagram Notifications
Instagram has some interactions that normally would have prompted individual’s notifications into bigger pushes. The idea is to measure whether users respond with a higher level of engagement when a notification comes in bigger push but in lower volume. Instagram also maintains fine-tunes preferences in it push notification settings.
Social media networks business models may either die or live by their growths in monthly active users. High notification frequency leads to a greater mobile retention among new users. However, this does not mean users won’t be upset when they see many notifications and it would become annoying. It helps to remind users about their friend’s birthday, new updates and many more.
Giving your customers control over what they receive and what they don’t as notifications and listening to their reaction through automation, can help to avoid bad notifications that risk deletion by those who are likely to be your customers.
Tips for Good Push Notifications
1. Consider in-App Marketing Messages: Not all push notifications deserves a shove. Some items do not deserve a home screen notification and could be very annoying. It’s better delivered in-app message.
2. Personalized Notifications: User data showing behavior, preference, preferred usage, and location is a treasure trove for customizing notification content. You can also ask them what they want to receive and provide personalized controls.
3. Adopt Quality and Interactive Formats: From new notifications priorities in Android to integrating media and button messages, app marketing teams have many resources which they can use to gain more knowledge about what users care need from the messages.
4. Make It Worth Their Time: Users expect immediate satisfaction when they click on a notification. Make sure the message that is linked to the notification offers real value and it’s relevant to what the user wants. Endeavor to offer value through the message without teasing users to open apps.
Making use of these tips can make push notifications more impactful, with the ability to display and to convey meaningful messages. Like how video can create better engagement than other types of content, good push notifications can be more effective at grabbing the attention of the users.
Benefits of Push Notification
These mobile pop-up alerts are commonly used and are valued by consumers. That means it will be a great benefit for your business if you can figure out a way to incorporate push notifications into your marketing strategy. The following are the advantages of doing so:
- Keep your customers updated, informed, and connected.
- Increase and drive traffic to your website.
- Target a large audience at a minimal cost.
- Maintain a positive brand image by keeping up with the trends.
Before launching a successful mobile notification system, you must build an attractive and user-friendly mobile application. The one that’s free to download and will be valuable to your customers. However, if you go overboard with the alerts, users will quickly delete your app. If your business does not have a downloadable application as part of your marketing strategy, this is the time to put that plan into action.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering the push notifications you have received, then you can think about the practical uses of push notifications. They must become less of an intrusion into your life and more of a benefit. As a marketer, you must consider making use of push notifications with your mobile apps.