Push Notifications: 10 Best Practices for a Successful Strategy
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2024 5:59 am
Push notifications are the channel that offers the greatest possibilities in terms of personalization and targeting.
This is what makes them very effective. As we wrote in the first article of this series dedicated to push notifications , the average opening rate of web and mobile push notifications exceeds 16% .
But to fully exploit the potential of push notifications, you still need to australia whatsapp number data 5 million put in place a thoughtful and well-planned strategy. A poorly designed approach can easily lead to user disengagement and negatively impact both performance and customer experience.
In this article, we offer you 10 best practices for web and mobile push notifications.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Hero
Summary
1. Set clear and measurable goals
2. Finely segment your audience
3. Establish an editorial calendar
4. Take care with the design and writing of notifications
5. Optimize opt-in rates
6. Exploit user data
7. Integrate notifications into a cross-channel journey
8. Continuously test, measure and optimize
9. Respecting users’ privacy and preferences
10. Equip yourself with a complete and integrated solution
1. Set clear and measurable goals
Are you looking to leverage web or mobile push notifications to complement traditional emails and SMS? The first step is to define clear, measurable goals that align with your company’s overall business objectives.
Whether it's acquiring new users, improving customer engagement, retention, conversion, each push notification campaign must pursue a specific and measurable goal (or goals).
Once you have set your goals, it is important to associate them with key performance indicators (KPIs) . These KPIs will allow you to measure the effectiveness of your push notification campaigns and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Here are some examples of KPIs:
If the goal is to acquire new users : the number of new downloads or the growth rate of the number of users.
If the goal is to improve engagement : the open rate of web or mobile notifications, the number of actions taken following a notification or the time spent in the mobile application after clicking on a notification.
If the goal is to increase retention : the retention rate on Day X or the number of sessions per user over a given period.
If the goal is to drive conversions : the conversion rate of desired actions (purchases, registrations, etc.) following a push notification or the increase in revenue directly attributable to users who received push notifications.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Objectives
2. Finely segment your audience
One of the strengths of web and mobile push notifications is their ability to be highly personalized to fit specific user interests and behaviors.
Customization of notifications is possible through two tools:
Audience segmentation based on specific criteria.
The creation of scripted or “triggered” campaigns (to use a term that is not very pretty), that is to say campaigns or messages whose triggering is determined by the user’s behavior towards the service/mobile application or linked to the life cycle.
To start, we recommend focusing on the first tool: audience segmentation .
Segmenting an audience consists of dividing your user base into distinct groups based on socio-demographic, behavioral or affinity criteria: age, gender, geographic location, purchasing habits, history of interactions with the mobile application or website, etc.
Segmentation then allows you to address targeted campaigns for each segment, in line with their profiles. Segmentation is the antechamber of targeting . The logic is the same as that used with the persona method.
A music streaming service, for example, can segment its users based on their preferred music genres to send them web or mobile notifications about new releases that are likely to interest them most.
Segmentation is a powerful tool for personalizing notifications and optimizing engagement rates. It is a must if you want to create targeted and effective push notification campaigns.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Segmentation
3. Establish an editorial calendar
Any communication action must be planned . This is true for email campaigns, it is also true for web and mobile push notifications.
Establishing an editorial calendar for your push notification campaigns will help you organize the sending frequency and choose the right moments to reach your audience.
The schedule should take into account both the types of content to promote via push notifications and the times when your users are most receptive to your messages.
You need to carefully define the timing and frequency of sending push notifications to avoid overloading your users and creating weariness. At what time should you send push notifications? Very early in the morning, in the evening, during working hours? It depends on the application, the service. There is no general rule. It is up to you to define the timing based on your knowledge of your users…and to do some testing. We will talk about this later.
One last tip to keep recipients engaged with push notifications and break the monotony: vary the type of content sent . Alternate between useful information, reminders, promotions, important updates, etc.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Calandier
4. Take care with the design and writing of notifications
The success of a push notification depends largely on its ability to instantly capture the user's attention and encourage action. This requires paying particular attention to the design and writing of notifications.
The essential writing rule? Conciseness . Messages should be short and to the point because display space is limited and users' attention spans are short. Use clear and direct language.
To be effective, messages must be personalized (which brings us back to point 2) and encourage action. We advise you to:
Make sure the main message and call to action (CTA) are immediately visible.
Address the user by name or mention their interests. For example, “Hello [Name], [Favorite Singer]’s new album is out now!” is more impactful than “New album out now.”
You can also use rich media to enrich web and mobile push notifications and make them more attractive. A relevant image or a well-chosen emoji can significantly increase the click-through rate of your notifications. Be careful, however, to use these elements judiciously so as not to distract from the main call to action.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Design-Redaction
5. Optimize opt-in rates
The reach of your push notification campaigns depends on the number of users who agree to receive them, i.e. opt-ins collected. So, to maximize the impact of your campaigns, it is important to look at optimizing opt-in rates.
Here are some tips on this:
Clarify the value proposition of notifications right from the permission request. This means clearly communicating to users what they’re getting by opting in to web or mobile push notifications: exclusive information, special offers, important updates, etc.
Use the “pre-permission” system , which consists of asking the user, through a pop-up window and before the system permission request, if they are ready to receive notifications. This approach, used well, increases the chances that the user will then accept the permission request.
Implement double opt-in . This consists, as the name suggests, of asking the user for confirmation after an initial acceptance. This is a way not to increase the number of opt-ins, but to improve the quality of subscribers and therefore engagement with notifications.
Use A/B testing to identify the wording, design, or timing of the permission request that generates the highest acceptance rates.
Ask for permission after the user has derived concrete value from the app. This typically (and logically) leads to higher opt-in rates compared to asking immediately when the app is first launched.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Opt-in
6. Exploit user data
To optimize your push notification strategy, it is essential to rely on your users' data. Collecting and analyzing this data will allow you to better understand their behaviors and preferences, and thus adapt your campaigns accordingly.
Collection of user data
The first step is to collect data from your users. This data can come from a variety of sources:
In-app behavior: pages visited, features used, purchases made, etc.
Interactions with your notifications: openings, clicks, unsubscriptions...
Demographic data: age, gender, location...
Purchase history: frequency, amount, product categories...
It is important to collect this data in a systematic and structured manner, in compliance with current regulations such as the GDPR. You can rely on your push notification management tool or your marketing platform to centralize this data.
User data analysis
Once the data is collected, you can move on to the analysis step. The goal is to derive actionable insights from this data to optimize your push notification strategy.
Here are some examples of relevant analyses:
Segmenting your users based on their behaviors and preferences
Identifying key moments in the user journey where notifications have the most impact
Analysis of the performance of your past campaigns (opening rate, click rate, etc.) to identify success factors
Tracking the evolution of key metrics such as retention rate or average basket by user segment
To conduct these analyses, you can use the reporting and data visualization tools integrated into your push notification management platform. You can also export your data to business intelligence tools, for example.
The key is to rely on reliable and up-to-date data to make informed decisions about your push notification strategy. By finely segmenting your users and analyzing their behavior, you will be able to create ultra-personalized and relevant campaigns that will sustainably engage your audience.
Remember that data mining is an ongoing process. Set up regular analysis routines and don’t be afraid to experiment with new approaches based on the insights you gain. By constantly refining your understanding of users, you can build a successful push notification strategy over the long term.
This is what makes them very effective. As we wrote in the first article of this series dedicated to push notifications , the average opening rate of web and mobile push notifications exceeds 16% .
But to fully exploit the potential of push notifications, you still need to australia whatsapp number data 5 million put in place a thoughtful and well-planned strategy. A poorly designed approach can easily lead to user disengagement and negatively impact both performance and customer experience.
In this article, we offer you 10 best practices for web and mobile push notifications.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Hero
Summary
1. Set clear and measurable goals
2. Finely segment your audience
3. Establish an editorial calendar
4. Take care with the design and writing of notifications
5. Optimize opt-in rates
6. Exploit user data
7. Integrate notifications into a cross-channel journey
8. Continuously test, measure and optimize
9. Respecting users’ privacy and preferences
10. Equip yourself with a complete and integrated solution
1. Set clear and measurable goals
Are you looking to leverage web or mobile push notifications to complement traditional emails and SMS? The first step is to define clear, measurable goals that align with your company’s overall business objectives.
Whether it's acquiring new users, improving customer engagement, retention, conversion, each push notification campaign must pursue a specific and measurable goal (or goals).
Once you have set your goals, it is important to associate them with key performance indicators (KPIs) . These KPIs will allow you to measure the effectiveness of your push notification campaigns and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Here are some examples of KPIs:
If the goal is to acquire new users : the number of new downloads or the growth rate of the number of users.
If the goal is to improve engagement : the open rate of web or mobile notifications, the number of actions taken following a notification or the time spent in the mobile application after clicking on a notification.
If the goal is to increase retention : the retention rate on Day X or the number of sessions per user over a given period.
If the goal is to drive conversions : the conversion rate of desired actions (purchases, registrations, etc.) following a push notification or the increase in revenue directly attributable to users who received push notifications.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Objectives
2. Finely segment your audience
One of the strengths of web and mobile push notifications is their ability to be highly personalized to fit specific user interests and behaviors.
Customization of notifications is possible through two tools:
Audience segmentation based on specific criteria.
The creation of scripted or “triggered” campaigns (to use a term that is not very pretty), that is to say campaigns or messages whose triggering is determined by the user’s behavior towards the service/mobile application or linked to the life cycle.
To start, we recommend focusing on the first tool: audience segmentation .
Segmenting an audience consists of dividing your user base into distinct groups based on socio-demographic, behavioral or affinity criteria: age, gender, geographic location, purchasing habits, history of interactions with the mobile application or website, etc.
Segmentation then allows you to address targeted campaigns for each segment, in line with their profiles. Segmentation is the antechamber of targeting . The logic is the same as that used with the persona method.
A music streaming service, for example, can segment its users based on their preferred music genres to send them web or mobile notifications about new releases that are likely to interest them most.
Segmentation is a powerful tool for personalizing notifications and optimizing engagement rates. It is a must if you want to create targeted and effective push notification campaigns.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Segmentation
3. Establish an editorial calendar
Any communication action must be planned . This is true for email campaigns, it is also true for web and mobile push notifications.
Establishing an editorial calendar for your push notification campaigns will help you organize the sending frequency and choose the right moments to reach your audience.
The schedule should take into account both the types of content to promote via push notifications and the times when your users are most receptive to your messages.
You need to carefully define the timing and frequency of sending push notifications to avoid overloading your users and creating weariness. At what time should you send push notifications? Very early in the morning, in the evening, during working hours? It depends on the application, the service. There is no general rule. It is up to you to define the timing based on your knowledge of your users…and to do some testing. We will talk about this later.
One last tip to keep recipients engaged with push notifications and break the monotony: vary the type of content sent . Alternate between useful information, reminders, promotions, important updates, etc.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Calandier
4. Take care with the design and writing of notifications
The success of a push notification depends largely on its ability to instantly capture the user's attention and encourage action. This requires paying particular attention to the design and writing of notifications.
The essential writing rule? Conciseness . Messages should be short and to the point because display space is limited and users' attention spans are short. Use clear and direct language.
To be effective, messages must be personalized (which brings us back to point 2) and encourage action. We advise you to:
Make sure the main message and call to action (CTA) are immediately visible.
Address the user by name or mention their interests. For example, “Hello [Name], [Favorite Singer]’s new album is out now!” is more impactful than “New album out now.”
You can also use rich media to enrich web and mobile push notifications and make them more attractive. A relevant image or a well-chosen emoji can significantly increase the click-through rate of your notifications. Be careful, however, to use these elements judiciously so as not to distract from the main call to action.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Design-Redaction
5. Optimize opt-in rates
The reach of your push notification campaigns depends on the number of users who agree to receive them, i.e. opt-ins collected. So, to maximize the impact of your campaigns, it is important to look at optimizing opt-in rates.
Here are some tips on this:
Clarify the value proposition of notifications right from the permission request. This means clearly communicating to users what they’re getting by opting in to web or mobile push notifications: exclusive information, special offers, important updates, etc.
Use the “pre-permission” system , which consists of asking the user, through a pop-up window and before the system permission request, if they are ready to receive notifications. This approach, used well, increases the chances that the user will then accept the permission request.
Implement double opt-in . This consists, as the name suggests, of asking the user for confirmation after an initial acceptance. This is a way not to increase the number of opt-ins, but to improve the quality of subscribers and therefore engagement with notifications.
Use A/B testing to identify the wording, design, or timing of the permission request that generates the highest acceptance rates.
Ask for permission after the user has derived concrete value from the app. This typically (and logically) leads to higher opt-in rates compared to asking immediately when the app is first launched.
Article_Notifications_PUSH_Opt-in
6. Exploit user data
To optimize your push notification strategy, it is essential to rely on your users' data. Collecting and analyzing this data will allow you to better understand their behaviors and preferences, and thus adapt your campaigns accordingly.
Collection of user data
The first step is to collect data from your users. This data can come from a variety of sources:
In-app behavior: pages visited, features used, purchases made, etc.
Interactions with your notifications: openings, clicks, unsubscriptions...
Demographic data: age, gender, location...
Purchase history: frequency, amount, product categories...
It is important to collect this data in a systematic and structured manner, in compliance with current regulations such as the GDPR. You can rely on your push notification management tool or your marketing platform to centralize this data.
User data analysis
Once the data is collected, you can move on to the analysis step. The goal is to derive actionable insights from this data to optimize your push notification strategy.
Here are some examples of relevant analyses:
Segmenting your users based on their behaviors and preferences
Identifying key moments in the user journey where notifications have the most impact
Analysis of the performance of your past campaigns (opening rate, click rate, etc.) to identify success factors
Tracking the evolution of key metrics such as retention rate or average basket by user segment
To conduct these analyses, you can use the reporting and data visualization tools integrated into your push notification management platform. You can also export your data to business intelligence tools, for example.
The key is to rely on reliable and up-to-date data to make informed decisions about your push notification strategy. By finely segmenting your users and analyzing their behavior, you will be able to create ultra-personalized and relevant campaigns that will sustainably engage your audience.
Remember that data mining is an ongoing process. Set up regular analysis routines and don’t be afraid to experiment with new approaches based on the insights you gain. By constantly refining your understanding of users, you can build a successful push notification strategy over the long term.