If you have downloaded any app ever, then you’re probably familiar with push notifications! However, keep in mind that they are much more than just a pop-up message and ask yourself:  Do I really know how to use them to my advantage?

Nearly every major app uses push notifications for transactions and re-engagement. But you know what? Now you don’t have to spend a lot of money or time to get into the game. Just keep reading the blog, to find out how to properly create and maximize notification performance and PWA by AmpifyMe will take care of the rest! 

Now, with PWA, you can make your Shopify store installable and live on the user's home screen, and have a chance to stay in touch with them via push notifications! 

What Is The Purpose of Push Notifications?

Push notifications capture attention, provoke interest, and tease just the right amount of information, in a limited set of characters. Less intrusive than other forms of user engagement, push notifications are a great marketing tool. They can effectively drive traffic and help users by providing useful information. 

So, if you manage to make your notification valuable and time-sensitive, you’ll have the right message that never goes into spam! Just make sure you have some strategy in implementing this method. Because If you use it too often, users will probably mute your notifications. 

Push notification users by industry

Source: VWO Engage

Benefits of Mobile Push Notifications

Increased Conversion Rate

Studies show that the conversion rate can be increased four times by sending off intelligent and behavioral-based mobile push notifications. Timely marketing messages are also a good way to increase conversion rates because they can notify customers or create a sense of urgency. This way, you’ll not only grab the attention of users but also give an urgent call-to-action. 

Reduce Efforts in The Customer Journey

Clear messages, that match user requests, lead to passing through the sales funnel. This way, you get to promote your product gradually and encourage subscribers to return to a website again and again. With each visit, they get to know your products better. 

Just keep them engaged by sending the latest news or special offers, so they can evaluate the benefits of your company and eventually make a purchase.

Re-engage/Retain Users

Push notifications are a good way to turn these inactive users into active users. According to a study by Urban Airship, sending push notifications can increase app retention rates by 3 to 10 times. By sending users promotional codes and discounts off, you’re remaining customers of your brand and keep them highly engaged.

And if you manage to show direct personal value through the notifications, they will keep using your app and support your brand.

Push Notifications vs. Text Messages

Well, both options are displayed on the phone screen, that’s for sure. But there are a few small differences that can cost you business.

For a push notification to show up on a lock screen properly, you need to have a restricted character limit. Text messages can be longer because the user can open it up to read the entire message, and if your push notification gets cut off on the lock screen, it’s going to hurt your conversions. That’s why push notifications with fewer words have higher click-through rates. 

While direct text messages will certainly attract more attention, push notifications will be a cheaper and more effective marketing strategy in the long run. Many users do not have unlimited texting plans and will wind up getting charged for each text message you send. This can irritate users and lead them to look at your message negatively. Also, the majority reserve SMS communication for private and personal conversations. Therefore, they associate SMS promotional content as spam. Even though you may have access to a customer’s phone number, sending unsolicited SMS messages is illegal. And connecting your brand with disturbing and offensive content is a risk that you should not take. 

Push Notifications vs. Emails

Everyone gets notified whenever they receive an email. But, these days, people get so many emails, that they don’t check them anymore. More than 290 billion emails are sent daily, and the figure is expected to reach 347 billion daily emails by the end of 2023!!

You probably have more than five hundred unread emails, right now. 

But, since push notifications don’t happen as frequently, users are more likely to be interested. 

When you send your users informative, concrete messages, (to let them know about special discounts or limited-time offers in your online shop, for example), you remind them of their interests and don't waste their time. 

Best Practices for Push Notifications

One thing is for sure - the more relevant and personal your notifications are, the better the results you’ll achieve. According to Leanplum, individualized messages have four times the open rate of generic messages, so keep them friendly and worth reading.

Through notification messages, you should provide your users with thoughtful reminders, personalized offers or breaking news. But don’t forget to:

1.Sent them at the right time. 

As a user, if you prefer to receive a notification? Probably not at 3 a.m. Try to avoid their busiest time of day and consider the time difference between you and your most active users.

Here is when are push notifications sent by industry

Source: VWO Engage

 2. Always provide value. 

Ask yourself whether the update you want to send may spark user interaction. Do not waste their attention on not important messages. If your notifications provide some kind of value, that’s a good notification.

Here is what push notifications are being used in the e-commerce sector

Source: VWO Engage

3. Balance

Don’t overdo it! Try to align this marketing tool with the rest of your marketing strategy. Sync actions and use the potential of notifications for key moments of your promotion

What Makes Users Enable Push Notifications?

The great news is that 48% of users find push notifications helpful. 26% of users said that they were grateful for push notifications because they get alerts about their interests.

Another 20% of app users stated that notifications enhance productivity. They can receive important and timely information without having to launch the app because of push notifications

But, remember when we talked about having a tactic in using notifications for marketing purposes? If you overdo it, you're out!

Receiving between 2 and 5 messages in one week would cause 46% of respondents to disable push notifications. 32% of respondents said they would stop using the app altogether if they received between 6 and 10 messages in a week. 

Source: VWO Engage

So the numbers show it all! The benefits of push notifications may be many, but how you implement your strategies is what it ultimately comes down to. 

How To Get People To Turn On Notifications Again

We really hope you got to read this blog before you reached this stage.  But all is not lost yet!

Remember to use other marketing channels. When a user signed up for your app or created a profile, you may have asked for their email address.

Remind them of discounts, special and limited offers that they will only be notified if they turn on notifications. Use Facebook or Instagram page, your blog or site to promote these offers.

And once you've got the second chance, don’t make the same mistakes! 

Final Thoughts

Mobile push notification’s power shouldn’t be underestimated! If you use it right, it's one of the most effective marketing tools. So, invest some energy in message creating, focus on your user’s habits and needs, pick the right timing, and send that push notification using PWA by AmpifyMe!