Why do you need a push notification strategy?
Push notifications are the most common form of app marketing. They can help you better engage with your users by promoting app usage and loyalty among users.
Push notifications ensure a 50% higher open rate and 100% higher click through rate than email marketing. They’re more user-friendly compared to emails, and can help you get better results from your users. The advantage with push notifications is that the copy is simple, and the format lets the user quickly take action without much effort on their part.
According to Localytics, push notifications increase app engagement rates by 88%.
With an ever-growing number of mobile internet users, it is crucial that every business has a mobile presence. A mobile app can be easily leveraged to drive business revenue with the help of customized messages sent through push notifications. Additionally, push notifications let you engage with your audience in real-time, so you get access to the results quickly. A push notification campaign that is personalized for each user helps your business increase conversion rates and build on the relationship you have with your customers.
Here are some essential ways to build a loyal customer base with the help of an automated push notification strategy:
Get your users to opt-in
Since push notifications are promotional in nature, you need to send an opt-in prompt to ensure you have your users’ permission. As soon as a user downloads the app and opens it for the first time, the opt-in message should be displayed.
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Analyze your customer activity
It’s recommended to get the help of a push notification service provider so you can more easily integrate analytics into your campaigns. Segment your customers according to their age, location, profession and in app activity etc. Then send them customized messaging according to the characteristics of those segments. Creating a preference page in the app is also useful for gathering customer information, and will allow you to customize messaging according to user preferences as well.
A mobile marketing automation system helps you to add tags to different segments of users with respect to their app usage and behavior, and can help you manage a large amount of push notifications. You can easily view open rates and click rates to understand what’s working best for your audiences.
You can also track the number of installs, uninstalls and the level of activity on your app. Tracking purchases, video views and other specific in-app activity is also helpful in understanding the kind of messages you need to send out to your app users. A holistic system helps you to promote your app more effectively, get more usage and revenue, and ensure that there are fewer uninstalls and a growing number of installs of your application. Perform A/B testing to ensure you are only sending out the best messages.
Drive interest
Engage with your users by sending them messages that connect with them on an emotional level. Gather behavioral insights and send out messages that get them to open the app and take the desired action. You can run offers and promotions, while building a relationship with them to help build long term loyalty for your app.
Some of the other commonly used types of push notifications include:
- Information and updates
- Deals and promotions
- Location related notifications
- Content related messages
- Personalized messages related to user activity
- User achievements related to app usage
Timing is everything
To get the best results out of push notifications, make sure to schedule them at the right time. No user wants to be disturbed while at work or when they’re sleeping. The messages can be used as a reminder and triggered by a certain event (like a month of inactivity). For example, you can send your messages after work hours and on weekends when targeting working professionals. Be sure to understand your audience and plan your campaigns accordingly.
Here are few examples of how you can time your messages more effectively:
- Send out a promotional message during the holiday season.
- Wish your users a happy birthday or anniversary, offering them a special discount or free in-app currency.
- Update users about the status of their product delivery at regular intervals, after they have placed an order.
- Offer similar product suggestions to users who have recently made a purchase.
Integrate
Integrate your offline campaigns and your push notification campaigns to improve your marketing ROI. Running integrated campaigns helps you maintain consistency of brand communication and helps improve campaign and overall brand recall. To help, try a single, shared customer database that can be used for multiple channels, including the mobile device.
Our top picks
To help put some of these tips into context, below I’ve included some examples of successful push notifications:
TripAdvisor
There are times when your users will find what they are looking for, and still not purchase. Every time a user finds an interesting hotel deal on TripAdvisor and does not make a purchase, the app sends them a custom notification. The message does not just act as a reminder, but also creates a sense of urgency for the user to get the deal before it expires.
The message is personalized and talks about the exact deal that the user originally searched for. It personalizes, builds a connection and triggers purchase.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster sends out push notifications on the basis of user location and preferences, providing customers with personalized event info. The app tracks user demographics and past usage to send out its customized notifications.
Why you need to push harder to get more business
A professionally developed mobile app does not guarantee regular business from the channel. You need to market your application to your target audience to get more installs, improve the level of usage and thereby get more revenue for your business.
Once your app has surpassed the awareness stage, it’s imperative that you build loyalty among your users. This is when push notifications take center stage.
These short messages can be automated to different segments of users at suitable times and intervals to get the desired level of engagement on your application. You can choose a mobile marketing automation system that helps you run your campaigns and analyze the results for further improvement. A mobile app push notification strategy is essential for automating and growing your business revenue.
Abhishek Talreja is working as a Digital Marketing Manager with Enterprise Monkey. He has a keen interest in technology, and small business productivity. Enterprise Monkey helps SMEs and Not-For-Profits save time & money and increase revenue through automation, optimization & intelligence. Connect with Abhishek on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
