In mobile application development, there are several features that we can add to an app to hook the users. One of them is using the push notifications feature. Surprisingly, many businesses are still unaware of its importance.
I would say that push notifications play the role of marketing. Interestingly, it’s an unpaid advertisement! As marketers target a specific audience, try to keep showing them the ad, offer discounts to them, or any other offer, to do what? Just to stay connected with the brand, company, or any individual.
That’s what you have to do to leverage the push notifications feature. It is probably the most common feature seen in any app we use. But the difference lies where things are done right.
What are Push Notifications?
Push notifications are the popup messages that appear on the user’s screen whether he/she is using that app or not. Also if the mobile screen is turned off, the notification can be sent to the users if push notifications for that app are enabled.
These push notifications can display a message, give access to tokens, inform about updates or sales offers, direct to any specific web page or do any navigational task. Sending push notifications is a great way for mobile applications to boost traffic, increase user retention for products or services.
Similarly, web push notifications are the same short messages sent to the user’s desktop. These messages are to navigate the users to any website, or webpage, or to alert users about updates or security concerns.
Both mobile and web push notifications are short, but unique messages that tend to urge users to perform a task. Let’s explore how push notifications can benefit your app.
Benefits of Push Notifications
Following are some of the important aspects that we can leverage using push notifications.
Increase User Retention
User retention is one of the most crucial aspects of an app that decides its future. It determines how many users downloaded your app and used it once and then came back to use it again.
If someone downloads your app and deletes it without using it more than once, sadly, your app has no value. It doesn’t mean that you have failed to excel with that app. You can always uplift your app’s potential if you do things right – what the customer wants.
Push notifications can help you increase user retention because it keeps a link between your app and the user.
Sending thoughtful reminders, giving special offers, and welcoming new users are some of the steps that could help increase user retention. This is because when you send a notification to the user, the user feels live. This means that the users get to know that someone is having a look at us. There must be someone who will respond to us if we have any queries or a problem while using that app.
Boost Traffic
As you focus on retaining the users, you must be willing to continue users engaging with your content. Push notifications drive people back to your website or mobile app.
Different gaming platforms and other entertainment apps keep sending such notifications to let users know about the trending games or shows. The playboys would likely be willing to play the trending games and watch newer shows. Moreover, companies send push notifications at specific times analyzing the time zones when that user is more likely to open the notification. What else do you ignore about push notification’s potential?
Target the Right Users
Push notifications allow users to track the analytics and statistics of the users like open rates, open times, delivery receipts, engagements, etc. Moreover, it gives information about the user’s activity, behavior, and interests.
This allows the developers to create the campaigns or announcements accordingly. Ultimately, we can achieve the best results.
Additionally, push notifications ask users to allow access to location services. If they allow so, you’ll get a great opportunity to personalize the customer experience with location-specific push notifications.
With push notifications, we can send offers that apply to users in a specific region based on their time zone. You can target users according to country, state, or city.
Let’s suppose, you’re running an on-demand app. You can send push notifications to the users available in a particular area informing them about the services/items present there.
Moreover, you can alert users to discounts or special offers when they’re in a particular location. Push messages based on a user’s location can help you engage users with a high degree of personalization and relevance.
Increase Customer Ease
Push notifications can significantly help decrease users’ efforts. It can be done in the way that whenever you send them a push notification, you should embed the link to that page too. This means that the user will readily be directed to the offer, coupon, or page you want them to direct.
For example, when you have an update to release, you should mention the update size with the notification too. So that the user already manages the space if he/she has restricted storage. Moreover, you should directly navigate the user to the window where he/she can download or install the update. Rather than directing to the homepage and leaving the user on their own.
Increase Conversion Rate
Push notifications not only help bring users back but can also give them a call to action that will boost conversion rates. The call to action could be offering a discount to get users to make a purchase.
One thing that plays a vital role in increasing the conversion rate is the copy of your notification. Copy means the heading, body text, and call to action of your discount or the offer you send the users.
Timely marketing messages are the best way to increase conversion because they can create a sense of urgency. For example, if you run an eCommerce store. People visit your store and add certain items to the cart and leave without checking out.
You can send them a push notification after a day or two reminding them of the item they left in the cart. This is a proven strategy for increasing the click-through rate that ultimately increases the conversion rate.
Build Brand Loyalty
Notifying the users about last-minute deals, special offers, or buy-one-get-one-free offers could create a significant difference from educating them about any product straightforwardly.
This way you can form a complementary marketing channel where you can give customers extra, value-added information about your brand.
You can also attach your brand logo with the notifications so that when the user comes back, he will recognize your brand. This creates brand loyalty between you and the customer.
Key Outcomes
Push notifications are a proven winning marketing strategy for a lot of businesses. Sending users well-crafted, relevant, and timely notification messages is a great marketing tactic. After all, defining the end goals, making a proper marketing plan, and targeting the right customers are some of the other major concerns.
I hope you have got to know the potential of using push notifications in your mobile or web apps through this article. Feel free to leave a comment below with your queries or suggestions. FlutterDesk is always there to help flutter aspirants 😉
