In today’s digital landscape, notifications are everywhere. Our phones and computers are constantly buzzing with information because people simply have a fear of missing out. With our devices being connected to the global network, companies and businesses from all across the globe can reach their target audience in a matter of minutes.
Push notifications have been a regular part of many companies’ ad campaigns, and it’s no wonder. So far, they have proven to be a very effective tool in attracting the right audience. But what exactly are push notifications, and how do they work? Will they benefit your business? Read this article to find out.
What Are Push Notifications?
Push notifications act like phone pop-ups. They appear as short messages followed by sounds or vibrations – just like regular notifications. The difference between regular and push notifications is that push notifications are personalized, meaning that you and the person next to you might not receive the same notification content. That’s precisely why they’re so effective.
Another benefit of this type of ad is that they don’t come with the risk of being shoved in the spam folder. While users do have the option to opt-out of receiving these messages, until they choose that option, they will be ‘’forced’’ to see your push notifications and maybe even act on them.
How Do Push Notifications Work?
Now let’s get to the technical stuff. While we won’t go too much in-depth about the programming and the back-end side of things, we’ll try to use plain language to explain the basics of push notifications.
They use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) solutions which act as mediators between companies and users. First, the company’s or the app’s server sends the notification alongside user information. Once FCM receives the data, it verifies it and sends the said notification to the desired user. Once the user receives the notification, their device sends the Click & Delivery data back to the app to track the engagement and effectiveness of the notification.
Why Should You Enable Push Notifications?
- Opt-in rates for app push notifications on Android phones range from 49% to 95%
- On iOS, it ranges from 29% to 73%
- The subscription rate of push notifications ranges from 0.5% to 15%. The financial sector has the highest rate
- Push notifications ad campaigns are more effective on mobile devices than desktops
- Push notifications improve the app retention rate by 3-10 times
- The click rate of push notifications is 12%
- Highly targeted push notifications rate is even better – 30%
- The months in which users subscribe to push notifications the most are July and December
- If you include a catchy call-to-action in your push notifications can improve the desired outcome by 40%
- If you run a successful push notification campaign, you can improve your return on investment by 3500%
Push Notifications Pros and Cons:
While push notifications can be a great way to reach your target audience and improve conversions, there are still certain drawbacks that are important to mention. Below, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the pros and cons of implementing push notifications in your ad campaign:
Pros:
- Actionable analytic data
- Time-effectiveness
- They don’t require any personal information
- They can bring more engagement
- They’re visible and obvious
Cons:
- Some consider them to be spammy
- Most websites, services, and businesses use them
- They aren’t suitable for all industries
- Some people might ignore them or unsubscribe
- Nearly one-third of recipients disable them
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, push notifications can be extremely effective if done correctly. Numerous researches have backed up this claim, some of which we’ve mentioned in this article. While they may not be suitable for all industries, they’re still worth a shot. As mentioned before, people fear missing out, so they often opt-in to receive these notifications. So, don’t let your business fall behind. Instead, implement push notification into your marketing strategy and see a major boost in conversions.
