let’s learn about push notifications.

What are push notifications?

A push notification is a message that appears on a mobile device, such as a sports score, an invitation to a flash sale, or a voucher for downloading. Because consumers do not have to be in the app or using their devices to receive them, app publishers can send them at any time. Push notifications resemble SMS text messages and smartphone alerts, but they only reach users who have installed your app. All mobile platforms – iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows, and BlackBerry – have their push services.

Why are they used?

Push notifications provide app users with convenience and value by reaching their lock screens. Users for example, may receive:

• Sports results and news

• Traffic, weather, and ski snow reports are examples of utility messages.

• Information on flight check-in, changes, and connections

Push notifications allow app creators to communicate directly with users. They are not captured in spam filters or forgotten in inboxes, thus push click-through rates can be twice as high as email click-through rates. They can prompt users to utilize an app even if it is not currently open. They can also motivate activities such as:

• Increasing sales by promoting products or offerings

• Enhancing the customer experience

• Converting unknown app users to known customers

• Immediate sending of transactional receipts

• directing visitors to other marketing platforms, such as social media

History

June 2009:

Apple releases the first push service, Apple Push Notification Service (APNs).

May 2010:

Google Cloud to Device Messaging is a new service from Google (C2DM).

May 2013:

Google has launched “rich notifications.” Rich notifications can include graphics and action buttons. Users can take instant action after receiving a notification by using action buttons. For example, the user can listen to a song, use an app, or view additional information.

September, 2014:

Apple has included interactive buttons. These buttons allow users to respond to the app publisher right away. Apple soon introduced push notifications to the Apple Watch.

September 2016:

In iOS 10, Apple introduces support for rich notifications.

August 2017:

Notification Categories and notification dots, similar to iOS badges, are introduced by Google to alert users to active notifications for an app.

September 2018:

Apple provides several notification enhancements, including notification grouping, quiet notifications for a less invasive experience, and provisional authorization, to help consumers understand the value of notifications before opting in. In Android P, Google provides suggested notification muting.

August, 2021:

Google introduces notification snoozing support, as well as a revised notification UX.

September 2021:

Apple introduces focus modes, which allow users to control how and when notifications appear on their device; notification types for Passive and Time Sensitive notifications, as well as new interruption levels for notification delivery; and notification summaries, which allow users to select apps to include in a cross-app notification roundup that can be scheduled for delivery at specific times throughout the day.

August, 2022:

With Android 13, Google will ask users to opt in to alerts.

How do push notifications work?

• The operating system’s push notification service (OSPNS). Each mobile operating system (OS), including iOS, Android, Fire OS, and Windows, has its own service.

• App creator. The app publisher adds one or more OSPNS to its app. The publisher then publishes the software to the app store.

• App for clients. This is an OS-specific app that is installed on the user’s device. It receives incoming notifications.

Adding to an app

• The user goes to an operating system app store, gets the program, and then installs it.

• The user launches the app. The OSPNS stores unique identifiers (IDs) for both the app and the device.

• The IDs are returned to the app by the OSPNS. They are also forwarded to the app’s publisher.

• These registration details, including the IDs, are received and stored by the app publisher.

Sending

• A message composer user interface is used by the app publisher to compose a manual message. Alternatively, the publisher can configure an automated message to be sent through the API.

• The publisher specifies who will get the push notification.

• The publisher decides whether the communication should be sent immediately or at a later time.

Push notifications can be tailored to certain user categories and even personalized for individual app users. They do, however, necessitate the management of user identity data as well as the installation of some sort of interface for creating, targeting, and sending messages.

Opting in

Before sending push notifications to users, iOS requires apps to get permission from them. Previously, Android and Fire OS did not require user authorization, but that will change with Android 13. Convincing users to opt-in has always been critical for the success of iOS apps, and it will soon be for Android as well. When the majority of iOS apps are first opened, they display a typical iOS alert. A better way would be to demonstrate the value of opting in – for example, with a personalized welcome sequence upon first opening – and then let the user to opt-in afterward. On iOS, the median opt-in rate ranges from 58% for charity apps to 33% for games. Opt-in rates for high-performing apps across all industry verticals (those in the 90th percentile) exceed 50%. With rates greater than 70%, travel, business, and charity app opt-in rates dominate all verticals.

How do push notifications appear to users?

A notification is often displayed to users as a banner or pop-up notice while they are using their phones. The alert appears regardless of what the user is doing. Most mobile operating systems display push notifications in a single view as well. Apple features a Notification Center on iOS. The Notification Center is organized chronologically, and users access it by sliding it down from the top of the screen. Unread messages are displayed on the lock screen of Android devices. iOS allows users to modify push notifications at the app level. Users can enable or disable sounds and choose the notification style. Users can also change the red “badge” on an app’s home screen icon that displays the number of unread notifications. Android has a standard banner technique that users cannot alter at the OS level, while they may personalize the notification sound and whether or not a notification dot displays on the app icon to alert the user to a new notification.

Using location with push notifications

All mobile operating systems request permission from users before sharing location data. Users are presented with an opt-in notice by iOS. Location opt-in is available on Android as part of the app’s permissions configuration after installation. Publishers can deliver more relevant messages by combining location and behavioral data. Here are several examples:

• During a regional heat wave, a home renovation app sends out offers for cooling systems.

• Within 50 miles of an invite-only VIP trunk sale, a speciality shop invites users.

• A national sporting goods retailer welcomes local buyers in for autographs from local pro athlete

Strategy

Push notifications are an easy way to communicate with users. The capacity to engage with consumers via push notifications should be regarded as a privilege rather than a right by app providers. Push notifications will be ignored or turned off if app providers do not give value. Some users will completely remove the app. Analytics and measurement are critical tools for enhancing the performance of your app. It is also vital to consider how the push notifications are written: in order to elicit action, they must represent value. Messaging strategy and methods must be quantified and tested. Maximizing opt-in rates, ensuring new users are properly onboarded, and lowering app user churn rates are all critical to an app’s success. Other approaches include:

• Data matching across channels (web, mobile, shop, etc.) to better understand consumer behavior

• Making it simple for consumers to share content on social networks

• Encourage people to opt in by providing incentives and examples of the benefits your notifications will deliver.

• Improve the app experience to keep customers interested.

Push infrastructure

Push notifications can be tailored to certain user categories and even personalized for individual app users. They do, however, necessitate the management of user identity data as well as the installation of some sort of interface for creating, targeting, and sending messages. As a result, developing and maintaining a cross-platform push notification service necessitates substantial resources and ongoing maintenance, including yearly upgrades for any important OS changes. Publishers can either create this infrastructure themselves or pay a vendor, such as an Airship, to do so. Platform suppliers also provide the following capabilities:

• Reporting

• Scheduling

• Mobile marketing automation

• User attribute collection and segmentation

• Data management

• Security

• Cross-platform support

App publishers are increasingly paying for push notifications rather than producing them to focus on developing better app experiences.