Whenever we open our PC, laptop or Mobile we see notifications peeping from our window, waiting for us to do something. We call these notifications as a  push notification or browser push notification. Even if the concerned web page is not opened in our browser, we’ll see them floating on our window on the upper or lower right side, depending on our windows configuration. These notifications or messages act as an alert that prompts us to take action.

It is a new Digital Marketing strategy to re-engage your site visitors without knowing their email or other contact details. The notification is pushed to you automatically only by clicking on allow the notification. It is an attempt to get you to stay connected to the website and business. This enables the website owner to send you information about their products or services.

Browsers supporting Web Push Notifications

There are a few latest versions of browsers, which support web push notifications.

  1. Chrome
  2. Firefox
  3. Safari
  4. Opera
  5. Microsoft Edge

Currently, Web Push notification is one of the best Digital Marketing strategy to increase reach, engagement, conversion, and retention.

CHECKLIST FOR WEB PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Email Marketing Vs  Web Push Notifications

Web push notifications have higher click-through rates when compared to emails. Here, the advertiser can connect with their customers and prospects without needing their contact details (if we are excluding IP addresses).

Communication with a prospect is transforming now. As contact details aren’t involved, users generally don’t mind signing up.

Listed below are a few points which will make it more clear about the basic difference between Web push and email.

  1. Subscription– Web push notification needs one click as the user hits allow and they are subscribed instantly whereas email requires a longer opt-in process, then the subscription is confirmed.
  2. Message delivery– Web push notifications are delivered instantly, even if the operator is not using our website. Unlike email, where the messages will land up in an inbox, the user needs to check its email which doesn’t happen quite often. Sometimes, it also lands up in the spam folder.
  3. Opt-in rates– Speaking about opt-in rates, web push notifications are 15 times more effective as compared to emails. They pose a noticeable opt-in rate of 65 to 70%. On the other hand, The email opt-in rates are confined to only 2 to 5%.
  4. Response time– On average, 40% of subscribers relate with web push notifications instantly, resulting in higher reach and engagement. While E-mail is far less influential with the average response time ranging to 6.5 hours.

It is very much clear that web push notifications are much better when it comes to delivering results. Email is an obsolete concept that has lost its charm in modern means. With E-mail, there is quite a lot of dependency on it. That’s why they are unable to deliver results against the challenges of the dynamic world.

Web Push Notifications Vs App Push Notifications

  • The app push notification may take full advantage of the device features like the camera, GPS, compass, contact list, whereas web push notification is yet to tap into any of these features.
  • As native apps can only be installed on smartphones. Therefore, app push notifications are limited to these devices only. While web push notification can be used to reach users on Desktop as well.
  • App push notification support rich media, for instance, images, videos, Gifs, audios, and other interactive elements could be used while web push notifications as of now, only support large images.

Note: The only fact that needs to be kept in mind is that these notifications work only on Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) sites.

  Web Push notifications for business

  1. Instant Notification service
  2. No such mobile app required
  3. Higher opt-in rate
  4. Broader reach
  5. Higher Click-through rate
  6. Real-time quick delivery
  7. Real-time marketing

Web Push notification challenges

There are a few web push notification challenges that come across when we choose this medium of communication. These include

  1. Unable to send a notification to IOS devices.
  2. Permission-based channel
  3. Price matters
  4. The shortest form of communication

Moment Marketing

Time is a crucial component of marketing. Perhaps, there are times when you receive pop-ups that leave you in frustration. The marketers need to understand that your efforts are worth every penny. There is a perfect time to engage with users which would prove to be quite effective.

Push notification sent on wrong timing can result in:

  • The user may find your notification interrupting
  • Result in low view rates and open rates
  • There could be a chance that the user might unsubscribe from our notification service

Web-push notification is delivered instantly and is not stored anywhere. So, sending it at the right time becomes a mission-critical to its success. A recent study conducted by PushPushGo reveals that Wednesday and Weekends, the best days when CTR or click-through the rate were highest than any other days.

Another study reveals that frequently sent notifications can be considered an interruption. People reported that mobile messaging and email apps interrupt them in almost 50% of cases.

Also, Follow local time-zones and respect customer’s routines.

Ways to achieve success with Web Push Notification

1.Appealing copy

Depending on the user’s browser, a push notification should be of a limited character. One must use a clear and compelling message to drive conversations. The key to the conversation to move users back to our website with an immediate step or call-to-action.

2.Stratification

To deliver push messages that are relevant to subscribers, the stratification of the audience is a must. One can start by grouping subscribers through shared traits. This could be on the basis of product viewed, their geographic location, or the device they used to access the website.

3.Consistency and timing

Too many notifications received, ended up annoying the readers. Therefore, the senders need to recognize the perfect time by having a look at the data and statistics and try to work on consistency.

Stats Speaks

There are data, which reveals where push notification stands in the current scenario. It’s been published by “Pushpushgo” in 2019. Let’s have a look at the data.

  1. 12 seconds, the attention span of an average internet user. This is why small advertising formats, such as web push notifications, achieve higher CTRs.
  2. 34 gigabytes or 105000 words, the amount of information processed every day by the average person.
  3. 60% of web push subscriber sign up from browsers in their phones, while 30% of subscriber’s signup from a desktop and the remaining 10% sign with a tablet.
  4. 600%, the growth rate is observed in sign-ups for web push after implementing single opt-in or one-click sign-ups.
  5. December and July, the month when new subscribers sign up
  6. Increase in up to 15% CTR (click-through rate) using automated web push campaigns.
  7. 3% higher CTR was observed with rich push notifications which involve the use of large graphics.
  8. On Wednesday and Weekends, the highest CTR levels are reached by web push campaigns.
  9. 80%is the market reach of web push notifications. This could have been possible through various browsers that support web push.
  10. 5 minutes, it takes to create an effective marketing web push strategy.

Who uses web push notifications?

  1. 85% of online stores and a wide range of e-commerce operations use web push notifications in their business.
  2. 9% of publishers use web push notifications to increase traffic
  3. 4% of the travel industry uses web push, a tool to drive online sales.

Other than this, there are other sectors that practice web push notifications which include travel, finance, gaming, etc.

Companies practicing WPN

1.Amazon

Amazon provides push notification services through various platforms which include Apple Push Notification service (APNs), Google Cloud Messaging (GCM), Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), Baidu Cloud Push, and Amazon Device Messaging (ADM). It connects to these leading notification services as Amazon Pinpoint, which creates segments of customers based on their attributes, for instance, geographical location, behavioral, device type, etc to send targeted push notifications.

2.Netflix

Vast data is available to Netflix. Thus, it crafts highly personalized push messages based on each customer’s viewing history. They send a simple reminder about a series that someone has been watching, in an excellent way to improve engagement. A reminder on new web series, newly added movies, short-films and trending things inform and attract the traffic.

3.JetBlue

Like other airlines, JetBlue has adopted push notifications to remind its customers when to check-in. Flyers receive pleasant reminders exactly one day before the flight is scheduled to depart. In-flight status updates in the form of push notifications are also made available to the customers. It offers high value, practical content that helps to improve the flying experience.

This isn’t going to result in any immediate sales, but the efforts cause flyers to think positively about the brand, making them consider the airline the next time they go to book a flight.

Image– Unsurprisingly, in a study on push notifications, opt-in rates were highest in the travel and transportation niche (78%). People really appreciate being reminded of the key details that will improve their journey when they’re traveling.

4.Zomato

Food application is always on their toes to engage users and entice them to place an order on their portal. hence, Zomato too uses browse and web push notifications for better results by sending notification in the form of special offers, delivery status, revealing new dishes to food lovers. Apart from this, it also messages about discounts, festivals, and birthday wishes.

5.Rightful labs

Rightful Labs use push notifications as a tool for lead generation. As a performance marketing agency, Rightful labs integrate user information and behavior on the tool with CRM systems. It decodes the buyer’s journey and behavioral patterns from their mobile usage. It targets its activity according to prospects, leads, and customers in a particular location. They make use of Geo-location technology, which gives possible user experience.The more data you have on the ways in which people interact with your brand (history), the more you can tailor your push messages to resonate with them.

Let’s Get started!!
Push is the new cool in the digital era.

According to Peter Farago, “Understanding and improving user engagement is the new currency of doing business in the new digital world.” Thus, all businesses need to influence the customers aggressively to drive their growth with different perspectives. Receiving more messages is significantly correlated with increased feelings of being connected with others.” ~ Pielot, Church, Oliviera, 2014