With the shrinking attention span of customers and the ever-increasing amount of content that is being pushed to them, as a marketer, you have to be extremely alert all the while to ensure you aren’t forgotten and you aren’t too intrusive! Sounds like walking a tightrope? Well, it isn’t, trust us!
Talking specifically about apps and app users, App Push Notification is one of the most effective channels that help boost user engagement by almost 90% and retention by 20%.
While you must be leveraging the power of the channel already, here are a few tips and tricks that may be handy:
1) Let your users opt-in/ opt-out easily
You do not want to bombard your app users with notifications when they do not want them.
Always ask the users if they wish to enable APNs, either when they download your app or when they launch it for the first time.
Being transparent is harmless, rather valuable. Let the users know what kind of content you wish to send and educate them about the advantages of choosing to opt-in. This, in turn, will also go a long way in building trust with your users. Also, keep it relatively easy for the users to opt out of push ser-vices. If not, you might risk losing the consumer altogether, through app uninstall.
Related Download: Top 4 tips to improve conversions from App Push Notifications
2) Welcome Smart Segments
Gone are the days of “batch and blast”. Push content that is relevant & customised for a unique set of audience (segment), to create rich engagement. These segments can be based on a number of attributes or behaviours and activity data. Push offers or promotional content to segments, designed based on the users’ activity and interests.
Related Blog: Customer Segmentation made easy with Smartech’s smart segments.
[APN1 from eCommerce app] – ” Hey Sid! We have something special for you. Enjoy free delivery on any order, for the next 6 months!”
[APN2 from the same eCommerce app]- “Hey Pam! Use Coupon Code SEPT500 to avail special discounts in your birthday month!”
3) Send Actionable Notifications
Smartphones are personal devices. If your user opts in for APN, they’re allowing you access into their personal lives (in some sense). Given this, it’s only fair for them to expect essential and tailor-made messages that demand their time and attention.
Using language that conveys urgency (i.e., time-sensitive deals) and relevancy (sending it to a specific segment), will drive dormant users back to your app. A crucial last step is to direct them to the appropriate landing page using deep linking. Avoid sending them to the app homepage, it is usually a turn-off!
When you send a notification about items lying in the cart, take the user to the checkout page, not your homepage.
4) Set your timing right
When it comes to APN, timing is critical! Inculcate the habit of sending push messages at important days and optimised hours. The obvious question that follows is – What is the best time to send push messages?
You need to experiment and see what works best for you, depending on your country, state, and city! Another key factor that can improve your engagement rates and humanise your brand is creating event/festival based campaigns. For instance, if you send out a Valentine’s Day push notification at 23.00 hours or on February 15th, it would be wasted effort.
5) Identify the Ideal Frequency
It is critical to identify the optimal frequency for sending our push notifications to ensure high engagement with your target audience. This can be tricky because it varies from category to category.
For instance, social apps can probably get away with a higher frequency of push messages because people want to know when someone accepts their request, comments on their selfie, have shared interests, etc.
On the other hand, promotional apps should maintain a lower frequency to ensure they don’t seem too intrusive.
6) Keep experimenting with A/B tests
A/B testing is a healthy habit to have, as it lets you compare and understand the kind of character length, phrases, and CTAs that work best for your campaigns. For instance, experiment by adding time-sensitivity to your push message like “this week only” and see how it compares with “code expires in 3 days.” Keep switching between words and see what works best for your campaign and drives maximum results.
7) Leverage the benefits of marketing automation
Today you can automate a series of push campaigns that are targeted at customised segments to maximise your digital ROI. Marketing automation can help you pinpoint where you lose your customers along the journey and thus improvise on those layers of the funnel using the power APN.
It needs no mention that APN is a powerful way to engage with your ever-so-precious customers. Underutilizing this marketing channel would be criminal. Use the above suggestions and craft an excellent push campaign that’s promising, not ‘pushy’.
Watch this video to get some more handy tips on how to boost your APN conversions!
