What Is a Push Notification? The Complete Guide on Push Notifications

In today’s heavily saturated digital world where users have several apps vying for their attention, it’s not enough to build a mobile app. Your app has to include experiences and features that boost user engagement. One such feature is the push notification. 

As a business venturing into an app or web development, you can use push notifications to maintain a constant and direct connection with your audience even if your app isn’t opened on their device. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of push notifications, how it works, and how to use it to drive business results. 

• A push notification is a short, concise message sent directly from an app or website to a user’s device in real time. 
• A push notification is typically between three channels; the message is sent from the app publisher’s server to an operating system push notification service (OSPNS) like Apple Notification Service or Firebase Cloud Messaging which forwards it to the user’s mobile device. 
• Push notifications can be used across various industries to market products, send reminders, guide users on app usage, or make announcements. 
• For the best results, push notifications should be concise, perfectly timed, and deliver value to customers. 

What Are Push Notifications?

A push notification (also known as a push alert or push message) is a short message sent directly from an application or website to the home screen or notification center of a user’s mobile device or computer. These notifications are designed to reach users in real time and may even pop up when the website or app sending the alert isn’t open on the user’s device. 

A push message may contain text, images, or other media messages and users can respond, react, or open them almost immediately. Push notifications are an important component of many companies’ marketing strategies. In addition to marketing, this feature can be tailored for other purposes such as transaction alerts, content recommendations, security notifications, new feature updates, and so on. 

Push notifications are typically opt-in alerts on iOS devices which means users can choose to receive them or disable them. For Android devices, there is no opt-in requirement but users can choose to disable the notifications if they want. 

What Do Mobile Push Notifications Look Like?

The average smartphone user is familiar with push notifications. Mobile push notifications can take different forms depending on the content of the alert. However, most push notifications follow this general format: 

• The app icon shows where the notification is coming from, 
• A brief but bold title that provides some context into the notification content, 
• A timestamp that shows when the notification was received, 
• The message is summarized in a few short sentences. 

In addition to these, a push notification message may also contain a call to action button to get users to take a specific action like “Buy Now” or “Share”. For notifications with an image, video, gif, or other media content, a thumbnail of this media may be attached.

Brief History of Push Notifications

Although push notifications have become a standard feature on web apps and mobile applications, the technology for this feature was only created a little over a decade ago. Apple introduced push notifications for the iPhone in June 2009. This feature was powered by the Apple Push Notification Service and delivered a new experience to iPhone users at the time.

About a year later, Google released the Google Cloud to Device Messaging service which was the company’s version of the notification technology for the Android platform. This was later succeeded by Google Cloud Messaging and finally Firebase Cloud Messaging, a cross-platform cloud service for managing messages and push notifications. Being a cross-platform technology, Firebase Cloud Messaging works for Android, iOS, and web applications and is available at zero cost. 

Microsoft announced an upgrade to the Windows Notification Service in November 2015. This update expanded the service to allow it to push data to desktop and mobile devices using the Windows operating system using POST requests and universal API calls. 

How Do Push Notifications Work?

A push alert is essentially a communication between three main channels. The app publisher creates and sends the notification from the app server. This message is sent to an OSPNS such as the Apple Push Notification Service or the Firebase Cloud Messaging. 

Every mobile operating system has its own service and acts as an intermediary between the app server and the user’s mobile device. Finally, the OSPN sends a push message to the client’s app installed on the user’s device. Here’s a step-by-step overview of what happens when you receive a push notification. 

• First, the user has to have an OS-specific app installed on their device and enable push notifications. Once an app is installed and opened, it is registered with the Operating System Push Notification Service (OSPNS) for the platform in question. 
• The installed app will be assigned a unique identifier, which is forwarded to the app server. Now each time the publisher wants to send a push notification, this unique identifier will be used to target the device. 
• The app publisher can either compose a new message via a message composer user interface or set up an automated message to be triggered by a specific action or at a specific time via an API. The publisher can also define the specific audience to receive the push notification. 
• The interface used by the publisher to communicate with the OSPNS can either be a solution built in-house or a SaaS tool (usually a Customer Relationship Management tool or Customer Engagement platform). 
• Every new message from the publisher will be sent to the OSPNS, which uses the unique identifier to deliver the message to the right devices in real time. 

Types of Push Notifications

Push notifications differ based on their purpose and use case. Some of the major types of push notifications are highlighted below: 

Transactional Push Notifications

Transactional notifications are app notifications triggered by a specific action taken by a user within the application. A transactional push notification may send targeted messages to confirm an action or provide needed information related to your interaction with the app. Examples of transaction push notifications include order updates, login confirmations, payment status updates, or delivery status.

Marketing

As the name suggests, marketing or promotional notifications are generated as part of the app publisher’s marketing or promotional efforts. Marketing push notifications offer ways to promote a product or event. They’re often designed with CTA buttons to get users to take a specific action. Examples include product launch announcements, sales promos, product recommendations, loyalty rewards, and so on. 

Informational

An informational push notification provides users with helpful information or updates. Examples of this type of information include score updates from a sports app, news alerts, app or system updates, and weather app notifications. 

Reminders

These are time-bound notifications designed to remind users to take a specific action at a stipulated time or deadline. These automated notifications typically contain details about the task, time, and action to be taken. Apps that typically send notifications as reminders include fitness apps, calendar apps, personal scheduling tools, and medical apps.

Geolocation-based

These are push notifications that are triggered by the user’s specific location. For this notification to work, the user must have granted the app permission to track their location. Examples of geolocation-based push notifications include nearby recommendations, traffic push notifications, weather conditions, etc. 

In addition to these purpose-based notifications, push alerts can also be grouped based on the device they’re targeting. They include the following: 

• Mobile app push notifications: Mobile app push notifications are sent to iOS and Android users via apps installed on their devices. Depending on the device settings, the notification is typically displayed on the lock screen, as a banner notification, and in the device’s notification center. 
• Desktop push notifications: Desktop push notifications appear on a user’s desktop device (or PC) via software products installed on the computer. 
• Web push notifications: Web push notifications are unique because they do not require an app or software installation. Instead, they’re delivered to a user’s desktop or mobile device from a website or web app. It typically appears on the top or bottom right-hand area of your desktop screen. 
• Wearable device notifications: This refers to push messages that appear on a wearable device such as smart watches, glasses, or activity bracelets. In many cases, the same notifications are pushed to mobile devices synced to the wearable device as well. 

Why To Use Push Notifications?

In a world where users are bombarded with multiple apps and online platforms competing for their attention, push notifications have become a must-have for any business building an online product. Push notifications provide a way for app publishers to connect directly with customers even when they’re not using their app or website at the moment.

A push notification will provide important information to get the user to take action or open up the app to engage further. Some of the other benefits of incorporating push notifications into your app’s design include: 

• Increased engagement, 
• Better customer retention, 
• Higher conversion rates, 
• Audience segmentation, 
• Better customer care, 
• Upselling and cross-selling your products and services. 

To get more insights about each of these points and learn more about the many reasons why businesses should consider adding push notifications to their apps and websites, read our article on the benefits of push notifications. 

How To Use Push Notifications?

Push notifications are quite versatile. As an app owner or publisher, you can use push notifications in different ways depending on the unique needs of your business. Here are some of the ways to use different types of push notifications to drive business results: 

• Delivering Offers and Promotions
• Providing Timely Updates
• New Product Announcements
• Guide Users Through a Sales Experience
• Enhance User Experience

Delivering Offers and Promotions

You can use push notification campaigns as part of your mobile marketing strategy to deliver special offers and promotions to customers. This may include time-limited offers, discount codes or coupons, targeted deals or discounts. 

Providing Timely Updates

Push notifications are delivered in real time. This makes them an effective way to deliver information on important topics and alerts about important actions. For instance, when customers place an order, the app can send time-bound push notifications to keep them updated about the status of their order and delivery, so they’re always in the loop. You can also use rich notifications to remind smartphone users about important events, meetings, or appointments. 

New Product Announcements

Releasing a new product or feature soon? You can use push notifications to tease the release in the days or weeks leading up to it and finally make the announcement on D-day. The notification may also include a CTA inviting users to try out the new product. 

Guide Users Through a Sales Experience

To go through the sales funnel, new users must take a series of actions from their first contact till the sale is completed. Push notifications can be used to drive specific actions at different stages of the funnel for both new and existing users.

You can set up action-based notifications that are triggered based on where the user is in the funnel and motivate them or guide them through the next step. For instance, targeted messages can help bring users back to an abandoned cart and get them to complete the purchase. 

Enhance User Experience

When done correctly, timely and personalized messages can help you reduce customer churn on your site or app. Since it can be delivered even when the app isn’t open, sending messages encourages direct communication with the customer so they’re engaged at all times. It can also help guide users through your app’s features to keep them informed and engaged. 

Best Push Notification Examples

Push notifications can be used to drive business results across various industries. The adaptable nature of this technology means it can be customized based on the unique needs of the industry and the target audience. Some of the industries that actively send push notifications in their apps and web products include: 

eCommerce

This is one of the most popular push notification use cases accounting for up to 22% of users. In the eCommerce industry, businesses use marketing push notifications to boost sales, deliver personalized promotions, or announce new products. eCommerce platforms may also use transactional notifications triggered by platform actions like placing an order, making payments, abandoning a cart, and so on. 

News and media

The news and media industry was one of the earliest adopters of push messages. News apps can deliver breaking news alerts in real time or create bite-sized versions of their regular news pieces to be delivered directly to user devices. This helps to keep users informed even without opening the app. 

Social media

Virtually all social media and communication apps actively send push notifications as a part of the overall experience. Messages, requests, post engagements, and other interactions are delivered directly to users through push notifications. This helps them track their activities on the app even when it is not directly opened on their device. 

Finance and banking

Push messages are a crucial part of the security architecture of finance and banking applications. Activities within the app such as new logins, transactions, and suspicious activities are sent as push alerts to users in real time. They may also include prompts to confirm or block the action as required. Some apps may also include less urgent alerts such as stock recommendations, money management tips, account statements, and so on.

Gaming

It’s not enough to offer an immersive gaming experience. Gaming apps try to keep users engaged through push notifications. In gaming apps, push messages can be used to update users on new game features, perks, or upgrades, remind them to maintain a streak, or invite them back after a few hours of inactivity. 

Health and Fitness

Push notifications in healthcare are mainly in the form of reminders and tips to help app users keep track of their health and weaknesses. For apps connected to wearables, notifications may be sent to both mobile and wearable devices. Examples of health and fitness push notifications include calorie count, reminders to track and log health status, or taking specific actions like drinking water, step count, and so on. 

Education

Education and training platforms use the app or web push notification to keep users informed and encourage daily learning. These apps can be used to announce new courses, remind students about assignments, and provide tips to help them make the best of the platform among other benefits. 

Mobile Push Notification Best Practices

Using push notifications can be tricky. It is an invasive form of messaging that pops up over other apps and is delivered even when the user’s device is locked. Push messages have the potential to be annoying if they’re not carefully implemented. Here are some of the best practices for using push notifications in your app: 

Personalize

Personalization is a huge part of digital experiences these days. Customers tend to prioritize messages that target them specifically. Consider adding the recipient’s name, personal context based on past user behavior or any other information that gives your push notification campaigns a personal touch. This will help boost engagement on your notifications. 

Know Your Target Audience

The best notifications are relevant to the unique interests and behavior of the recipient. Create a framework that segments and targets users based on data from your CRM and other sources. Notifications that trigger messages based on specific user actions also tend to be more effective.

Take Care of Timing

Timing is important in sending notifications. Although push notifications can be delivered to user devices anytime including during idle times, there’s a good chance the user will miss them. Making sure messages are sent at the right time based on the user’s time zone and behavior will reduce the number of unread notifications.  

Keep It Clear and Concise

Keep your notification messages as simple and clear as possible. The user should be able to get the purpose of the notification even before they open it fully. This will be quite helpful since most users simply check notifications on their lock screen without opening up their device.

Don’t Overdo It

Sending push notifications too frequently can become annoying. Users will end up ignoring your messages or disabling push notifications entirely if you send too many or irrelevant notifications. The quality of your notification should always take priority over quantity.

Use Rich Visuals

When it is possible, your push notification campaign should include media elements like images, videos, GIFs, and emojis. Incorporating media elements to create rich push notifications like this can boost engagement and make your notifications more memorable. 

Track Push Notification Data

Tracking the effectiveness of your push notification strategy will be quite helpful in seeing what’s working and what isn’t. Keep track of data like click rate, conversions, delivery rate, and so on. This will help you adjust your strategy as required. 

Conclusion

Building apps and web products is all about crafting impactful digital experiences for users. Mobile app and web push notifications form a crucial part of that digital experience, opening up a direct line of communication between you and your app users. 

At CrustLab, we understand the importance of incorporating features like push notification functionality into client app designs to drive conversion and engagement. Contact us if you’re interested in web or mobile software development and you’d like to know how push notifications fit into your strategy.