How to Boost Push Notification Deliverability for Shopping Apps
Push notifications have emerged as the best and fastest way to communicate with customers at every point of the customer journey. However, they are loaded with various sets of challenges. OEM restrictions, internet connectivity, and app inactivity are some obstacles in delivery of push notifications. This blog focuses on various elements that would boost push notification deliverability, particularly on shopping apps.
Push Notifications, when done right, are inclusive and engaging for the user. In today's highly-competitive landscape, driving customer retention is an uphill task. This is where Push Notifications can make a mark.
Push Notifications can boost app engagement by 88%, as per a research published by invesprco. Furthermore, sending Push Notifications can boost app retention rates by 3-10x.
However, as per a survey- 40-70% of Push Notifications go undelivered in Asia. And undeliverability could be attributed to several factors-
- Users may opt-out from receiving the Push Notifications
- OEM restrictions may cause messages to go undelivered
- Internet connectivity issues between the device and the Google Cloud Messaging (GCM)/Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) platform can cause problems in Push Notification delivery
- Certain Android smartphones may force-stop background apps to optimize the battery performance and may cause delays in Push Notification delivery
- Inactive users who have not been active for four weeks or more may not receive Push Notifications
According to research by MoEngage, there is a high correlation between user activity and notification deliverability: as the duration of inactivity increases, reachability decreases.
So how do you tackle these issues and ensure that your Push Notification messaging is on-point and reaches the users at the right time? This blog will discuss solutions to boost Push Notifications deliverability for shopping apps and its influence to drive business growth.
A Pocket Guide to Push Notification Best Practices for Shopping Apps
1. Encourage Users to Opt-In
According to research done by invespcro, 65% of users return to an app within 30 days when Push Notifications are enabled. Encouraging users to opt-in is essential.
That said, ecommerce apps should first focus on building a relationship with the user and trust instead of sending a default permission request at the first available chance. If customers find value within your Push Notifications, they would prefer to enable it.
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Another critical element to remember is sending personalized notifications at the right time. For instance, brands may want to send Push Notifications if a customer is near the store, as Sephora does.
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2. Insert Actionable CTAs and Alerts
Before you create an app-driven Push Notification campaign, analyze what the desired result of the campaign. Do you want them to alert them about an upcoming sale or a delayed delivery? Or do you want them to view product recommendations?
A relevant and enticing CTA nudges the user to act on your Push Notification. H&M does this effortlessly with its "View now" option.
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3. Personalizing the Push Notification Elevates the Customer Experience
Instead of shooting a templatized message for anyone and everyone, shopping apps should reach the right user segments at the right time with the right messaging. A non-personalized Push Notification leads to more user opt-outs as they may find your Push Notifications annoying, intrusive, or worse, irrelevant.
WonderShop's personalized Push Notification, like the one shown in the image below, is personalized and relevant and more likely to engage its users.
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There are thousands of ways you can personalize Push Notifications:
- Send customized messages that are relevant to the user's buying stage. For instance, you can encourage users to sign up for stock alerts for items out of stock. If your customers have added items to their wishlist, you can send a personalized Push Notification that alerts them about items back in stock, as shown below.
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- Craft messages that align with the users' likes, behavior, and preferences.
- Send Push Notifications that are location-based to drive more conversions since that improves relevancy. For example, you can redirect customers to a nearby store by promoting a sale while maintaining your brand's online presence.
- Roll out notifications at the right time with custom-made details such as updates, deals, etc., that are relevant to the user segment. For instance, if an order is delayed, you can send a customized Push Notification informing the customer about the delay and providing a revised delivery date. This transparency can put your brand in a good light despite the delayed delivery.
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- Roll out notifications at the right time with custom-made details such as updates, deals, etc., that are relevant to the user segment. For instance, if an order is delayed, you can send a customized Push Notification informing the customer about the delay and providing a revised delivery date. This transparency can put your brand in a good light despite the delayed delivery.
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Personalizing your Push Notification messaging helps your customers relate to your brand and the products on offer. Plus, remember that it is not just about adding the user's name to the messaging; it is about creating messages that:
- Account for the user's personal information
- Are of direct interest to them
- Add meaning to their shopping experience
4. Always A/B Test the Messaging
A/B testing your Push Notifications is critical to understanding what kind of notifications will work (and which ones won't). For instance, you can send one time-sensitive Push Notification like an alert about a flash sale and another one that is not time-bound but talks about an upcoming sale.
By testing the click-through rates for both and analyzing the performance, you'll be able to understand which kind of Push Notification is working better.
All in all, measuring your Push Notifications can help optimize them over time and empower your brand to set the right KPIs that align with the company's goals. You can take the Push Notification game to the next level by asking your users for their feedback and acting on relevant input as needed.
5. Leverage Push Notifications with Caution
Ideally, ecommerce brands should only use Push Notifications when they have something meaningful to convey to the customer. Mindlessly shooting notifications without an end-game will work backward. If your app Push Notifications are irrelevant and not timed right, your users will not hesitate to press the disable button.
Pro tip: To ensure successful Push Notification delivery, you can leverage MoEngage's Push Amplification™ Plus tool, which can boost your Push Notification delivery rates by 44%. This happens because the tool can bypass the restrictions that impact Push Notification Delivery via FCM, and the Notifications are routed through the OEM's internal system channel.
The Bottom Line
As per research by eMarketer, ecommerce apps that use Push Notifications to boost opens witnessed 278% more app launches than those that don't. The advantages of Push Notifications are many. If done right, this effective marketing channel can double up as a cost-effective, efficient, and valuable asset for your mobile marketing strategy.