8 tips to crafting killer push notifications that will get noticed

We do not want to burst your bubble, but push notifications can be a tad bit annoying. You surely do not want your message to come across like that. To do that, you will have to make your push notifications both welcome and appealing for your users to click on them.

Almost 47% of people do not allow push notifications, yet the highest percentage of customers (53%) love to get them. So there is some potential for your business there.

Why are push notifications important?

Push notifications are great attention grabbers. They are an excellent way to appear in front of your customers when they are not engaging with your app or website. Because they are short in content, you can use them across mobile, web, and even wearables. However, they can also drive users nuts with frequent interruptions.

If done right and with a clear strategy in mind, push notifications can increase user retention by up to 125%. A poorly written push message can lead 10% of users to disable notifications and even lead 6% of users to disable the apps per se. Crafting push notification copy that will get your brand noticed sounds worth it, right? Check out below some useful tips that will help you out.

Create push notifications that will get noticed by your audience

1. Build trust, then ask for their permission

First things first, to get your push notification to your users you need their permission. However, the timing of your request is significant and can potentially turn off some of your users.

Why is that? Push messages are not just used to increase traffic, they are also used to build your relationship with the customer. This means that you should already have a rapport before asking for permission. If you directly ask users as soon as they land on your site to opt-in, it might be a bit weird. Hardly anyone gives out their number straight away to anyone they meet. The same applies to the consumer-brand relationship.

For a customer to accept push notifications from you means they trust you, or at least, they see some sort of value or relevance in your message.

2. Know your customers and personalize

Creating the perfect push notification starts with understanding your customers and how they interact with your website or app. The more you know about your users, the more personalized you can make your push notifications. The goal of your messages is to improve the customer experience, not to harm it. With every new push notification, users should feel satisfied and happy about your brand.

Each and every aspect of your push notification should be personalized, such as the copy, the way you will address users, the delivery time, the message frequency, product or content types, and so on.

That is why ​segmentation​ is an essential part of your push notification strategy. By grouping users based on who they are and what they do (or do not do) in your app or website, you can tailor your push copy to specific people at specific times. Understanding your customers means that you have a good grasp of the needs, wants, preferences, the behavior of the audience you do business with. It is a strength that will help you create push notifications that convert.

3. Be honest, be human

Customers want brands to be honest with them, in all their communication. The same goes for your push notifications. They can tell when you are trying too hard to impress them and when you are out to get them. So, do not sound like a salesperson and do not overpromise.
Consumers are ready and willing to drop a brand if they feel that they are not transparent.

While you always want your users to take action based on your push notifications, you do not want them to feel that they are being marketed to. One of the best ways to achieve that is by making your push notifications sound more like a human is writing them. Stay true and consistent to your brand voice, making sure it aligns with your web and email communication.

4. Provide value

If anything, your push notifications should add value to your customers’ daily life. They have subscribed to your push notifications because they trust your brand. Instead of being annoying by being disruptive, you can be helpful and engaging. Reports show that over 50% of app users find push notifications annoying, while the other half find them useful, only if the content includes valuable information.

It goes with saying that you need to write compelling copy that provides value to them, so they can look forward to your messages.

Here also lies the importance of understanding your customers. Your intention to send push notifications is not only to convert customers but also to help them in another way. Your copy should be written to help. Give health tips if you are an online pharmacy or a list with things to pack on their next ski trip if you are a travel brand.

5. Inject some fun and some emojis

If it is appropriate for your audience, injecting some fun into your push strategy can work wonders.

People appreciate the addition of some good humor. It gives them to understand that you can see the world through their eyes and that you are not taking yourself too seriously.
Lookup for random fun facts relevant to your industry and keep them handy, whenever needed.

Emojis, on the other hand, is another way to add a fun twist to your notifications. Nowadays, emojis have become a regular way of expressing emotions and words, without having to give an elaborate description. This helps in communicating and marketing push notification campaigns effectively.

However, fun it may be to use humor and emojis in your messaging, do not sway off course.
No matter how fun it is to use humor and emojis in your messaging, do not sway off course. Make sure that when you use humor and emojis you keep within the context and still deliver value – if not, you might be considered annoying.

6. Be clear, be concise, be precise

As citizens of this digital world, we are constantly bombarded with marketing messages. This means we have shorter attention spans than ever before. With push notifications, you have a few seconds for someone to read your message and take action. That is it.

According to Semrush, push notifications containing 25 characters or less achieve a better conversion rate than longer messages, for both iOS and Android devices. The same goes for web notifications, with 6-8 words being the optimum to ensure the highest number of people engage with your product.

So, you can not be too chatty. You have to be clear, concise, and of course precise, on what exactly you want your users to do. That is why you need a persuasive call to action, using verbs that bring out a positive emotion, a sense of enthusiasm, and/or encouragement.

7. Be relevant

Stay in the know and up to date on current events. Push notifications work great when you use them to join a discussion of current events and trends.

Whether it is something in pop culture like a popular meme or a game like the Champions League final, you have a chance to be creative and let your brand’s personality shine through.

It is said that when push notifications related to an event are sent 24 hours before the event, they create a spike in engagement not only when the notification is sent, but also when the event actually occurs.

It is important, therefore, to have a well-managed calendar of events happening throughout the year, but also have an eye for content that you can leverage to show your users that you are aware of what is going on in the real world.

8. Be subtle

Do you know what no one likes? No one likes a show-off. As you are crafting your push messages, aim for humility. Keep in mind that you are trying to convince your customers to convert, so do not try to underestimate them by over-selling your messages.

People always dislike the person who pretends to understand everything and tries to outsmart them. Be empathic and let your users know that you feel their struggle, pain, happiness, or excitement.

Time to take action and make your push notifications perform better

If you are just getting started with your push notification strategy, or, if your push notifications underperform, start applying these best practices to optimize your messages. Strengthen your push notification strategy with A/B tests to see which push messages convert better with your audience.

Sending push notifications is an effective way to build relationships, generate traffic and increase sales. Whether you are a publisher, an eshop, a restaurant, or any other business with an online presence, Routee can help you start sending intelligent push notifications in a matter of minutes.

Read more on the different types of push notifications to kickstart your 2021 marketing strategy.