5 tips for a better push notification strategy

With average opt-in rates of 67% of all consumers - and an impressive 91% for Android devices - push has become the central channel in the marketing mix. But every message today has to fight for the tiniest bit of attention and it can quickly happen that push messages end up as nothing more than an annoying ringing in your jacket pocket. The only way out of this dilemma is to strategically play out push notifications.

1. do not force yourself on the customer

Offer your customers added value first and respect personal boundaries before asking them to opt-in to push notifications: When asked why a "personalized" marketing message had bothered them, 32 percent of internet users responded that they felt their privacy had been violated. 

2. timing is everything

According to a recent DMA study, 78% of consumers would delete the entire app immediately if they felt disturbed by a push notification. Use tools to optimize the sending time based on the user's individual engagement history and adjust your marketing frequency so that not too many automatic triggers are triggered at the same time. This will help to maintain the customer relationship.

3. use real-time consumer data correctly

Push notifications are a real-time marketing tool, so make sure your consumer data is always up to date. Over 56 percent of consumers found it "very annoying" when brands suggested products they had already purchased. Combining insights from universal user profiles with real-time behavioral data and location data can increase click-through rates: location-based push notifications can even increase them by up to 40 percent. 

4. test regularly

Push notifications are most effective when they are short, personalized and lead to a variety of content after the click. Testing and reporting tools help you to better understand your audience: Conversion rates are very important, but make sure you define "conversion" in a specific (and trackable) way. Open rates, retention rates and opt-out rates should also be looked at to see the impact on long-term customer loyalty. 

5. do not just focus on one strategy

Don't forget that push notifications are just one of the strategies in your omnichannel marketing repertoire and consider what other contact channels you could use. In-app notifications, for example, are a great way to reach the other 32.5 percent of users who have not opted in to receive push notifications. Furthermore, websites with browser push notifications or "app-independent" notifications can also reach customers who are not on the move.