Web Push Notifications – A Propeller To Fuel The Marketing Engine
Web push notifications is a newbie trending number one on the charts of marketing channels. Although they are not new, because of the immense popularity and successful results, marketers have recognized its expansiveness. Once you begin using it as a tool to drive sales, there is no turning back. So, push notifications explained in simple terms – they are a way for websites to send messages or notifications directly to the visitor’s device (desktop, mobile or tablet). They appear as pop-up messages at the edge of your browser and can include text, images, and even videos.
It helps in putting your marketing strategy in a small and compact message with the power to change a user’s will to purchase your product. You need not have an app to send push notifications to the users. Web browsers have the functionalities to send push notifications to the users on their browsers or devices. Read this blog to explore the potentialities web push notifications possess to increase the sales instantly.
Issues you can quickly deal with web push notifications :
- Ad-blockers: There is no risk of ad- blockers for your push notifications. It depends on the will of the subscriber to receive the notifications, and once they click on the “allow” button, they will begin receiving them. Also, the push notifications are saved in the browser. Therefore there are no risks of ad-blockers who can hinder the delivery of web push notifications.
- Cookies: There are no requirements for cookies to send push notifications. Browsers use unique keys for every account to recognize the subscriber, including even the service workers.
- Personal information: Although there are no such requirements for the subscribers to share their data or info, you must be needing their information for integration purposes, i.e., to track the activities of the users and organize their data to create lists and segments. (API integration with CRM system).
What is the history of web push notifications :
Before discussing the notifications’ abilities, let us take some revelations about the history of the notifications :
- The history of web push notifications takes us back to the use of mobile applications. Application-based communication first began with blackberry devices. The pop-ups began into existence when the employees had to check each of the emails by opening their inboxes. The blackberry creators started the email push function to simplify it for the employees to see the incoming mail pop-ups. It prevents them from downloading the mail every time they receive it.
- Another initiative towards the mobile notification service was taken by apple. The alerts were sent by the mobile apps to the users through the apple push notification service. This way, the users will receive alerts about the crucial events and act on them instantly.
- Google further took the step in 2010, where it introduced mobile push notifications in the Android operating system. That’s where Google Cloud messaging came into existence. It enables sending notifications in the google chrome browser, and then other browsers also followed the trends.
Note: Facebook, Gmail, even bloggers, and vloggers use them to alert users to increase their views and shares.
How do subscribers opt-in for web push notifications :
You might have read about the opt-in process for the push notifications in a lot of other blogs. So, you must be wondering what unique information I am offering you about the opt-in process for push notifications. Here we are learning some significant facts about web push notifications that could pull you towards sales. Therefore the opt-in process must also have some interesting facts.
- Single-opt in process: Subscribers can receive the push notifications through single-opt in and double-opt-in processes. The two methods differ and can affect your sales also. Suppose your website has an SSL certificate, the visitor will see the opt-in box immediately. ( See the below image for reference) This type of subscription has a higher opt-in rate as the users merely have to click on the “allow” button to become your subscriber. Also, website visitors trust the native browsers more than the pop-ups that appear on a page.
But a significant disadvantage of the process: Users promptly click on the “allow” or “block” without even knowing what they have subscribed to or what they have blocked. There are limitations to the content also.
- Double-opt in process: It gives you more exposure to ask for the users’ confirmation after they subscribe to the notifications by clicking on the “allow” button. After that, you can personalize the content as per your requirements to ask for a user’s nod to subscribe to the latest news and highlights from the websites, or they can do it later. Refer to the image below.
Also, you can create and personalize forms using CSS asking users to receive alerts on their choice of topics such as news alert, weather updates, blogs, etc.
The significant advantage of the form is you can add the benefits of services and put a link on the notification so that users can be redirected to the website or become aware of what you are offering and turn up into potential customers.
Learn the ABCDE strategy of web push notifications :
You can use web push notifications almost for every stage of a user journey. You can begin with the lead generation, lead nurturing campaigns to offer rebate codes, conducting surveys, and pulling customers back to the website.
But how do you create the web push notification is the foundation of any notification :
The ABCDE strategy can help you simplify the process of creating web push notification and turning potential into sale deal :
- Audience: If you want to pull sales instantly through push notifications, remember to define your audience first. Remember to send them to a segment audience in the perfect timing. Marketing segmentation helps you device your audience on the basis of their location, age and other demographic factors.Send them according to the time-zones of the customers; otherwise, push notifications would not be relevant.
- Benefit – Secondly, define the benefit of the notification. Is it prompting the users to take action, or is it of any interest to the recipient?
- Content : Content plays a significant role in the marketing campaign. It is an essential component of it. Optimizing the content is necessary. Also, add images to it to instantly pull the users’ attraction.
- Direct: Try to redirect the user directly to the landing page or destination where they could take action. Send them the alerts of the offers and give them what you have promised.
- Engagement: What if you create a notification, and it does not engage the users. Make it engaging by telling them the benefits of the products and putting a CTA button below the text so that as and when they consider buying your product, they will click on it.
What are the instant tips to increase your sales through web push notifications :
- Map out the user’s activities on the website: It is vital to create opt-in after you track the visitors’ activities on your website. For example – a visitor viewed your product and browsed through it multiple no. of times. It means they have found value in your products, and they will benefit from your notifications.
- A specific time spent by the users on the website: If you want to turn a visitor into the customers, see the amount of time spent by him on a specific page. Maybe they do not understand what your site is all about; you can automate the opt-ins at this particular time. So that they know and understand your value and do the required actions.
- Inform them about your push alerts: If you guide the customers at every step, it would be easy for them to follow you up. Track their activity and send them push alerts whenever necessary.
- Unavailable products: Recently, the corona crisis has alarmed the users due to the lack of commodities or products on the website. In such cases, it’s quite remarkable and a responsibility to notify the customer when the products will again be in stock. This acknowledgment will help people know more about you and your delightful services.
- Share offers with incentives: You buy more, save more push campaigns, and pull in more customers to your sites. It is a great strategy to pull in more customers who looked for the products but getting them at higher prices. You can send the push notification alerts for the same: with a CTA buy two, get one free.
- Engage users by educating them: Tell them the hacks and advantages of using your brands and services. Many users don’t buy the product, often when they are not sure what your brand value is. Instead of sending them the newsletter, send them push alerts with informative content to make them easy to purchase.
- Event or holiday-based sales: Holidays are the best times to cherish the special moments and spend time with your loved ones. It is when you don’t care about the money you are spending on clothes or favorite times. It is the best time for you as well to grab the customer’s attention. Offer them special discounts at the same time and promote an exclusive range which you have launched recently.
These were some of the significant facts about web push notifications. If you are still looking out for the tool, which helps you grab your customers ‘ attention towards your brand, then give it a try!
