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Push notifications and in-app messages are one of Gameball’s many powerful tools and can offer you the ability to reach your customers in a variety of ways.
These alerts and messages allow you to communicate key points, sales, events, or challenges that are happening on your website, they can also be used to advertise in-person events and so much more.
In this article, we will examine some use cases for push notifications and in-app messages.
First, let’s define each of them.
In-App Messages are popup messages that appear inside of your application allowing you to customize the visual and design aspect. In-App messages are integrated into the App or website and thus are largely removed from the influence of the device.
Push Notifications are little pop-up message that apps send to your phone, even if you're not using the app at that moment. They can be about anything, like a new message, a reminder, a discount, or even just a friendly hello from the app. They show up on your phone's screen to grab your attention and keep you in the loop with what's happening in the app.
To summarize, the main difference is that Push Notifications happen outside the app and don’t require active usage while in-app notifications. Let’s take a look at the key distinguishing features and when you might want to use each one of them.
The Purpose of In-App Notifications and Push Notifications
While yes, this article is explaining the two types of notifications in a comparative manner, when used in action these two tools are actually very powerful in tandem with each other.
The purpose of push notifications is often to draw customers into your app and then remind, engage and sometimes recapture clients who are not using it frequently.
In-app messages are then used to drive certain actions and to send hyper-personalized and targeted messages to customers when they do make it into the app.
So as you can see the main purpose of each is to target your customers at different points in the buyers' journey, push notifications to draw them in right from the beginning, and then in-app messages help you drive your customers further towards the desired action.
The Key Differences Between In-App Notifications and Push Notifications
The table below illustrates the key differences between each of these forms of communication:
In essence, we can see that though the two of them are different in many ways neither can be considered better or worse, both are useful at different times. The ability to send push notifications regardless of customers using the app and their significantly higher open rate helps you at times. On the other hand, the power of customizing your in-app messaging and the higher click-through rate make them a very useful tool at other times. What it really comes down to is having a solid marketing strategy and crafting content that is tailored to each messaging type's strength.
How To Use Push Notifications and In-App Messages
Let’s explore some ways you can begin implementing In-app and Push notification features into your marketing workflow.
Push Notifications
- Time Sensitive Information: One of the most powerful aspects of push notifications is their ability to reach customers outside of the app. This means you can alert customers quickly of things that are time-sensitive, like certain offers or limited-time sales.
- Abandoned shopping cart: Sometimes customers get distracted or lose attention whilst in the process of making a purchase. Push notifications are an excellent way to remind customers that they were just about to purchase one of your amazing products!
- Re-engagement: We often forget about some of the apps on our phones in the general hustle and bustle of life, sometimes all your customers need is just a quick reminder that you’re there.
- New content: Got a new blog? A new update on the website? Some cool new Instagram reel? Send your customer a push notification with your new content to get them engaged!
In-App Notifications
- Onboarding: The first experience with some apps can be overwhelming, onboarding allows you to offer your customers an easy way to understand your app and learn to navigate it quickly.
- Product updates and new features: Big changes need big announcements. Whenever you have a big product update you can use a teaser push notification to draw them in and then announce the feature with an in-app message.
- Feedback & Survey Requests: Sending feedback and survey requests at key moments in your customer's experience is a powerful way to get them to take action and actually fill out those surveys.
- Process completions: When users are taking a certain type of action like making a purchase, filling out a survey, or signing up for an event, you can send an In-app message to notify them when they successfully complete those actions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Push Notifications
1. What is a push notification?
Answer: Push Notifications are the standard notifications that appear as a popup or alert on your customers' screen and then stay in their notifications bar until cleared. Push notifications usually take the format of the phone's notification and in our modern world, this is the first type of notification we usually think of.
2. What’s the difference between Push Notifications and In-App Messages?
Answer: Push Notifications appear as popups or alerts on customers' screens and stay in their notifications bar until cleared. In-App Messages are popup messages that appear inside your application, providing customization options for visual and design aspects.
3. What is the main purpose of Push Notifications and In-App Messages?
Answer: Push notifications draw customers into your app, reminding, engaging, and sometimes recapturing those who don't use it frequently. In-App messages drive specific actions, sending hyper-personalized and targeted messages when customers are already in the app, guiding them through the desired actions.
4. What are the key differences between Push Notifications and In-App Messages?
Answer:
- Push Notifications occur outside the app, while In-App Messages are integrated into the app or website.
- Push Notifications use the Operating System Push Notification Service (OSPNS), while In-App Messages have a structure that allows visual customization.
- Push Notifications have word limits, but In-App Messages do not.
- Push Notifications can be disabled, while In-App Messages cannot.
- In-App Messages have a higher click-through rate compared to Push Notifications.
5. How do I decide whether to use Push Notifications or In-App Messages?
Answer: It depends on your marketing strategy and content. Push Notifications are effective for time-sensitive information, abandoned shopping carts, re-engagement, and new content. In-App Messages are useful for onboarding, product updates, feedback and survey requests, and process completions.
6. What are some examples of use cases for Push Notifications?
Answer: Push Notifications are suitable for time-sensitive information, abandoned shopping cart reminders, re-engagement, and announcing new content like blogs or updates.
7. What are some recommended use cases for In-App Notifications?
Answer: In-App Notifications are recommended for onboarding, announcing product updates and new features, requesting feedback and surveys at key moments, and notifying users when they successfully complete certain actions.
8. How can I create effective notifications and messages without spamming customers?
Answer: Focus on creating timely, personal, and actionable notifications. Target customers at the best times, make the process personal, and ensure that every message provides value or drives them to take action.
As you can see the power of push notifications and in-app messaging is no joke, you can utilize these powerful tools to create some next-level marketing strategies.
It is important to always remember that we are selling to humans who are just like us at the end of the day and we of course never want to spam them with too much. So we will end this blog and leave you with a parting tip, always focus on creating these notifications and messages in a timely, personal and actionable manner. You can achieve this through Gameball’s powerful automated messaging feature - which you can try for free here.
Focus on targeting your customers at the best times, focus on making the process personal so it does not feel like spam, and focus on making sure that any message you send is either providing value or driving them to take action.
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