Why Push Notifications are a crucial feature for your Website in 2017?
The business benefits of push and interactive notification
What are “Notifications”?
In the simplest of definitions, notifications are alerts that inform you about the occurrence of an event as an announcement through multiple channels. Notifications as a whole is a very broad segment, but our point of interest is going to be Push Notifications.
So What are Push Notifications?
Push notifications are pop up alerts or messages that are displayed on mobile devices and even on browsers now. However these appear only if the user has installed the app or has the browser open in the background.
The BEST Types YET!
Push notifications have been around for quite a while now. But over years it has taken a more advanced form. In times right now, there are mainly two types of notifications to look out for:
Interactive Push Notifications
Among other changes in iOS 8, Apple introduced interactive notifications that let you take action on the push notification itself without interfering with the app currently open. Android followed this trend soon after. Interactive push notifications are becoming increasingly popular given their immense benefits.
Browser Push Notifications
Browser push notifications are small rectangular alerts or announcements displayed on the browser while the browser is open. These, however, only pop up if the user has allowed permision to do so. The permission is usually asked for when the user first enters the site with the help of a pop up.
This is a fairly simple automated process that a well experienced web developer can employ in your website.
It too doesn’t interfere with the current process going on and if clicked on, directs you to a new window or tab.
The Advantages
Interactive Push Notifications –
In 2015, around 52% users admitted that they found push notifications annoying. This was primarily because in order to have access to the push notification, the current app had to be either shut down or moved out of. Interactive push notifications provided the perfect solution for this problem.
Interactive push notifications provide the users access by just opening a small window over the ongoing app eliminating the need to exit it.Today, a number of mobile app development companies are constantly working on advancing these notifications trying to make them more flexible and easily accessible.
Why should business execute interactive push notifications?
1. Provide flexibility and ease of access.
2. Provide a seamless experience and hence better customer care
3. Users can be more responsive to interactive push notifications
Browser Push Notifications –
Even though apps are becoming popular, the average time spent on browsers is still Twice that spent on apps while using the internet. This is why browser push notifications are something you can’t really ignore. Browser push notifications have another advantage over app push notifications which is that browsers can be opened and viewed simultaneously while apps do not have that provision yet.
Browser push notifications are alerts or announcements displayed on the browser (the position of which depends on the browser) that the user has signed up for, while the browser is open.
Compared to app notifications, browser push notifications have a more direct impact on sales and conversions. Browser push notifications have been known to:
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Drive an extra 20% to 30% repeat visitors for large content sites.
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Have an average of 50% click through rates on messages.
Why should businesses definitely execute browser push notifications?
1. Drive extra traffic to websites.
2. Provide a higher click through rate than other notifications.
3. Have a direct impact on increasing ROI.
Just integrating push notifications is not enough to drive users back to your website or app. However, it definitely gets the ball rolling and if you believe your site or app is worth a repeat visit, you can definitely agree that push notifications are a great bet for you.
How are browser notifications enabled for users?
Whenever a user visits your site, a pop up appears asking for permission to receive notifications from that site. If allowed, push notifications are enabled for them.
At what frequency can we send them notifications?
There is no limit on the frequency that you can send notifications. However, its recommended to send not more than 3 per week. It might get annoying for the user and they might able to disable it.
And what happens if they don’t open their browsers for a few days?
All the notifications keep getting accumulated. Suppose you send one notification each day and a user opens their browsers after three days, they will receive all the three notifications piled up in a column.
Ok. Thanks.
How do eCommerce stores make use of these well? I’m sure we can’t send notifications for every new product that has been added to our inventory. That would be a bit too much.
eCommerce stores can best make use of these notifications to let users know about sales, special offers, special discounts and even deliver unique coupons.
But we already do that through email. So why this?
Emails are definitely great. But over 85% of the times the emails go to the spam folders since they are promotional offers. How often do you think people check their spam folders? Push notifications are a more effective way to ensure that the users definitely get your message. Plus, its only takes one click for users to be directed to your store with a push notification. An email requires a little more effort than that.