What is a push notification?

Mobile push notifications are messages sent directly to a user’s device, appearing on the lock screen or in the notification center. Unlike in-app messages, push notifications can reach users even when they’re not actively using the app. 

An app publisher can only send a push notification if the app is installed and the user has opted in to receive them. These notifications are managed by platform-specific services, such as Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) for iOS and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android, ensuring delivery to the right users.

Push notifications are versatile, offering features like customized tones, actionable buttons, and short messages. For example, an e-commerce app might send flash sale alerts, while a gaming app could remind players about rewards. Since their debut with iOS 3.0, push notifications have evolved into a smarter, more personalized communication channel, playing a pivotal role in mobile and app marketing.

Push notifications are a powerful tool for mobile apps, driving user engagement, retention, and conversions. By delivering timely and relevant messages directly to users’ devices, they help businesses build meaningful connections with their audience. Personalized notifications—such as reminders about unfinished tasks or exclusive offers—enhance the user experience by fostering loyalty and providing real-time updates like breaking news, traffic alerts, or limited-time promotions.

1. Here’s a breakdown of a push notification’s key components:
   • App icon: The app’s logo or symbol appears prominently, helping users instantly recognize the source of the message. 
   • Title: A concise headline that grabs attention and communicates the main idea. For example, “Limited-time offer: 50% off!” immediately creates urgency and interest.
   • Message body: The main content of the notification provides context and value in a few words. 
   • Call-to-action (CTA): A button or link that encourages users to take the next step. Phrases like “Shop now” or “Learn more” guide users clearly and effectively toward the desired action.
   • Rich media: Images, emojis, or videos can enhance the message, making it visually appealing and more engaging.

 

Push notifications rely on a delivery system that ensures messages reach users at the right time. They can be triggered by user actions, such as completing a milestone or abandoning a cart, or by scheduled events.

Once the notification is created, it is sent from the app’s server to a platform-specific service, such as APNs for iOS or FCM for Android. These services deliver the notification to the user’s device, where it appears on the lock screen, in the notification center, or as a banner.

Interaction data, such as clicks or dismissals, is sent back to the app’s server to optimize future strategies and improve engagement.

Push notifications come in various forms, each serving a distinct purpose. Here are the main types:

Banner notifications: Short messages that pop up briefly and disappear, previewing alerts like sales or chat updates.

Badge notifications: Red badges on an app’s icon, often showing a number to indicate unread messages or updates.

Alerts: Persistent notifications that remain on-screen until the user interacts, ideal for urgent updates like flight delays.

Rich notifications: Enhanced with images, videos, or interactive elements, like product previews or new series announcements.

Actionable notifications: Allow users to take quick actions directly, such as replying to a message or confirming a reservation.

Geolocation-based** notifications:** Triggered by a user’s location, delivering contextually relevant updates.

Silent notifications: Background updates used to refresh app content or sync data without alerting the user.

Push notifications are an effective communication tool, but they also come with challenges that can limit their success. One significant hurdle is ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Apps must handle user data responsibly and transparently to build trust and avoid risks, especially when personalizing notifications.

Another challenge is managing technical complexities. Ensuring push notifications function seamlessly across different devices and operating systems can be difficult, particularly when users don’t always update their apps. Performance analysis also presents issues—measuring delivery rates, open rates, and click-through rates is essential to refine campaigns, but gathering actionable insights can be tricky without the right tools.

Finally, while timing and personalization are key to effective notifications, they also present challenges. Poorly timed notifications or irrelevant messages can disrupt users, leading to disengagement, opt-outs, or even app uninstalls. Overuse of notifications further exacerbates this problem, contributing to “notification fatigue”.

The success of push notifications depends on thoughtful execution. Here’s how to get it right:

• Personalize and time strategically: Tailor messages to user preferences, behaviors, and lifecycle stages. Schedule notifications during peak activity times to maximize engagement, such as milestone reminders for fitness apps or location-based discounts for retail apps.
• Optimize opt-in requests: Ask users to enable notifications at the right moment, such as after completing a purchase or exploring key app features. Use pre-permission prompts to demonstrate the value of notifications, like order updates or exclusive offers.
• Keep it short and actionable: Deliver concise messages with strong CTAs like “Shop Now” or “Track Your Package.” Focus on immediate value to drive action.
• Leverage rich media and power words: Use visuals and persuasive language to make notifications engaging and easy to digest. Emojis, videos, and compelling phrases can grab attention effectively.
• Test and refine campaigns: Continuously A/B test CTAs, formats, and timing to identify what resonates most with your audience. Monitor metrics like open rates and conversions to optimize future notifications.

Measuring the performance of push notifications is effortless with Adjust. Once you integrate our SDK and create your unique tracker URLs, you can monitor the performance of your push notification campaigns in a single, unified dashboard. Adjust also supports collaboration with hundreds of partners to enhance retargeting and re-engagement campaigns.

Additionally, with Adjust’s deep linking solution TrueLink, push notifications can directly guide users to specific in-app destinations, removing any friction. For example, a gaming app offering free in-game currency can use push notifications with deep links to send inactive users straight to a reward page. 

To learn more about how deep linking can transform your push notification campaigns—explore our comprehensive guide or request a demo today to see how Adjust can elevate your mobile marketing strategy.