How does regular communication affect retention? – Push notifications

The second part involves using the right channel to reach potential customers whom we wish to persuade to make a purchase.

Push notifications have been around for years – they first appeared with the first iPhones and mobile apps, and later became available on personal computers as well. Notifications sent by apps are known as mobile push notifications. Notifications sent by websites are known as web push notifications. Both types are displayed on the devices of users who have given their consent. And, most importantly, both can support sales activities in online shops.

Developing push notifications in e-commerce

The basic principles of push notifications (both web and mobile) are no different from the rules governing other marketing channels, such as email. The tools that can be used to develop an effective strategy are also similar.

Mass campaigns are the best-known and most basic way to use push notifications. Use them to deliver information instantly to the devices of all your registered subscribers. Sending mass campaigns is quick and easy, and you can enhance them with images and emojis. Also, make sure you use catchy headlines that grab the eye.

Targeted (or personalised) campaigns work in a similar way to mass campaigns, but you send notifications only to a specific segment of your audience, selected on the basis of specified criteria. This means that subscribers will receive information about products from a category they have previously shown an interest in, invitations to their nearest high-street shop based on geolocation data, or special offers based on their previous behaviour.

Automation workflows allow you to personalise communication even further by sending push notifications to specific subscribers based on their actions within the shop. The best-known and most popular automation workflow is the abandoned basket notification. If a subscriber adds products to their basket but does not purchase them during their session, after a specified period they will receive a message inviting them to complete the transaction. Automations can also be used to notify customers of changes to the price or availability of products they have viewed, to send discount vouchers, and to recommend products that complement those they have already purchased.

Transactional communication is the next level in building a personalised relationship with the customer, going beyond strictly marketing-related communication. This category includes all post-sale communication, such as updates on order processing and delivery, invitations to leave a review of the shop, etc. Transactional notifications also help to build shopping habits. With access to data in the customer’s account, you can invite subscribers to restock their favourite products, send birthday gifts or remind them about recurring orders.

From subscriber to customer

Now that we know what kind of messages we can send to push subscribers, it’s worth saying a few words about them – the recipients of our communications.

Push notifications are consent-based – this means that users will not receive notifications unless they subscribe to push notifications themselves. This can be done with a single click on the form displayed on the website or in the app. No contact details are required.

This means that recipients of push notifications can enjoy anonymity. The messaging tool does not collect personal data (first name, surname, email addresses, etc.); it merely records activity within the shop itself and, on that basis, matches individuals to segments and automation scenarios.

The exception here is transactional notifications, which require the subscriber’s data to be linked to information from the shop’s CRM systems. This provides insight into the transaction process and enables more comprehensive communication.

Create push notifications that sell

Push notifications are an increasingly popular channel of communication – this is particularly evident on our smartphones, where apps are constantly prompting us to return and take specific actions. How can you stand out from the competition and ensure you’re not forgotten – and thereby make sure customers come back to you for their next purchases?

1. Base your communication on personalisation.

Use mass campaigns only to a limited extent, when you really want to reach your entire subscriber base. At PushPushGo, we recommend sending four mass campaigns a month – the rest of your communication should be carried out via targeted campaigns and automation workflows.

1. Draw up a mailing calendar for all channels (omnichannel).

Don’t limit your strategy to a single channel – combine push notifications with social media campaigns and newsletters. Don’t send all your messages at the same time – this can easily result in recipients being spammed and cause individual channels to cannibalise each other’s results.

1. Make sure you share valuable content.

A good old rule of copywriting is that you should only publish content that you yourself would want to read. Pay attention to the look of your notification – add a photo of the recommended product or a graphic with a catchy slogan (information about free delivery, easy returns or a substantial price reduction would be ideal). Also, make sure the message includes a link to the page you want to direct the subscriber to. If, after clicking on a photo of a lovely dress, they end up on the homepage, they’re unlikely to waste time searching for that product themselves.

1. Go for the CTA

Push notifications are short – you need to keep your message as concise as possible. Address your subscribers in the first person – this catches the eye. Remember these key phrases: “Promotion”, “Sale” or “Special offer” always catch the eye. Focus on creating a sense of urgency (“Today only”, “Limited-time offer”, “First come, first served”). You could also try a touch of humour, provided a lighter tone fits your brand’s image.

Summary

Push notifications help to increase retention on a website or within an app, build customer loyalty and boost sales by re-engaging returning users. This cost-effective and proven tool can be easily tailored to specific requirements across different business sectors by adjusting the frequency of notifications, personalisation options and content.

Of course, developing the perfect strategy requires testing and evaluating the available options, as well as responding in real time to the results of ongoing campaigns. However, examples from PushPushGo’s clients show that, after just the first month of operation, web push notifications contributed to an increase in revenue for the online shop.