What Are Push Notifications? Stats + Examples to Win | Cordial

Intro to push notifications

22 Minute Read

Marketing campaigns are everywhere, from billboards to television ads to snail mail. While email used to be the king of digital marketing, push notifications have taken over in the last few years. Push notifications can have high engagement and bridge the gap between the company and the customer — but they can also seem invasive if used too much.

So, what’s the perfect strategy? Use real-time data to create personalized messages that the user actually wants to read and open. Jump to any section to dive in:

What are push notifications?

Push notifications are automated messages that a website or application “pushes” through to a user. They may inform users of news, sales, event updates, or new merchandise. These notifications are distinct from in-app and text messages, as they typically drive users back to the application and encourage increased engagement.

Push notifications vs. in-app messages

Push notifications appear when people are not using the application. They provide a way for the app to continue interacting with the user even when it is not open. In-app messages occur within the application and may display more private information like transaction details.

Push notifications vs. SMS/MMS

Push notifications are alerts that come from an application. SMS/MMS send text or media messages to users using their phone numbers. People can often respond to SMS and MMS messages, while push notifications are simply alerts from an app.

Web vs. mobile push notifications

Web push notifications are messages that pop up while someone has a web browser open, either on a desktop or a mobile phone. The person does not need to have a specific page open to receive web push notifications. Mobile push notifications occur only on smartphones and come only from applications.

Push notifications and privacy laws

Privacy laws have significantly impacted how companies and marketers reach their customers. These laws are constantly evolving and becoming more stringent to protect users’ information.

Until recently, iOS required apps to first ask users if they would like to opt-in to push notifications, while Android made the opt-in automatic. However, Google’s recent Android 13 requires apps to request permission before sending push notifications.

Apple’s iOS 15 came out in 2021 with strict privacy policies, holding apps to a higher level of accountability regarding how they use first-party data. Similar privacy laws include the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. Both give users more rights to the user to keep their information private. If your business or organization serves individuals in California or Europe, it’s wise to review the specific laws and ensure you are compliant.

Although these extensive privacy laws may seem detrimental to push notifications, they are not. In fact, they have created a surge in using first-party data, which is the backbone of push notifications.

How first-party data fuels push notification marketing

First-party data refers to the information your company collects directly from the users. Examples could include demographics, purchase history, brand interactions, interests, etc. Under the privacy laws mentioned, apps can collect first-party data with the users’ consent — which is why Google Play and the Apple App Store both require apps to be transparent about data collection.

Interestingly, users are willing to share their first-party data with apps, as long as it’s not sold to other brands. Segment’s The State of Personalization 2021 reports that 70% of customers are comfortable with businesses using first-party data for personalization over information bought from other brands.

With an overwhelming majority vote for first-party data, the shift has fueled push notification marketing and given companies increased access to real-time data about what users like and how they interact with their brand. That information becomes invaluable when developing personalized marketing strategies and push notifications.

Source: OneSignal

Push notification marketing stats

Explore these statistics to see just how effective push notifications can be. And for more research on consumer preferences when it comes to messages they receive from brands, please read Cordial’s New Era of Customer Engagement report.

1. When users receive too many app notifications, 39% of users turn them off.

This data comes from a 2021 Statista report that explores user behavior when they receive too many mobile app notifications.

2. The definition of “too many notifications” depends on the type, and only 23% of users agree multiple reminders per day are acceptable.

3. Applications send an average of 8 to 9 push notifications per month.

4. A substantial 44% of companies receive higher re-engagement with mobile push notifications.

5. Using web push segmentation can increase CTR by 1.5-2 times.

6. Including images in mobile push notifications can increase CTR by over 1,600%.

7. The median opt-in rate for Android users is 29.8% higher than for iOS users.

8. The education vertical has the highest direct open rates.

9. Sending push notifications at optimal times can improve open rates by 40%.

10. Personalizing push notifications more than triples the engagement rate.

Common push notification use cases

1. Send traffic and driving updates.

2. Introduce your brand.

3. Add some fun and humor.

4. Remind users about items left in their cart.

5. Notify users about price changes.

6. Offer personalized recommendations and support.

7. Advertise sales or coupons.

8. Get feedback on preferences.

9. Push notifications for events, news, or updates.

Push notification best practices

1. Personalize push notifications.

2. Make them useful, informative, and valuable.

3. Focus on the user, not the company.

4. Don’t measure push notification success only by open rate.

5. Run A/B test campaigns.

6. Include engaging CTAs.

7. Use power words.

8. Create rich media content.

9. Communicate urgency.

10. Track your results.

When NOT to use push notifications

1. When you want subscribers to rate your app.

2. When you want new clients or customers.

3. When users are likely working or sleeping.

4. When you have already sent out notifications that day — or even that same week.

5. When you need to share transaction or shipping information.

What to look for in a push notification service?

Push notifications have taken digital marketing by storm. If you haven’t already started using them for your business, consider finding a push notification service to help you manage the channel more effectively. Here are some things to look for when choosing the right tool:

Luckily, you don’t have to look far. Here at Cordial we can help you increase customer engagement by 250%.