{"id":22845,"date":"2016-07-21T12:07:55","date_gmt":"2016-07-21T17:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crazyeggblog.wpengine.com\/?p=22845"},"modified":"2017-07-25T19:41:43","modified_gmt":"2017-07-26T00:41:43","slug":"push-notifications-increase-conversion-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crazyegg.com\/blog\/push-notifications-increase-conversion-rates\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Push Notifications Increase Conversion Rates?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Push notifications are the opt-in of the new generation. But, just like with email \u2013 how<\/em> you use them is vitally important. Done wrong, push notifications can cause users to opt-out, delete an app and spread the word about how annoying and intrusive it is.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Done right, however, push opens up a marketing cornucopia that\u2019s closer to the consumer than nearly any other technology currently available.\u00a0 So how can you be sure you\u2019re using push notifications the right way?\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/p>\n

The Rise of the Push<\/h2>\n

Push notifications were originally popularized on Blackberry devices and were used as a way to notify users that they had new emails. Today, push notifications have matured to go well beyond email and are now integrated into everything from game consoles to in-vehicle Bluetooth. And it\u2019s only getting smarter.<\/p>\n

But does that also mean that customers are opting in to receiving such notifications? Localytics conducted a study in November of 2015 that took a look at the consumer\u2019s view of push notifications, and the results were troubling.<\/p>\n

\"push<\/p>\n

Over half of those surveyed noted that push notifications were an annoying distraction<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking at the data, this is not an unfavorable perception of the technology itself \u2013 rather the company or app\u2019s use of the technology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

What Users Want from Push Notifications<\/h2>\n

The question of using push effectively then becomes twofold:\u00a0 what kind of messages do users respond best to, and how often?\u00a0 First and foremost, people want personalized messages. Of course, as the Localytics study notes, \u201cpersonalization\u201d can mean many things to many people \u2013 ranging from a special deal based on their physical location to a winning score from their favorite sports team.<\/p>\n

\"relevant<\/p>\n

Nearly half of users surveyed wanted special offers based on their preferences. Breaking news was the second most important notification, whereas the third and fourth place push notification types (tied at 34% of users) were specials offered based on one\u2019s physical location as well as new content tailored to their preferences.<\/p>\n

Now that we know what they want, how do we give it to them?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s clear that users who enable push want to get the most out of the apps they use.\u00a0 In 2015 alone, users who enabled push notifications launched an app nearly 15 times per month on average compared to a little over 5 times for those who did not<\/b>. That\u2019s an astounding three times more app launches from push notification-enabled users.<\/p>\n

But can it be too much of a good thing?<\/em><\/p>\n

In this same survey, 46% of respondents would disable push notifications if they received between 2-5 messages in a week. Raise that number up to 6-10 notifications in a week and 32% of users would stop using the app altogether.\u00a0 There\u2019s a definite consumer \u201csweet spot\u201d and it\u2019s a delicate balance to be sure.<\/p>\n

\"too<\/p>\n

The Marvels of Segmented Push Notifications<\/h2>\n

Just as you segment your customers into groups for appropriate and personalized email promotions, so too should you segment your mobile users.\u00a0 To do this, it\u2019s worth understanding what types of push notifications exist out there, and how to find the right tool for the job based on the end goal. Do you want to send out all-encompassing messages or more behavioral based messaging along with rich messaging integration?<\/p>\n

Segment.com<\/a> has a fantastic overview of how to independently judge and choose the right type of push notification tool based on role, active users\/month, objectives and industry. \u00a0Some push notification tools are better suited for developers (to help them track and squash bugs) while others are tailored more as open communication tools based on user actions.<\/p>\n

And as with email, certain aspects of push notifications \u2013 such as time of day \u2013 matter to prospects. According to insights from Microsoft Azure<\/a>, among millennials, there\u2019s a 5.8% click rate average on notifications compared to a 3.5% weekend CTR average.<\/p>\n

Now, About Those Conversion Rates\u2026<\/h2>\n

To see just how powerful segmented push notifications can be, Localytics research found that once a push message is opened, only 15% of users who clicked ended up converting, compared to an astonishing 54% of users who clicked on a segmented<\/em> push message<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s worth noting that a \u201cconversion\u201d in this case can be anything an app developer decides it is \u2013 from completing a level in a game to making an in-app purchase to reading an article. \u00a0Conversion rates for these different objectives vary considerably and are unique to each app, so finding out \u201cwhat conversion rate\u201d is best is impossible, as there are just too many variables to consider.<\/p>\n

So what should you be measuring to see if your app is on the right track with its own conversions? There are lots of telltale signs that you can glean from user interaction on the app itself, including:<\/p>\n