In the current competitive business environment, business owners face challenges in creating engaging channels that provide customers with relevant information for more clicks. Advances in technology and new customer behavior are forcing them to always look for new marketing channels with the highest visibility. This is where web push notifications, a relatively new marketing channel, enters our radar.
What Are Web Push Notifications?
Web push notifications (also known as browser push notifications) are notifications that can be sent to a user via desktop web or mobile web. These are small message alerts that are displayed on a visitor’s desktop, tablet, or mobile device when they have their web browser open – whether the user is on the website. This allows you to deliver timely content that brings customers back to your website or landing page and take the action you want them to take.
On mobile, web push notifications come through at a specified time, while on desktop they show up when customers open their browsers. Basically, web push notifications consist of six key visual elements: title, description, icon, website URL, banner (image) and CTA (Call to Action). When a user clicks on a web push notification, they are sent to a URL the company has defined.
Web push notifications are supported by Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Edge on desktop and by Chrome, Firefox, and Opera on android mobile. iOS will introduce web push notification support for Safari in 2023. Whether PC or Mac, web push notifications work on any computer or laptop running a supported browser. Google Chrome is the most popular browser associated with web push notifications as it accounts for a whopping 90% of push notification subscribers.
Web push notifications are a permission-based marketing channel. That means before receiving a web push, users must opt in to receive them.
Web push notifications are turning websites into even more powerful tools for marketers. They are used by companies desiring to connect with users to drive greater engagement and conversions as well as to improve the customer experience —even after a customer has left their website.
Web push notifications can bring customers back into your website and remind them of what’s left in their shopping cart, alert them of a promotion or delivery time, or bring them back to socially engage with other users.
What Are the Advantages of Using Web Push Notifications?
There are several benefits of using web push notifications in your marketing campaigns. Here are most important ones:
- They are fast and easy for web visitors to subscribe. Opting in for web push notifications is a one-click subscription process – if a visitor clicks on “allow”, they will start to receive web push notifications. Also, web push notifications don’t require an email address or other personal information. Single opt-in can increase sign-up rates by almost 600%. And note that, since web push notifications are connected to the browser itself, not the email address or phone number, meaning there won’t be any fake subscription information provided.
- . Web push notifications are short and sweet, and quick and easy to send. A web push notification message takes less time to create than other marketing assets, you can deliver the necessary information in front of your web visitors as fast as possible.
- They are always noticed. For most people, most of the day is spent on a laptop or a phone using the web. This is why web push notifications get priority access to users’ attention. They show up directly on a user’s device screen and the entire message is seen. The push notification open rate is higher than either SMS or Email.
- They increase your website traffic. One of the major benefits of web push notifications is that they increase your website traffic. They can reach your audiences even when they’re not actively using your website and bring them back. Web push notifications will pop up on subscribers’ screens, and they are difficult to ignore. They will grab the attention and push your potential customers to log in to your website and explore it before deciding. The higher the traffic on your website, the better your chances of making a sale.
- They are delivered instantly. Web push notifications allow you to communicate instantly with your subscribed audience. When you sent a message via e-mail, there is a chance that the user might miss the e-mail and either never open it or it might go to spam. There are no such problems when it comes to web push notifications as they are delivered on browser. You don’t need to wait for the user to check their emails or even be on your website… For example, you can make your subscribers aware of limited time offers the minute you launch via web push notifications.
- Companies without apps can get a mobile web presence. With web push notifications, you don’t need a mobile app to reach out to your subscribers, people would still see your notification while browsing from a smartphone.
What Kind of Messages Brands Can Send with Web Push Notifications?
Brands can send different notifications based on their overall marketing strategy and the goal of a particular campaign:
- Lifecycle: Messages sent to enhance the user’s journey, such as welcoming new or returning visitors, incentivizing first purchase, encouraging deeper exploration of the website, etc.
- Promotional: Promoting special offers or limited-time opportunities to drive conversions such as special offers, limited sales, discounts, promo codes, etc.
- Transactional: Confirmation of important transactions, such as order information, confirmation of purchase, shipping, delivery, requesting service reviews, etc.
- Informational: Time-sensitive updates, breaking news, calendar event reminders, customer policy changes, etc.
- Educational: Messages sent to users to let them learn more about your brand, business, products, services, and industry.
Conclusion
Web push notification is undoubtedly, one of the most influential and straightforward marketing communication channels. What sets it apart from other marketing methods is the lack of restrictions and the instant delivery.Web push notifications can help you to reach the right people at the right time to build trust, increase engagement, and boost conversions.