3 Push Notification Strategies to Increase App Engagement

Mobile push notifications can engage your users when your app is not in an active state.

Because most users don’t go back to apps after using it once for lack of engaging content, push notifications are vital.

There are many forms of engagement through push notifications. Try one or more from the following based on your app and its customers:

1. Getting users back. Customer retention is an important metric when tracking traction for your app. The way to bring back users who have downloaded your app and haven’t come back to it beyond the first or first few times is to send them subtle reminder messages that tempt them back or make them want to be a part of the conversation.

Twitter does this well for disengaged users by notifying them of what their connections are currently talking about. Similarly, SnipSnap gives users gentle personalized reminders to use coupons.

2. Offers and deals. Who isn’t looking for a good deal? Push notifications will help to not only send out what’s new, but through targeted and optimized analytics, you can send out notifications that are relevant to the customer and at the most appropriate times.

For example, one of the biggest challenges with ecommerce is dealing with people who abandon their shopping carts after placing items in it. What if the ecommerce merchant were to send the same customer a deal on the same item or a similar one after they’ve abandoned the shopping cart?

Geo-location services can also be tapped. SnipSnap sends out reminders to use a coupon when the user is near the appropriate store.

3. Helpful content. I have a couple of accounts from different banks. I have apps from both the banks. One sends me a push notification every week with my balance and every time there’s any activity in my account. The other doesn’t. Which one am I more likely to be engaged with? No points for guessing this one.

Just like that, the one with the engagement receives more business from me.

Figure out ways where you can use content to update your users without being intrusive and generating interest for them to open the app.

Push notifications are attention grabbing in nature and lend themselves to immediacy. Keep this in mind and deliver personalized, timely and relevant alerts to bring users back to your app.

Rahul Varshneya is the co-founder of Arkenea LLC, a company committed to helping entrepreneurs and businesses build, market and monetize their mobile apps, with offices in San Jose and Pune. Email Rahul to discuss your app idea.

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