Guide • Engagement
Push notifications that work: how to send without losing users
Published
Push notifications are the only channel that puts you on someone's screen without paying for ads. That is also why they are the easiest to ruin: one irrelevant notification costs you the permission, and permission is not something a campaign can win back.
When to ask for permission
- Not on first open. Let the person do something useful first.
- Ask right after an action: following a booking, explaining 'so I can send you a confirmation'.
- Explain in one sentence what kind of messages you will send. Be concrete, not 'news'.
What is worth sending and what is not
Types of push notification: what is worth sending and what is not
| Worth it | Not worth it | |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional | 'Your order was received', 'your car is ready' | 'Thank you for existing' |
| Reminder | 'You have an appointment tomorrow at 10:00' | 'We missed you' |
| Offer | An offer tied to what they already bought | The same offer blasted to everyone |
Mistakes that lead to uninstalls
- More than two notifications a week with no transactional reason.
- Notifications at night. Respect the time zone and civilised hours.
- Copy that says nothing until you open the app.
- The same notification to someone who just completed the action.
How 4myapp helps
In 4myapp notifications go to segments built from the app's own data — who booked, who has not opened in 30 days, who has a job in progress — not to the whole list. Every send shows its open rate, so you can see immediately when a message type starts tiring your audience.