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Push notifications are a tricky business. First, mobile marketers have to convince users to opt in to receive push notifications. Then, they need to continuously deliver notifications that are actually valuable to their users.
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Creative push notifications refer to notifications that are designed to capture the attention of users through unique and engaging content. Push notifications are messages sent by mobile apps or websites to users’ devices, even when the app or website is not actively in use. Creative push notifications go beyond simple, generic alerts and aim to stand out by incorporating imaginative and compelling elements.
With a very small window to bring value to your users through push, creative and actionable push notifications are instrumental to user engagement. We’ve curated the top 10 most creative and valuable push notifications we’ve seen to spark your creative juices on how you engage your users through push.
Transactional push messages, like shipping notifications, are useful because they don’t require the user to open the app to receive an update. While most apps simply alert the user with “Your item has been shipped!” Amazon goes the extra mile by making the language specific to the content. Although it’s not pushing the user to open the app immediately, the above example provides a useful update in a clever way and builds a relationship with the user through relevant language.
You don’t have to wait until an abandoned cart to reach out. This push was delivered after a user spent a fair amount of time engaging with a product page: clicking through product photos, reading reviews, etc. Amazon pays attention to this level of engagement and finds subtle ways to nudge users to take a second glance, even if an item never made it to the cart. This makes the user feel noticed and can rekindle interest in an item they might not have reconsidered otherwise.
Users are so inundated with win-back campaigns, these messages often get ignored. Instead of just sending the typical “we miss you” campaign, QuizUp takes a unique approach to win back their users. As a gaming app, they don’t need to offer a discount or free shipping to push users back into their app. They simply remind users of why they downloaded the app in the first place — because it’s fun!
Think about the nature of push notifications — they’re a casual way of interrupting your users’ daily activity to get them back into your app. So make them conversational!
The gaming app Simon Circles playfully reaches out to users by apologizing for a developer blasting players with high scores. Most users probably understand this isn’t real, but they’re reminded of their place on the leaderboard, which encourages them to play again. Who doesn’t enjoy a little friendly competition?
Seasonality campaigns are a great way to tie your app to a holiday or an upcoming event. Minibar, a liquor delivery app, cleverly uses the upcoming election to not only encourage users to vote, but then to use their app to order alcohol for Election Day.
Sometimes it pays to be presumptuous. Tinder challenges this user to “prove them wrong” with a snarky yet humorous push notification. Even if the user may agree with the message or doesn’t even care, Tinder provides just enough information to spark a user’s curiosity and possibly dig into the app.
Personalized messaging is always a great strategy for push notifications. Here, Netflix uses witty and fun copy to announce the release of the next season of their show Narcos. Not only does it communicate the release date (which isn’t actionable), but it nudges the user to watch the trailer (which is).
Who doesn’t love pizza? Additionally, who hasn’t experienced an awkward interaction with a delivery driver? The push notification grabs your attention by instantly relating to you. News about pizza deliveries via self-driving cars itself may not be actionable, but by relating to the user’s interests, this push compels the user to see when self-delivering pizzas will be available in their area.
If you’re dying to know what the English translation is (like me) it means: “Mess with me and your family won’t have fingers.” While the content itself is a bit aggressive (and a tad violent), it doesn’t matter. The push delivers a quick challenge to the user with only two ways to find a solution: either retype the phrase into Google translate (which is difficult) or open the app.
Sometimes a push doesn’t need to be actionable. A few words of encouragement can be all it takes to surprise and delight your users. Level uses push notifications to celebrate their users’ accomplishments, priming the user to keep up with the app. Making your users feel accomplished both in and outside your app not only increases the chances of them continuing to use your app, but also prevents them from pulling the trigger on disabling push notifications.
How much is enough LaCroix? The limit does not exist. Whether you’re a fan of the fizzy beverage or not, users can relate to the savings of buying their favorite products in bulk. While it’s not directly actionable, it gets the value of the app across in one simple and straightforward push notification.
Don’t let your push notifications get lost in the noise. With witty copy, a unique edge, and an actionable or educational takeaway, you can have your users not only clicking on your push notifications but even tweeting about them.
Looking for more push notification best practices? Download our Push Notification Benchmark Report for more tips on how to engage and convert users.
How to Write Push Notifications that Engage & Convert
