It is surprising these days to look through your phone and see the notification panel populated with generic messages like "Shop our latest deals!" and "Don't miss out!"
Not only do we find it lazy marketing, but they don’t work either and blend into the noise, ignored and forgotten.
Instead, a notification like "Hey [Name], we think you’ll love our collection that’s just gone on sale! (psst- we spotted some in your wishlist!"
What do you think will work better?
But, you might say, YOU try coming up with custom push notifications every day for different segments and markets!
We get it- it’s a struggle to churn out personalized push notifications that resonate with each user consistently, but it’s still essential if you want your app to drive engagement and boost your sales.
Here’s the thing- with even basic personalization in place, your brand can enjoy 2-5x higher open rates! That massive jump will translate to more users tapping, exploring your app, and purchasing.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to dive deep into personalization - what it means, how it impacts app performance differently from non-personalized messaging, and the different types.
Best part? We’ve included two free templates for each notification type that you can personalize (ahem) for your brand. Each template is crafted to drive action and resonate.
Ready to bid goodbye to generic alerts? Let’s go!
What is app push notification personalization?
Online shopping has a human problem- specifically, the lack of it. In offline stores, a salesperson can deliver individualized shopping experiences.
Personalization, a data-driven strategy, leverages what you know about your users, from basic demographics like name and location to deeper details like app usage, user preferences, browsing and purchase history, location, etc, to bring in that human element.
By studying them and creating unique segments, you can take bland messaging and turn them into highly relevant, tailored alerts that convert. It can even prime your users to use your app regularly.
Why is app push personalization important?
Did you know that even simple personalization can increase your app’s open rate by 9.06%?
In fact, a study showed that 61% of app users tap on a push message if it is relevant to their preferences!
That’s money left on the table if you don’t do your bit to customize it to make it engaging for your user.
And in today’s competitive app world, with frustrated customers quickly uninstalling, you have to work on standing out and delivering a valuable, frictionless experience.
Here’s how personalization can help:
1. Cuts through the noise
Notification fatigue is real. Many users have become desensitized or annoyed by frequent push notifications from brands, eventually leading to uninstalling the app.
We’re going to argue that it’s a good thing since when you understand what personalization does, you can easily stand apart from your competition, drive interest and curiosity, and increase the open rate by 2-5x!
2. Boosts engagement
As a result of the previous point, users actively engage with your app more.
When alerts don’t feel spammy and instead show that your brand understands and respects its app users and individual preferences, you build positive brand sentiment and keep them coming back to your app and shopping for more.
3. Increases relevance
When you tailor your alert to a user's interest, behavior, or context, that message can add value to their life and day, making your app more relevant and useful.
For example, you can hook them by offering relevant information and exclusive offers, or reminders that are related to their interests.
Generic notifications, on the other hand, lead to drop-offs and churn.
4. Drives higher conversion rates
As a result of all the points we mentioned above, personalized messages persuade users to take desired actions, like placing an order, coming back to their cart, etc.
As a result, your conversions spike!
5. Increases user retention
Personalized notifications also result in better retention rates, as users tend to continue using an app that shows it understands them, their needs, and preferences.
Your brand can build stronger connections with your app users and increase brand loyalty over time by tailoring your marketing efforts.
Personalized vs. non-personalized app push notifications
Imagine two potential customers for your brand. One sees a generic, impersonal message and the other a highly, relevant, personalized one.
We can imagine their individual experiences like:
User A:
- Notification received: Bland, one-size-fits-all message like "Shop our latest deals!”
- User experience: Irrelevant and intrusive, leads to confusion and frustration.
- Engagement: Low open and click rates, minimal engagement on the app
- Conversions: Low due to lack of relevance and context.
- Churn: High because of users abandoning the app due to disengagement.
What happens if this journey starts on a note of personalization? Let’s check user B’s journey.
User B:
- Notification received: Tailored messages based on user data, like "Hey [Name], we saw you checking out our sneakers! Tap now to enjoy 15% off on them today!”
- User experience: Relevant, helpful, and respectful, creating a positive and engaging journey.
- Engagement: High open rates, longer interactions, and browsing
- Conversions: Higher as users take desired actions due to targeted messaging.
- Churn: Low due to increased perceived app value and shopping engagement.
It’s clear that personalized alerts are the way to go if you want a thriving app community.
Remember, it’s important to communicate with individual users, and not to a faceless mass. Take the time to note their unique needs and customize your push notifications accordingly.
Types of app push notification personalization
Now, let's explore different ways you can personalize your push notifications, along with example templates of each to get you started:
1. Name personalization
Which one are you more likely to respond to ‘Hey there!’ or ‘ Hey (Name!).”?
The latter is more personal and welcoming.
Even with mobile push notifications, adding the name can help change your generic messages into engaging ones.
The moment a user spots their name on the notification panel, you
- capture their attention
- trigger a response of ownership and respect
- build familiarity and connection
- give an impression of a real, human interaction instead of a one-sided broadcast
All of this helps to increase engagement with your app!
Here are two templates to help you send a first-name-personalized push notification:
Template 1: "Hey [Name], welcome back! We missed you! Here’s a special 15% off on your next purchase!”
Template 2: "Morning, [Name]! Enjoy 10% off your next order, just for you!”
2. Previous activity
Here, you need to study your users' past actions within your app. Based on your findings, craft a relevant and engaging message.
By doing so, you:
- show that you understand and value their behavior on your app
- makes them feel that you’re paying attention and are not lazy in communicating with them
- trigger relevant recommendations in content, product or app features, increasing engagement and conversion
- encourage continued engagement as you can remind users about pending carts and saved items and prompt them to complete a desired action
Here’s an example you can customize and send for your next push notification:
Template 1: "[Name], based on your recent browsing, you might like this new article on [topic]."
Template 2: "Noticed you checking out our new arrivals, [Name]. They're selling out fast – grab your fav now!"
3. Preferences
Name and activity make your brand personalized, whereas, with preference, you make the message more personal as you tailor it to a user's likes and wishlist items.
What are you more likely to click on, a notification talking about a random electronic sale or one that is about headphones, something you spent time on their app wondering about?
By sending push notifications personalized by preferences, you:
- boost conversions as the products, content, or features in your app are specifically suited to their interest
- show a genuine understanding of their desires from your product catalog
- reduce their notification fatigue as users get only alerts that are relevant to them
Here's a template to get you started:
Template 1: "[Name], we noticed you saved [product/category]. Check out this [product/collection] we think you'll love!"
Template 2: "Since you love eco-friendly products, [Name], our latest sustainable line is perfect for you! Explore now to support the planet."
4. Previous purchase
What’s the strongest example of a user’s preference? Their past orders!
If a customer has ordered from you before, has kept your app after potentially experiencing the product, AND has notifications on…
you know they’re serious about your brand.
When you personalize push notifications based on their past purchases, you
- acknowledge their past choices
- anticipate their future needs
- create opportunities for repeat orders,
- facilitate cross-selling and upselling, and
- help deepen their relationship with your brand
Use this push notification template example to get started:
Template 1: "[Name], enjoyed your last purchase of [Product]? They will go great with these too! Check them out now!"
Template 2: "Thank you for buying [Product], [Name]! How about some accessories to go with it? They’re 15% OFF today just for you!"
5. Action or behavior triggered
This is a highly targeted form of personalization as it sends your app users alerts based on their specific, time-bound behavior on your app.
It makes for a dynamic and responsive app experience that feels highly relevant and engaging.
When you send an action-triggered notification, you:
- encourage repeated engagement with your app
- increase user retention
- enhance user experience
- incentivize their behavior to finish a desired action (like completing their profile, setting delivery location preferences, etc.)
Here are some templates you can use:
Template 1: “Hey [User], you're just one step away from completing your profile. Finish now for a special reward!"
Template 2: "Congratulations [User] on reaching [Milestone]! Here's what you can do next."
6. Location-based
The previous personalization tactics were based on app user data. In this, you cater to the user’s physical location.
This makes your push notifications more relevant, as you can send promotions and offers based on their current location.
You can use them to:
- send seasonal or culturally relevant one's recommendations
- drive-store visits
- increase engagement with a physical event
Here's a template to get you started:
Template 1: "[Name], you're near our [store/event]! Stop by and enjoy [special offer]."
Template 2: "[Name], our collection is out now! Drop by our store in [Location] for a first-hand look and special deals!"
7. Loyalty and rewards
This tactic is aimed at recognizing and rewarding your app’s most engaged users!
By sending personalized notifications that offer rewards points, exclusive benefits, and even reminders to do a certain action to reach a milestone, you can:
- increase app engagement in the future
- enhance value perception of your app in their minds
- encourage repeat purchases
- reduce churn
Here is a template you can send for loyalty-based push notifications:
Template 1: "Congratulations, [Name]! You've earned 500 points and unlocked Gold status. Enjoy 20% off your next purchase!"
Template 2: "Happy Birthday, [User]! Celebrate with a special gift from us – 30% off your purchase today."
Conclusion: Personalize app push notifications with Shopney
Your users expect personalization. By crafting messages that resonate with your target audience, you can truly enjoy a boost in your app engagement, conversions, and user retention.
We understand that navigating all the different ways to personalize, as we showed above, and choosing the best ones that work for your brand can become a long, confusing process.
Here’s where Shopney can help!
With our platform, you can seamlessly implement personalized push notifications and take the guesswork out of the equation.
Ready to build meaningful app experiences for your users through engaging alerts? Reach out to us today!
