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In a mobile marketing world full of shiny new objects, sometimes it is the tried and trusted tactics that produce results.
Push notifications, for example, still drive outstanding returns. In fact, the data tells us that push notifications alone increase user purchases by 9.6X.
That’s according to a new report by Leanplum that was released today. According to the study — which takes in data from more than 56 million activities between December 1, 2016 and June 1, 2017 — push notifications not only increase the number of purchases but also the amount spent.
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While the increase in purchases was driven by push notifications alone, Leanplum stresses that they should still be used as part of an omnichannel strategy.
“The analysis validates that push notifications alone can increase user purchases by up to 9.6X,” Leanplum CEO and cofounder Momchil Kyurkchiev told me. “However, we find that for many customers, the impact of their messaging campaigns is strengthened when coordinated across channels. Considering that on average, only 40 percent of users opt into push notifications, a push notification and an email together will reach more users than push alone.”
The report shows that push notifications are also responsible for a 16 percent increase in user spend. What does that say about how consumers respond to promotions in 2017?
“There’s a huge missed opportunity for brands that aren’t keeping their app top of mind with customers by sending push notifications,” Kyurkchiev said. “Data shows that users respond positively when they hear about relevant sales, content, and promotions. With this in mind, it’s critical that you increase your addressable audience with push notification opt-ins.”
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That means being transparent with the consumer and explaining what they are missing out on by sticking with the vanilla app experience.
“Once the shopper understands the benefit of push, they’re more likely to opt in,” Kyurkchiev said.
In addition to explaining the revenue-generating benefits of push notifications, the study also details the best days and times to send messages to smartphone users. Of course, there is an inherent issue with that kind of research.
The problem with “best time to post” results is that if everyone follows the advice, it makes those times the worst time to post. So what’s the real takeaway here for mobile marketers?
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“While these are proven best practices, the important takeaway is to know your users and understand their individual behaviors,” Kyurkchiev said. “The key to successful mobile messaging is recognizing when your users want to hear from you, and engaging with them at the optimal time.”
What is next for push notifications? While they remain a stalwart of the mobile marketer’s armory, they have to continue evolving. So how do we engage users as fatigue sets in, which it inevitably will?
“We advise apps to coordinate multi-channel engagements in response to each user’s unique journey,” Kyurkchiev said. “Gone are the days when generic mass blast messages were effective. If you can customize messages dynamically with information individual users want, you’re not spamming them — you’re providing value.”
The full report — which also includes an illustrative case study — is available from Leanplum’s website from today.
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