According to hbr.org statistics, 73% of consumers use multiple communication channels to interact with a single retailer. At the same time, our service data shows that companies commonly use emails and push notifications for communication. Email and Web Push are inexpensive and highly personalized communication channels. But if Email is one of the most informative and trusted channels for the audience, web notifications, despite their effectiveness for business, are becoming more commonplace and don’t cause such a stir as before.
According to statistics:
- On average, smartphone users receive 46 push notifications per day (Wonder).
- Only 60% of Android users and 45% of iOS users agree to receive mobile notifications (Localytics).
- 85 to 99% of requests to send web push notifications remain unaccepted, and 48% are actively rejected by users (Mozilla).
But imagine ideal notifications that
- unobtrusive;
- can be re-read at a convenient time;
- don't require a subscription;
- easy to combine with other channels.
Meet App Inbox
App Inbox is a communication channel that combines the benefits of mobile and web push notifications. It allows you to deliver rich, personalized content to users directly on your site or app. Messages sent to the notification center are saved in the user's account until they are no longer relevant.
The notification itself looks as follows:
As you can see, it consists of:
- Header,
- Message text,
- Delivery date,
- Link (optional),
- Horizontal or vertical image (optional).
Channel Advantages
-
Novelty
It will attract the attention of your site visitors and help you stand out from the competition, as so far, few companies use this type of message.
-
Unobtrusiveness
Unlike other channels, App Inbox messages don’t overlap the content or distract visitors from targeted actions. Instead, the user sees only a silent new message notification.
-
Relevance
The user can return to them at a convenient time, notifications disappear after they expire.
-
Easy to set up
You can install App Inbox through a single our script which gives access to multiple features: setting up abandoned carts and views, segmentation by behavior, product recommendations, etc.
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Easy combination with other channels
You can build sequential omnichannel chains for manual and automated campaigns.
-
Flexible appearance customization
In the editor, you set how the notification will look and what elements to use: text, image, link.
-
Sending without user subscription
Messages are available to all users authorized with a phone number or email.
-
Detailed statistics
Reviewing built-in reports, you can see how your campaigns are performing and which messages are best for conversion growth.
App Inbox vs. Push
Quite often, App Inbox is compared with Web and Mobile Push. Let's see if it's proper to draw an analogy at all.
|
App Inbox |
Web Push |
| To connect it, you need to set up a request to get an authentication token and install a script |
To connect it, you need to create a project in Firebase and then associate it with the ESP |
| Any identifier is used for sending | Push token is used for sending |
| No user subscription required | The user needs to subscribe on your site |
| Doesn’t appear when the site is closed | The main conditions for delivering a message are an Internet connection and an open browser in which the user has opted in |
| Displayed only on the website. The user only sees a new message notification |
Pushed into the browser with sound notification and displayed on top of all windows |
| Available during the period specified by TTL and stored in the notification center in chronological order | Delivered within the specified period. Disappear after interacting or closing |
| Work on iOS or Android | Don't work on iOS |
| Don’t require a link in the message itself since the user is already on the site. Allows the user to copy text from a message | A link is mandatory as it returns users to the site. Text cannot be copied because interacting with a notification opens a page |
| All notifications are located solely in the user's account | Shown along with other push notifications from other companies |
| Phone numbers and emails don’t change so often, so communication will be continuous | The life of the token is 2-3 months |
| Flexible settings for the appearance of notifications | Notification appearance varies by browser and OS |
And a few words about mobile push notifications. They have some similarities with browser push notifications, so let's focus on the main differences.
|
App Inbox |
Mob Push |
| Delivered in the app only. Don’t appear when the app is in the background or closed | Are displayed in the notification shade even when the application is inactive |
| Reach the entire audience of your app (not just users who have enabled notifications) | Sending is possible only for contacts that have notifications enabled in their settings |
As you can see, these are entirely different channels with more differences than in commonalities, and it is inappropriate to replace one channel with another. Quite the contrary, App Inbox can become part of a marketing strategy, complementing other communications beneficially.
Pushes are a suitable channel for discounts and other promotions. Notifications grab the user's attention, giving them a reason to return to the app or site to view it again. Therefore, push notifications are perfect for time-limited promotions.
App Inbox is better suited for long-term promotions and notifications that need to stay close at hand.
App Inbox Use Cases
For ecommerce projects
Engaging new users
Encourage those who downloaded the app or signed up to make their first order but never made it. For example, send reminders that a promo code is still valid.
Sending limited offers
The notification will be displayed only during the promotion period and disappear after the end.
Retention of existing customers
Basic segmentation is available as for any other channel so that you can prompt current customers to new orders.
Reactivation of inactive buyers
For example, encourage repeat orders from users who have not bought for a long time but regularly visit the site.
Order status notification
Your order has been shipped, Package tracking number, Order status has changed, etc. The user may likely miss the first notification, and it will be essential for them to return to the message.
Product recommendations
Promote those products that your users are more likely to purchase. Since web tracking is used to send personalized recommendations, adding them to app inbox messages won't be challenging.
For services
Welcome series and onboarding
In combination with other channels, notify about successful registration and take a short tour to the best sections or features. Help users get up to speed quickly.
You can also tell a little about the notification center itself and explain what messages will be stored there further.
Notifications for urgent updates and innovations
If there is going to be maintenance work coming up soon, it's imperative to warn those online to have time to complete their actions. Such a notification channel will allow you not to disturb users for whom this information is irrelevant.
Payment notifications
Remind users of upcoming debits or lack of funds.
Feedback collection
Strengthen relationships with users through feedback. For example, ask how the order went and ask to leave a review on third-party sites.
Advertising new services and products
Promote a product or service and lead the customer to purchase.
Additional contact data collection
Update and enrich customer profiles by sending notifications.
Ready to Improve Your Communication with Users?
Sending app inbox messages is just one way to increase engagement and lengthen the lifecycle of your customers. Sign up for a demo to know more about our CDP’s features. Our experts will help you set up all processes: from integration to the first launch.