Best Push Notification Services Providers

What is Push Notification?

Push notification services are the distribution of information from a software program to a computing device without a special request from the client, where messages are sent immediately to a user's mobile device.

As you know, a notification is a message that pops up on the user’s device. Now a push notification is the same delivery of information from an application server, except the request for the transaction is triggered by the server rather than the user. It can appear even when the app is not running.

It is also known as a server push notification. Generally, 'push notification' is most often used to refer to notifications on mobile devices. However, web applications can also leverage this technology.

Push notification is one of the smartest ways to allow your users to opt-in for timely updates. It’s an effective way to engage your users with customized content.

How to Send Push Notification?

To understand how the push notification system works, you need to know three factors that are involved in the process.

1. Operating System Push Notification Service (OSPNS): Each native mobile operating system (OS), including iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows, and BlackBerry, has its own set of development guidelines and standards, as well as service. The OSPNS sends the notification from the application publisher to the application user’s device.
2. Application Publisher: To add push notifications, the application publisher registers with the push notification service of the OS for which they are developing. Then the OS service provides an application programming interface (API) to the app publisher. Through API, the app can communicate with the service. The app publisher then adds the SDK to their application and then uploads the app to the app store.
3. Client App: Client application is the one installed on a user’s device, which is an OS-specific app. It receives incoming notifications.

Steps to Sending Push Notification:

• Step 1: The app publisher composes a message through a message composer user interface. Or, they can choose to set up an automated message to be sent via the API.
• Step 2: The next step is where the publisher defines their audiences to whom the push notification will be sent.
• Step 3: Lastly, they send messages. It can be sent immediately or scheduled for later.

Now, push notification can be targeted based on segments of your user base and even personalized. To do that, it requires a kind of interface. Of course, publishers can build their own infrastructure, but a smart choice is to hire a push notification service provider. This way, you can focus more on building a great app rather than building and maintaining a push notification platform. After all, it takes enormous resources and ongoing maintenance.

Features to Look for Before Buying Push Notification Service

You have decided to implement a web push notification service. The next important thing is to choose the right push notification provider. Look out for the following features to select the one that is the right fit for your business:

1. Target Segmentation

For any marketing activities, target segmentation is a crucial factor. The last thing you want to do is sending the same generic push message to all of your subscribers. A well-crafted, personalized content for your target audience can help you create a personal connection with your audience.

Best web push notification service should allow you to segment your subscribers based on:

• Geo Location
• Device
• Browser
• API

There are plenty of ways you can segment your audience. Check if they offer the basic level of segmentation or not.

2. Schedule Push Notification

Another important feature to look out in a push notification service provider is scheduling. You must be able to schedule push notification to be delivered at a later time.

Having the ability to schedule makes sure that you don’t miss interacting with your audiences on holidays, or never miss sending notification during the sale event. It will help you to maximize the reach of your prospects and increase conversion rates.

3. Language Adaptation

The best way to increase your engagement rate is to create a personal touch with your customers. Sending personalized messages to your geo-based targets in the local language can help you do just that.

Besides, it should also let you send the same message in a couple of different languages at once. It will not only save you time but also boost open and conversion rates. This feature is ideal for a company having their audiences globally.

4. Reporting and Analytics

To determine if your push message service is effective, you need to be able to access information about your message delivery statistics. It should include basic performance analytics if not advanced. You should be able to follow key performance indicators such as the number of impressions, clicks, and CTR. More advanced mobile analytics tools mean you can match push notification sends with user actions and to revenue.

5. Customer Support

Having a responsive and reliable customer support team can help you go a long way. And, if this is the first time you are using push service, it’s even better to have a professional helping you out.

What are the Types of Push Notifications?

There are many types of push notifications. Some of which are:

• Transactional Notification

Transactional notifications are used to alert your individual app users when something specific to them has happened. They make your users’ lives easier because they provide highly personalized and relevant information in real-time.

For example, notifying a user that their taxi is arriving or that their flight is delayed.

• Behavioral Notifications

Behavioral notifications are the one that is based on previous user behavior or statistical data. For instance, if your user has previously watch Sacred Games on Netflix, they will notify them about the upcoming season. Or, they will send suggestions about series falling in the same genre.

These notifications offer well-timed suggestions based on statistics and data about how individuals use your app. The application can predict what users want even before they know they want it.

• Location-Based Notifications

Location-based push notifications show up when your user goes to a particular place. It is used to send interests based updates in their vicinity. It is quite useful for shopping apps, date match alerts, and more. Tinder is a perfect example of it.

There are two types of location-based notifications:

• Based on collected user data: Such push notification is based on a user’s region, IP address, city, and country.
• Geo-triggered pushes: Such notifications are sent in real-time when a user enters or leaves a certain geographic zone.

Email vs Push Notification Service - What is better?

The emails have been around a long time. However, the trend is shifting to push notifications. Few reasons why push notification is considered better than email are as follows:

1. Instant Message

When you send an email, it’s totally upon your subscriber to decide when they want to check their message. That’s not a bad thing. But sometimes, let’s say — you have a live video broadcast that has just started, you need to send the message across immediately.

This is where push notification is much helpful. Say, you want to alert your user on flash ecommerce sale, push notification can have your message delivered instantly.

2. One-Click Subscription

The opt-in process for push notification is relatively simple. Your users receive a prompt, and they just have to click on ‘allow.’ Once done, they are added to your subscriber list.

However, when it comes to email, they have to enter their email id, name, contact number, etc. And most importantly, you also need to filter the fake email IDs from the real ones that many users give for the subscription. Thus, push notification saves you time and is quite effective.

3. High Click-Through Rates

Users can’t tend to ignore the push notification the moment they appear on their screens. However, the chances are that emails would be lying unopened in a user’s inbox or perhaps spam folder. That’s why it appears that push notifications have a higher click through rates as compared to emails.

4. Compose Message Quickly

Before sending out an email, it requires a lot of thought and editing. First, you think of the message and test on numerous device to see if it looks good. However, push notifications are bite-sized. The steadfast character limit ensures that your message remains short and concise.

You just have to write 2-3 lines, add links, and hit the send button. You can also schedule it to be delivered later. Thus, a push message service is quick and efficient.