Annoying push notifications are one of the most common causes of user disengagement. This article will tell you some push notification mistakes you need to avoid, as well as push notification tips that encourage users to click.
Have you ever felt frustrated by the sea of push notifications that flood your phone all day long, every single day? Well, you’re not alone. It turns out that more than half of app users find push notifications annoying!
While you might relate to the feeling of irritation, it can also be a hard pill to swallow when you are a user and a business owner. Push notification is a great marketing channel for your brand, yet they can also be so annoying that people — including you, perhaps — disable them from their smartphone and tablet.
What creates this love-hate relationship between users and push notifications? What are the most common push notifications mistakes and how can you fix them? Let’s find out here!
Push Notifications Mistakes that Make Users Disable Them
Research from VWO Engage shows the top three reasons why users decide to unsubscribe or disable the push notifications from a certain app.
53%
Find them annoying
49%
Get distracted by push notifications when doing their daily activities
38%
Feel disturbed at the wrong time
Other than these three reasons, users also dislike push notifications for reasons like:
- They’re spamming
- Generic, non-personalized content
- Irrelevant content with zero value
- Clickbait
- Outdated content or offer
- Flashing colors and sound
How to Avoid Sending Annoying Push Notifications to Your Users
Now that you know why users find push notifications annoying, here’s what you can do to avoid making the same mistakes on your app.
1. Provide In-App Control & Permissions
Your app users should have control over what push notifications they want to receive. You can also add a gentle disclaimer like, “Please turn on only your most preferred notifications as we don’t want to bother you.”
2. Choose the Appropriate Time Frame
This is to minimize the disruption you cause in your users’ daily life. Here’s an easy way to choose a time frame, depending on your app type or business sector:
| Time Frame | App Type |
|---|---|
| Morning | News, educational information |
| Daytime | Work-related notifications |
| Late Afternoon | More news from the day |
| Evening | Entertainment & e-commerce |
3. The Fewer, the Better
There’s no one-size-fits-all number, but 73% of users think that if an app sends too many push notifications, they are considered spam.
That said, it’s better to focus on the quality of the message, not quantity.
4. Use Non-Intrusive Colors & Sounds
Bright, striking colors and loud, shrill sounds can cause stress and distract users more greatly. We recommend you choose neutral colors for your push notification icons or designs. Also, provide options to change or turn off the sounds.
5. Make Them Fun & Personal
Push notifications with generic and irrelevant content turn users off. And in turn, they drive users to turn them off. Try these to send more engaging push notifications:
- Utilize liquid tags. You can use this to mention your user’s name, products added to the cart, send unique voucher codes, and many more.
- Send dynamic, behavioral push notifications. These can range from new user offers and abandoned cart reminders, to suggested videos or podcasts.
- Don’t be afraid to use emojis. Just don’t get too crazy and use them in moderation. Also, make sure the use of emojis reflects your brand’s tone of voice and perception.
Ready to Bid Those Annoying Push Notifications Goodbye?
Even though half of the app users find push notifications annoying, the other half don’t mind them and even find them useful.
So, make sure you give your users the quality information they need so they don’t regret checking their phone when your push notification pops in.
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