10 Push Notification Mistakes to Avoid At All Costs

How many times have you woken up too early because of the incessant beeping of your phone only to see that it's not an important message or call, after all, but a promotional message or a notification from an app? How many of those annoying apps have you uninstalled, and how many subscriptions have you canceled because of something like this? Now, imagine this: you are taking a sip of your afternoon coffee, and you check your smartphone to see if there are any emails, texts, or calls you missed. A notification suddenly pops up, alerting you of an upcoming sale for some boots you've been eyeing for a while. Along with the push notification are lovely pictures of the trendiest boots and an exclusive promo code. So you immediately open the app, search for the pair you want, and check out before you miss the fantastic offer thats one push notification avoidable mistakes to take note of. As you can see, push notifications are pretty powerful, but they can either be effective in engaging potential customers or a nuisance that can cost your brand a lot.

It is, therefore, highly important that you have a true understanding of the ten most common mistakes.

Mistakes that you should avoid at any cost while sending Push Notifications:

1. Using It to Replace Emails

One of the common push notification avoidable mistakes people commit when sending push notifications is to use it as a replacement for email. Push notifications are an excellent way to ensure your users are up-to-date on your latest developments, but they should only be used when the timing is right. Push notifications should only be sent when the user is actively using your app. If they're not using it, then you're wasting your time and their energy. Push notifications are great for getting your message across quickly, it's true, but you should not use them to replace emails. Emails are a more personal and effective way to communicate with your subscribers.

We can use automated email for better campaign relevance.

2. Poor Targeting

When sending push notifications,another good practice and push notification avoidable mistakes, would be that it is imperative that you always make sure that you are targeting your audience correctly. Not doing so can result in several negative consequences, including:

● Your message not being opened by the recipient: If your notification is not relevant to the recipient, they are likely to ignore it.

● Your message misinterpreted: If your notification is not clear and concise, the recipient may misunderstand its meaning, potentially resulting in them taking the wrong action.

● Your message annoying the recipient: If your notification is poorly timed or intrusive, it could annoy the recipient, leading them to disable notifications from your app altogether.

To avoid these problems, take the time to segment your audience and send each group notifications that are of value to them. This will ensure that your messages are well-received and improve the overall user experience of your app.

Use advanced targeting for precise user targeting.

3. Wrong Timing

One of the missteps and push notification avoidable mistakes that people make when sending push notifications is timing them wrong. It's essential to understand when your audience will most likely be receptive to your message and to send your notification accordingly. If you send a push notification when people are likely to be busy or distracted, they're just going to be ignored. Conversely, if you send a message when people are likely to be relaxed and have some free time, they're more likely to pay attention to it. Timing is crucial when it comes to push notifications, so make sure you get it right.

4. Static Notifications

Another mistake that is commonly made is sending static notifications. Static notifications are messages that are sent without taking into account the user's preferences or past behavior. As a result, these notifications can often be irrelevant or annoying to users. To avoid committing this mistake, you should always send push notifications based on the user's preferences. This can be achieved by considering the user's past behavior, such as the websites they have visited or the products they have viewed. By personalizing notifications, you can ensure that they are relevant and exciting to users.

You can use Behavioral Segmentation to filter the right audience

5. Poor Choice of Calls-to-Action

You should always choose the right call-to-action (CTA) when sending a push notification. A poorly chosen CTA can lead to a low click-through rate (CTR) and a negative user experience.

Some of the most common mistakes when choosing a CTA include:

● Asking the User to Do Too Much: If you are asking the user to do too much, you run the risk of overwhelming them or confusing them. Make sure your CTA is clear and easy to understand.

● Using Vague or Generic CTAs: Using vague or generic CTAs can be a waste of your time and the user's time. Make sure your CTA is specific and relevant to the message you are trying to send.

● Using the Wrong CTA for Your Message: Not all CTAs are created equal. Make sure you use the correct CTA for the message you are trying to send. For example, if you are trying to sell a product, a ""buy now""CTA would be more effective than a ""learn more""CTA.

● Not testing your CTAs: Testing your CTAs is essential to ensuring that they are effective. Try different variations of CTAs to see which one works best for your message.

● Not considering the user's context: Consider the user's context when choosing a CTA. For example, if the user is already on your website, a ""add to cart""CTA would be more effective than a ""sign up""CTA.

● Not considering the device the user is on: Not all devices are created equal. Make sure you choose a suitable CTA for the user's device. For example, a ""call now""CTA would be more effective on a mobile device than on a desktop computer.

6. Zero Personalization

Another common mistake people make when sending push notifications is failing to personalize them. Your messages should always be tailored to your audience, and this is especially true when you're sending push notifications. Generic, one-size-fits-all messages are a surefire way to turn people off and get them to opt out of your notification. Make sure you segment your audience and send messages that are relevant to them. The more personalized your messages are, the more likely people will engage with them. Use personalized notifications to increase engagements.

7. Too Many Messages Sent Too Frequently

Push notifications can be a great way to keep your users engaged and informed, but if you send too many messages or send them too frequently, you could end up alienating your users and driving them away. If you send too many messages, your users will quickly become overwhelmed and may start to ignore your notifications. Try to limit yourself to 1-2 messages per day, or even less if you can. Sending push messages too frequently can also be a significant annoyance to your users. Try to space your messages at least several hours apart, or more if possible.

8. Ignoring Data

When you send a push notification, you want it to be relevant to your users. If you're sending a notice about a sale, for example, ensure you're sending it to users interested in your product.

Sending irrelevant notifications can be annoying and can even lead to users unsubscribing from your push notifications altogether. Remember that there's a reason you conduct studies and tests to understand your users better. Don't put the information you gathered to waste and use them to your advantage.

9. Failing to Test and Optimize

As with anything, testing and optimizing your push notifications before sending them out to your entire audience is important. The quality of your notification messages is crucial. Try various strategies until you find what works best for your particular audience. Your notification messages should be designed to grab users' attention. But if they're too noisy or difficult to read, they'll have a negative result. Make sure to use appropriate font sizes for your audience and clear, concise language.

10. Not Tracking Push Notification Engagement

Not tracking push notification engagement can be a significant mistake. Not only will you not be able to see which notifications are effective, but you may also lose users who unsubscribe. Make sure to track which notifications are being opened and read, and use that data to improve your future notifications. Use Open Tracking for real-time campaign tracking.

Conclusion

Push notifications can be a powerful way to keep in touch with your customers, and when done correctly, they can be a great way to increase sales and keep your customers engaged. However, they can be annoying and intrusive if they are not done correctly. So, take note of the above mentioned mistakes and avoid them at all costs. Time your notifications, make sure they're personalized, optimized, and relevant to the recipients, use the data you have to your advantage, use strong CTAs, and test your push notifications to ensure you get the benefits they offer. You should also get the best push notification service you can find that can help you communicate smoothly with your audience.

PushNinja is a reliable push notifications software that allows you to automate and personalize your push notifications easily. Sign up today and see how our push notification service can help you!