Think web push notifications are only for blogs or businesses with blogs?
Think again.
Web push notifications can be used in a variety of different ways beyond letting your audience know about your latest blog article.
As a marketing analyst at PushCrew, I’ve seen push notifications not only drive repeat traffic but also repeat and real-time engagement.
And web push notifications can have click rates that FAR SURPASS email’s average 1-2% click rates.
In fact, web push notifications often receive click rates as high as 33%.
(If you’re paying attention, this means a new communication channel with higher click rates than your traditional mode of communication is available to you…)
The benefit of higher engagement that web push notification can offer is accessible to several different industries. In this article, we’ll focus on the following 11 industries that can use push notifications to wow customers:
- Blogging
- Online forums
- Ecommerce
- Food
- Travel
- Logistics
- Nonprofits
- Airlines
- Academics
- Gyms and fitness
- Internet of things
I’m going to show you how you can use push notifications in each of these industries so you can drive more traffic and increase engagement.
But first, let me explain how this information will benefit you…
The 3 Main Benefits of Web Push Notifications
The reason I am emphasizing so much on using web push notification is threefold:
1. Web Push Notifications Are Easy to Set Up and Are Cost-Effective
Web push notifications take away the cost of developing and maintaining a dedicated mobile app for every platform.
Also, implementing web push notifications doesn’t take much effort.
You only need to paste a snippet of code on your website and that’s pretty much all it takes to get started with utilizing the immense power of web push notification.
2. They Are Platform Independent
Web push notifications are only browser dependent. This feature enables you to send push notifications even on the desktop, facilitating multi-device engagement with your subscribers.
3. Security
Web push notifications are unique in that subscribing to them does not require end users to submit their private information.
Unlike email subscription, which requires the email ID (which can be sold to black hat agencies who then use it to send spam emails), web push notifications create a unique alphanumeric subscriber ID for every individual subscriber through an algorithm.
Even if one gets access to this subscriber ID, they cannot send spam notifications unless s/he is an authorized sender.
Now that the benefits are clear, let’s take a look at how web push notifications fit into each of these areas. We’ll start with the one I’m sure most of you are familiar with…
1. Using Web Push Notifications for Blogging
Blogs are a very powerful medium for both individuals and businesses.
Not only do blogs help build credibility and authority, they facilitate in generating leads.
There are a few ways blogs can communicate to their readers through web push notifications.
1. New Posts
Web push notifications are an innovative method of letting your users know there is something new and exciting on your blog.
While emails to your subscribers may get overlooked or remain unread in inboxes, web push notifications reach out to your subscribers wherever they are on the World Wide Web, as the example below shows…
2. Old Posts
You can use web push notifications to drive more traffic to your blog by pushing well-performing articles from the past.
Not only does this help bring more traffic to your site, it reminds subscribers of old, yet relevant content.
3. Generate New Email Subscribers
Complement your other communication channels with web push notifications. Urge users to subscribe to your email newsletter so you can engage with them through the email channel.
2. Using Web Push Notifications for Online Forums
Online forums, such as Inbound, are a great place to share and gain valuable insights on different topics.
Currently, most forum owners notify users about updates on their threads through email.
But here’s the catch.
With email platforms becoming more intelligent, most such emails fall into the forum category – away from the main inbox – where they can remain unread.
Web push notifications circumvent this and can be used to send instant notifications about thread updates by pushing relevant content.
1. New Thread
With web push notifications, users could be notified of new threads in their preferred categories.
2. New Replies
If a user has opted in to receive web push notifications, they could then receive notifications for new replies to thread(s) they follow, and/or be notified of any replies to their own comments on the thread.
3. New Followers
Web push notifications can be sent to notify users about new followers they have gained – a feature many will enjoy. People love it when other community members follow them.
4. Hot Discussions
Part of the appeal of a forum is that users have a chance to contribute. As such, users are always in search of new and interesting discussions to join in!
Sending periodic pushes regarding new discussions that are getting a good amount of user interest or responses can help you keep users engaged.
3. Using Web Push Notifications for Ecommerce
My company, PushCrew, recently published “The State of Web Push Notifications 2016” report that found approximately 21% of web notifications users belong to the ecommerce industry.
In 2014, Localytics had reported that ecommerce websites enjoyed a 278% increase in engagement from users who had turned on mobile push notifications on their devices as compared to those who didn’t.
To replicate similar success on the web, here are several ways ecommerce websites can send web push notifications:
1. Fresh Arrivals
Be it the new iPhone or a new dress, many love to be among the first ones to own it.
Inform the early adopters on your list of your latest inventory to generate a boost in sales and maintain a good user engagement rate.
2. Offers and Deals
Who wouldn’t want to get their hands on items from their wishlist if they were available on discount? I would.
This single type of web push notification is capable of bringing a lot of repeat traffic to your website.
Web push notifications are even more effective in communicating deals that are time bound. They create an urgency to check out a limited offer before the stock or the duration of the deal runs out.
3. Order Status
Promptly informing users about the status of their order(s) will help maintain a positive relationship with your users.
4. Cart Abandonment
An average of 69.23% users abandon their carts at the last stage.
A big number to say the least!
The best way to prompt such users to come back and complete the purchase is by sending them, through a web push notification, an offer on an item in their cart or a discount on their purchase as a whole.
4. Using Web Push Notifications for Food
With a multitude of food ordering options, restaurants and online ordering services face stiff competition in their industry.
These businesses could leverage web push notifications to stand out from their competition, increase engagement with their patrons, and get the order:
1. What’s New
I personally love it when there is something new on the menu at my favorite restaurant!
Telling your users there’s a new flavor on the table is a great way to bring them back to your website.
2. Offers
Users love to be pampered with offers. Sending them mouth-watering deals can urge your users to place an order on your website and keep you top of mind.
3. Order Status
A hungry customer can quickly turn into a “hangry” customer.
This usually happens when users have no idea if their pizza is on its way. Informing users, in real-time, the status of their food order can help them stay calm.
5. Using Web Push Notifications for Travel
Travel is an industry on the rise.
Since 2005, the number of tourists has increased from 528 million to 1.13 billion in 2014, and is forecasted to reach 1.18 billion by 2030.
To capture the attention of their users, online travel agencies can grab the following opportunities to send web push notifications:
1. Reminders
People are busy and traveling is stressful, so things tend to be forgotten.
You can help people stay up-to-date of their nearing trip by sending web push notifications.
A timely reminder of an upcoming hotel reservation would make your users happy and make them feel that you care for them.
2. Destination Information
Use web push notifications to send relevant suggestions about places to visit to help users plan their future trip.
6. Using Web Push Notifications for Airlines
In the same vein as the online travel agencies, airlines can help users plan their trips and stay on top of their upcoming flight with the following web push notifications:
1. Flight Reminder
Reminding passengers to check in or sending a notification at the right time could help passengers plan their commute to the airport so they don’t miss their flight.
2. Flight Status
Due to unforeseen circumstances, flights have a tendency to change. Send an instant notification to inform passengers of any updates in flight times or gate changes.
3. Destination Information
Even a weather update of the destination would create a sense among passengers that you pay attention to the details and care about their trip.
7. Using Web Push Notifications for Logistics
The best way a logistics company can use web push notifications is by sending tracking updates.
From processing to packaging to delivery. Notifying users about each stage and where their order has reached keeps users hooked to your service.
8. Using Web Push Notifications for Nonprofit Organizations
Due to budget constraints, it could be hard for nonprofit organizations to maintain a mobile app.
With web push notifications, nonprofits can effortlessly reach a wide array of users on both desktop and mobile devices:
1. Campaign Announcements
Informing people about new campaigns and initiatives your organization is undertaking will help you remain connected to your followers and ensure consistent support from the people who care about the issues you are trying to solve.
2. Fundraising
Starting a new fundraiser or charity drive? Send a web push notification.
Sending out web push notifications and informing users of fundraising events or donation drives will help you achieve your goals.
9. Using Web Push Notifications for Academics
Academics are no longer restricted to the classroom.
More and more learning aspirants are signing up for online courses from the comfort of their homes.
To keep such users engaged, online academic platforms can send web push notifications in the following cases:
1. Thread Discussion Updates
Candidates often seek help from others who have signed up for the same course.
Sending a notification regarding updates on the threads they have created or followed would help maintain users’ interest in the courses they’ve opted in for, which will increase the value they get from your course.
2. Reminders
“Oh! There was a quiz today?” You definitely wouldn’t like your users asking themselves that question in panic.
It is indeed your job to remind them of looming deadlines. Send a notification to your students reminding them of the upcoming quiz or project due date.
3. New Course Announcements
If a user has taken a course of yours and gotten value from it, he or she is likely to take another course with you.
Notifying your users of upcoming courses related to the ones they’ve already taken will bring them back.
10. Using Web Push Notifications for Gym and Fitness
If you are a gym and fitness service provider, these are the best ways for you to maintain a healthy (no pun intended) relationship with your users through web push notifications:
1. Training Session Schedule Reminders
Keep your customers engaged and help people stay on top of their personal training with web push notification reminders.
This can be especially helpful for those trying to establish a new, healthy habit or for those whose motivation is waning.
2. Diet Suggestions
Exercise is only half the battle when it comes to exercise. What someone eats can make or break their gym gains.
Use web push notifications to share tips on diets and recipe ideas that would suit your users’ workout patterns.
11. Using Web Push Notifications for Internet of Things (IOT)
IOT is currently a hot topic of discussion, and it is estimated by Gartner that there will be 26 billion connected devices by 2020. Even IOT enabled devices can find utility in web push notifications:
1. Home Automation Systems
Think about how wonderful it would be if your ceiling fan reminded you that you forgot to switch if off while leaving the house?
Web push notifications have the capability to play this supporting role.
2. Healthcare Devices
The major benefit of IOT devices is that it reduces the gap between the end device and the user.
Web push notifications could be used to communicate data from the medical equipment, allowing the user to receive health updates from the comfort of their homes.
Time to Test
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of the possibilities for web push notifications. Nor are web push notifications limited to these 11 industries above.
Truly, we’ve just scratched the surface with web push notifications and the possibilities are endless.
Your business might belong to an industry not already mentioned above. That does not mean you should not try out this new marketing channel to engage and re-engage your audience.
Test it out and you will see an increase in engagement with your audience.
