A company launched its app, and in the first week the marketing team sent a notification every day about a new offer. A month later they noticed that installs were going up while active users were going down. This happens a lot, and notifications are one of the first things to check. A notification is the closest point of contact you have with a customer, since it shows up on their phone's lock screen, and that is exactly why customers judge you harshly for it.
Why do push notifications make people delete apps?
Because most of them have nothing to do with the user. A generic notification about an offer they don't care about, at a bad time, for the third time this week, convinces them the app is a nuisance. They have two choices: turn off notifications in settings, and you lose the channel, or delete the app, and you lose the customer on the app altogether. We cover why people abandon apps more generally in why users uninstall apps and how to measure retention.
When should you ask users for notification permission?
After the user understands what they'll be getting. Many people refuse a permission request that appears in the first second the app opens. iPhone asks users to approve notifications, and Android has done the same since version 13, and people who refuse rarely go back to turn them on in settings.
Here is the approach we use. We ask for permission at a moment that makes sense. After a customer places their first order, a screen asks "Would you like us to let you know when your order is out for delivery?", and then the system prompt appears. The context makes saying yes the obvious choice.
Which notifications do users accept and which annoy them?
| Type | Example | How the user sees it |
|---|---|---|
| About something they did | Your order is on the way, your booking is confirmed | Expected and useful |
| A reminder they asked for | Your appointment is tomorrow at 10 | Useful if the timing is right |
| A personal offer | The item you usually buy is on sale | Acceptable if rare and accurate |
| A general ad sent to everyone | Weekend discounts | The type most likely to make people turn notifications off |
Apple's guidelines require users to explicitly opt in to marketing notifications, with a clear way to turn them off inside the app. So separate order notifications from offer notifications in settings, letting the customer switch off offers without losing updates about their orders.
How many push notifications should you send, and when?
No number fits every app. A delivery app that customers use daily can carry more than a clinic app opened once a month. Start with notifications tied to the customer's actions, add marketing ones slowly, and watch the numbers after each campaign.
Timing is part of the message. Don't send during sleeping hours, pay attention to Ramadan and how the shape of the day changes during it, and if your customers are in more than one country, send according to each user's time zone. The best time for an order notification is the moment the thing happens. For offers, try different times and compare open rates.
How do you segment users so the message reaches the right people?
Segment them by what they do in the app, because that is what makes a notification useful to the person who gets it. Some practical segments: people who signed up but haven't completed a first order, people who ordered in the last month and then stopped, people who buy a particular category regularly, and people who live in a city with a new branch. A notification sent to a small, well-chosen group gets opened more than one sent to everyone.
This requires the app to record the important events and the sending tool to be connected to them. If nobody planned for it during the build, you'll end up sending to everyone because that is the only option you have.
How do you write a push notification people open?
Keep it specific and short, and say in the first line what concerns the reader. "Your order #214 is out with the driver" is clearer than "You have a new update." Make tapping the notification open the relevant screen directly, such as the order or product page. Avoid sensational headlines that promise something the customer won't find after opening, because they teach people to ignore your next notifications.
- EventNew order, upcoming appointment, abandoned cart
- RuleWho should get the notification and who shouldn't
- TimingA suitable hour in the user's country
- MessageShort, specific and relevant to them
- Landing screenOpens what the notification promised
What should you measure for push notifications?
Look at three numbers after each send: the share of people who opened the notification, the share who turned notifications off, and how many deleted the app in the following days. Technically, notifications are delivered through Apple Push Notification Service and Firebase Cloud Messaging, and the sending tools built on them show you most of these numbers. If the opt-out rate rises after a certain type of message, send fewer of them or stop altogether.
If you run a points program, a "you're close to your reward" notification is one of the most effective messages, as we explain in customer loyalty apps.
We design the notification logic and settings screens together with the app itself as part of our mobile app development service. Send us examples of the notifications you send today, and we'll tell you which ones are worth keeping.
Questions our partners ask
How many push notifications should I send per week?
No single number works for every app. Start with notifications tied to the customer's own actions, add marketing ones gradually, and watch how many people turn notifications off after each campaign.
Does the user have to agree to receive notifications?
Yes. iPhone asks for the user's consent, and so does Android since version 13. Apple's guidelines also require explicit consent for marketing notifications, with a clear way to turn them off.
Can I send a notification to a specific group of customers?
Yes, if the app records enough data, such as the city, the last order or the subscription type. This segmentation has to be planned while the app is being built.
Written by the Visual Innovate team, the people who build, host and follow up systems, websites and apps for our clients in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt.
