Newsletters still remain one of the most viable ways for a brand to engage parties. The best ones almost get an automatic open rate as the subscribers are genuinely interested to consume that content. The following figures put a lot of faith in newsletter marketing:
- Segmented newsletters have an open rate 14.32% higher than non-segmented ones.
- Open rates increased from 31% to 34.1% in a year, according to a Q3 2016 Epsilon benchmarks review.
- Email has a median ROI of 122% – four times higher than social media, paid search and direct mail.
But despite these numbers and brands investing hours in curating niche and interactive content, newsletters are experiencing a downtime.
The propensity of being nagged by the inbox for consumers is at an all-time low. They don’t want to either open the newsletters or react on the content as the timing isn’t correct for them. No wonder there is a gap between targeting/retargeting and newsletters for driving traffic.
This is where web push wins the race. It is the ultimate tactic to not only hook the audience on the website but also to serve up those brand loyalists who just can’t seem to get enough of a brand!
“Push notifications hit an average of 71% opt-in rate across industries.”
Asking visitors to click the button
To leverage web push, the visitors have to click something that then permits the brands to send them push notifications. There are are no two ways about it! The success of web push notifications and converting them relies on the ability of marketers to onboard subscribers.
The good news is 55% of consumers are aware that the websites can send push notifications, and 46% of visitors will opt in to receive personalized alerts. They are going to anticipate a dialog box to subscribe at some point while they are browsing through a website.
Dear reader – if you have tagged along with us so far then I am going to assume you are a marketer in dire need of a strategy to boost the web push opt-in rates. Luckily, below are five solid tactics just for you:
1) Offer a value proposition
Every time a visitor lands on your website, it is for a reason. Address that reason. Focus on what matters to the visitors. It could be a discount deal, a price alert, a fresh blog post, and so on. Whatever the messaging is, it should appeal to the visitors.
Let them know about your intentions. You will be surprised to know how comforting it is for the visitors to be asked first, then marketed. Please also remember not to sale through the first message. If a visitor opts in, of course (s)he will be somewhat inclined to avail your offerings at some point in the future.
2) Always confirm the subscription
Web push notifications can be slightly distracting especially if that’s the first thing a visitor sees on landing on the website. Many a time, lots of visitors end up clicking the “allow” button in a hurry to get the subscription box off the screen.
This only makes them un-subscribe to your push notifications – no matter how compelling they are. That is why you should follow a two-tap opt-in process i.e. you should confirm the subscription before adding him or her to the list.
3) Beautify the dialog box
Just like phone calls, push notifications are also often seen as a distraction. I don’t blame them. First, the big, white dialog box pops up right on top of the screen. Secondly, it impairs the ability of the visitors to focus on one task – which could be picking up a product, reading a blog post, etc.
They don’t want that, but because you want the visitors to opt-in, you should give the web push box a makeover so that it doesn’t seem out of place. Please ensure that the design is similar to the website and your brand.
This small “design” move will make it a lot easier for visitors to adjust to the dialog box.
4) Track the returning website visitors
Studying customer behaviour is important to ensure a successful web push strategy, which is why you should run specific push messages for visitors who have previously visited a specific page on your website.
It is pure logic – if they are coming back, they are interested in your brand. Therefore, please make sure you interact accordingly with them. For instance, if they liked a product on your website and just favourited it but didn’t buy it, your copy can be around that.
This will not only remind them of their interests but also compel them to complete their purchase. This tactic may not work everytime but you have to give it a shot.
5) Time it well
- Wednesday is ideal for sending push notifications for higher click rates.
- Late evenings, from 5pm to 7pm, are usually the best for sending push messages.
Time your messages accordingly and don’t bombard your visitors with constant popups. If irritated, they may never come back to your website!
