Web Push – accurate messages in the web browser

You want to get in touch with your target group even more directly and are looking for a way to address them directly on specific occasions? Web Push opens up the potential to provide your customers with information, helpful advertising messages, news and promotions – simply via the web browser.

What is Web Push?

Web push refers to notifications in the form of short messages that appear as pop-up windows on the recipient’s desktop, provided the recipient opens or has opened their browser. Web push messages are independent of a current visit to the website.

They can also be sent to a mobile device via apps and appear in the message bar or on the lock screen. Other names for web push are browser push or web push notifications. Web push notifications are supported by all common browsers, PCs, Android devices and Macs.

What are the advantages of Web Push?

On the one hand, Web Push convinces with the fact that you provide your target group with short and concise information “in tidbits” without overwhelming them. On the other hand, Web Push is an uncomplicated tool for addressing customers. They do not have to enter their contact details or e-mail address to receive it, but simply agree to receive it, which significantly increases the acceptance of Web Push. You can therefore use the tool to generate new leads.

Provide your existing customers with personalised offers, specific discounts and useful tips during the web push, strengthen customer loyalty in the long term and attract attention. Ultimately, your conversion rate also benefits from web push notifications if you communicate product recommendations, promotions or vouchers here.

Furthermore, web push has the advantage that it is an inexpensive marketing measure, because usually only a small fee is charged for the mailing platform. In contrast to e-mailing, there are no spam filters with web push, the content can be personalised in depth by means of segmentation and the tracking is very accurate. This in turn enables you to optimise Web Push notifications accordingly.

Does Web Push also have disadvantages?

Yes. Web Push offers only a very limited scope for design. As a rule, the structure is prescribed and cannot be visually customised. Furthermore, the text length is limited to 200 characters. A particular shortcoming of Web Push is that the user “must” react to the alerts immediately. If the information comes at an inopportune moment and is clicked away, it cannot be retrieved. In addition, web push has its limitations, for example, when it comes to gaining e-mail subscribers or preventing purchase cancellations.

Alternative to Web Push

With web push, you send important information to your target group and provide them with the latest news. You enter into a rather “casual” relationship without any further obligations. If a recipient clicks through to your online shop via your web push notification and fills his shopping basket, there is a high risk that he will cancel his purchase. This is the case for around 70% of all online shoppers – especially if they have received little information beforehand, which is the case with Web Push.

In contrast to web push notifications, exit intent pop-ups can prevent shopping cart abandonment or lead abandonment emails back to the ordering process. AI-based uptain® ALGORITHM determines the reasons for shopping cart abandonment and plays personalised content at the right time. The trigger is the mouse-out trigger. Just like web push, exit-intent pop-ups work both on the desktop and on mobile devices. After just a few steps and without much effort, you have installed the tool, configured it and switched it live. The uptain® ALGORITHMUS then takes care of the rest according to your rules with automatic and optimal control.

Several pop-up variants and an automatic A/B test are available to you. In addition, the software includes user-defined tracking, different designs, seven languages, different currencies and automatic language recognition. Another alternative to Web Push are newsletter pop-ups with which you can generate newsletter subscribers. Including double opt-in and DSGVO-compliant, of course.

Good to know: The acceptance of uptain pop-ups is just as high as that of web push, as recipients continue to enjoy their freedom of action.

How is a web push message structured?

The structure of a web push notification is always the same. You write your text in 200 characters, which are visible. In addition, icons or logos with a size of approx. 80 × 80 pixels are permitted. The entire web push box can be linked. A web push message has the following elements:

1. Headline
2. Text
3. Image
4. CTA
5. Link

Make sure to design your web push message in your corporate design if possible and keep the text informative but concise. Tip: You can offer subscribers a selection of topics so that they can choose exactly the web push information that is relevant to them. To do this, you should first carry out a target group analysis to identify possible topic suggestions.

Where is Web Push used?

You can use Web Push for different purposes. The possible uses are manifold. For example, you can use web push as advertising messages to draw attention to new products or promote special offers with discounts. With Web Push in the form of news, you draw attention to new blog articles or videos.

So-called lifecycle notifications are a good option for welcoming new customers or thanking existing customers for their loyalty over a certain period of time. Web pushes with follow-ups offer the chance to cross-sell and up-sell offers, and reminders are particularly suitable if you want to remind subscribers of an upcoming event for which they have registered or to communicate appointments.

How does Web Push work?

Web Push works very simply. You invite your website visitors to receive the short messages. All they have to do is click on the opt-in in the browser and confirm. As already mentioned, you can offer thematic focuses here. Provided the customer has signed up to receive Web Push messages, he or she will now receive the messages automatically via the browser as an alert. The browser only has to be open for this, and can also run in the background. Even in lock mode, a Web Push notification is received.

The contents of the web push notifications can be personalised on the basis of the user data and the sending can be automated on the basis of a trigger or time. This can be the case, for example, when the user has scrolled halfway down the web page.

What about data protection with Web Push?

Compared to classic direct mail, you do not need any personal data of the recipient – not even an e-mail address – to send web push notifications. Nevertheless, tracking usually takes place, as with Google Analytics, which in turn does not exclude data collection. For this reason, the receipt of Web Push requires active consent via opt-in from the subscriber according to the GDPR. Furthermore, you must also ensure that a user can also unsubscribe without much effort.

Good to know: The opt-in should appear immediately when the website is called up, because after just ten seconds, the likelihood of registration decreases.

How can sophisticated web push succeed?

There are several factors that make web push appealing and relevant to target groups. We have summarised these for you below.

Play out personalised offers

Web push messages can be sent in a personalised way. The basis for this is usually previous purchases, watch lists or pages visited. By sending web pushes with customised product suggestions based on these, the interaction increases many times over.

Place new products

Customers don’t always know that you are launching a new product or have a new collection in your range. With Web Push, you can inform your target group and send them directly to the site by clicking on the link.

Promote special offers

Throughout the year, there are numerous occasions such as Black Friday, Easter, Christmas or Valentine’s Day when you offer special promotions. With Web Push, you increase the reach and draw attention to your offers in a targeted manner. In addition, integrate a discount code to increase the attractiveness.

Promote Helpful Content

Use Web Push to maintain your customer relationships and strengthen customer loyalty, point out blog articles, whitepapers or webinars in the content.

Invite customers to surveys

Use web push to invite your customers to rate your products or service and get feedback. Don’t forget to offer them a reward in the form of a discount to increase participation.

When does web push pay off?

If you achieve an opt-in rate of 5 to 10 %, the click-through rate averages 3.5 % and the conversion rate settles between 3 and 8 %, you will usually benefit from the web push. It is important to analyse your key figures on an ongoing basis.

Web Push is worthwhile as an additional marketing tool

Web Push is an ideal complement to your other marketing measures and fits perfectly into a well thought-out marketing mix. You can use another communication channel to directly address your target group and provide them with important information.