What Are Push Notifications? 10 Inspiring Mobile Examples

There are millions of apps on the internet, which creates serious competition. That’s why capturing and retaining user attention is crucial for the app’s success.

Mobile app push notifications are an invaluable method to do that, as they help instantly connect with mobile users wherever they are. In this blog, we’ll explore what they are, their role in marketing, and the 10 best examples of push notifications.

What Are Push Notifications and How They Work?

Push notifications are messages that your app sends to a user. They appear on the screen, accompanied by a vibration or sound, to inform users about updates, promotions, or other important information.

Push notifications work through a push notification platform. Two main platforms are:

• Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) for iOS
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android

To send a message to our smartphones, the app first sends a request to a platform, which then pushes the message to the device. As for push notifications you receive on the web, browsers (like Chrome or Mozilla) serve as the platform.

Choosing the Best Push Notification Platform or App

To make your push notification marketing campaign successful, it’s crucial to choose the right push notification app or platform. You can use APN or FCM, but then you’ll need to handle everything beyond just sending pushes, including targeting, analytics, retries, and many other things on your own.

That’s why it’s better to use platforms like OneSignal, Airship, or Braze. They are built on top of APN and FCM, but offer more features, like:

• Segmentation (targeting specific groups of people)
• Automation (e.g., scheduling)
• Analitycs
• A/B testing
• Integrations with apps and websites
• In-app messaging, email, and SMS

They are kind of middleware that simplifies and extends what APNs and FCM do. When choosing, compare their features to find the ones you need, but prioritize platforms with A/B testing capabilities and cross-platform support (iOS, Android, web) to maximize reach and impact.

The Role of Push Notifications in Marketing

Unlike SMS or emails, which users may read later (or never), push notifications from the app are rarely unnoticed. Their ability to instantly grab attention makes them an integral part of mobile marketing. No wonder, as they can increase engagement by up to 88%, which in turn leads to higher conversions and customer lifetime value.

On average, pushes can increase retention rates by up to 6 times, but companies that send personalized push notifications can do even better than this. 91% of users prefer personalized experiences, so if you’re able to offer them exactly what they want, they are more likely to convert and remain loyal.

Push Notification Best Practices for Maximum Engagement

In this section, we’ll highlight the best practices for making your push notifications effective. Here’s the list of actionable tips to achieve the best results:

• Develop a strategy. Don’t just send generic pushes. Define what you want to achieve, develop a content calendar, and determine the timing and frequency of notifications.
  
• Timing. Track users’ activity and send notifications during peak hours.
  
• Be concise. Use short (~60 characters) and clear messaging, highlighting the value.
  
• Personalize. To do that, analyze user behavior and preferences, and consider leveraging AI for analytics. This will help you to send the right messages at the right time. Irrelevant pushes can drive users away.
  
• Track performance. Track conversion, uninstall, and push opt-in rates (number of users that allow notifications). This will help you build a strategy.
  
• Don’t mislead. Users should land where you promised them in the notification. This will improve their experience. For instance, if you inform them about launching a new product, they shouldn’t end up on the main page.
  
• Segmentation. Divide users into groups by age, location, behavioral data, preferences, and ‘lifecycle stage” (new users, active users, old users, etc). Thus, notifications will be more relevant.
  
• Use notifications to get reviews. High ratings attract more users. Send notifications like “Enjoying the app? Let others know about it” to motivate users to leave their feedback, especially after a positive experience.
  
• Use emojis. Emotions are an integral part of our daily communications, and emojis make online communication more natural. Additionally, notifications with emojis have an 85% higher open rate than those without them.

Push notifications are a strategic tool, as they can improve your app performance. But to achieve the best results, you need to use them smartly. Follow these practices, test strategies, and you’ll capture user attention and build long-term loyalty.

10 Inspiring Examples of Mobile Push Notifications

Below you’ll find a variety of successful push notifications examples from different industries: e-commerce, travel, and streaming.

H&M

H&M acts strategically. They retarget users based on their purchase history. When you buy something, the app automatically sends you a message, offering an item that complements the product you purchased. For example, if you buy a winter jacket, it can come with gloves or a scarf.

“Staying warm never looked this good, Pair your new coat with our cozy scarves and gloves. Tap to shop the look!”

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Glovo

This food delivery service analyzes user behavior, habits, and preferences to tailor notifications to their needs. They remember users’ favourite restaurants and notify users when new dishes are available or when a user hasn’t ordered anything for a long time. For example, when it’s raining, they can send something like:

“Don’t feel like going out? Order a Glovo and enjoy *restaurant name* from the couch.”

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Netflix

They don’t just inform about the upcoming new season of your favorite shows. Netflix also adds some witty wording related to the series and offers you to watch the trailer. For example, this notification was about Narcos:

“Narcos returns September 1st.
You think Escobar was bad. Wait until you meet these guys. Watch the Trailer”

This way, they spark interest, nudging you to watch the trailer.

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Amazon

Amazon effectively uses reminds users about abandoned carts. They use personalization by reminding you of something you almost bought. For example:

“iPhone 15 Blue case is still in your cart. Check out now.”

These messages speak about items you wanted but didn’t purchase for some reason. This way, Amazon motivates people to finish the purchase.

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Airbnb

The night before checkout, Airbnb informs users about the exact time and suggests reviewing the host’s instructions. This clear and courteous reminders, help travellers ensure their leave is smooth and respectful.

“Check out tomorrow by 10:00. Read your Host’s checkout instructions so you can leave their place in great shape.”

These notifications strike a balance between helpfulness and a friendly tone, reducing last-minute confusion and encouraging guests to leave the space in good condition, thereby enhancing the experience for both guests and hosts.

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Hopper

By tracking the user’s selected trip in real time, Hopper can send a timely notification once the prices drop. Specific destination in the message, along with a clear call to action, creates a timely and personalized experience.

“Prices for your Los Angeles trip have dropped to $478. Book now: prices are unlikely to fall further.”

The added note “prices are unlikely to fall further” adds just enough pressure to drive a decision, turning a passive observer into an active booker.

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Spotify

This is a real masterclass in personalization. Spotify leverages real-time data to tailor music recommendations, concert alerts, and exclusive content to each user’s preferences. Spotify anticipates what a user wants before they even search for it.

New release
PARTYNEXTDOOR and Rihanna are back. Stream “Believe It” now!

By tapping into individual listening habits and preferences, Spotify transforms notifications from simple alerts into relevant, timely experiences, which allowed it to increase engagement by 45% and boost premium subscriptions by 20%.

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Songkick

Songkick uses a user’s tracked artists and real-time location data to deliver timely, localized, and deeply personal updates, like nearby concerts happening soon.

“Concerts incoming!
9 of your tracked artists are playing nearby this month. Check them out!”

A specific number of artists and timing (“this month”) tap into users’ personal connection to favourite musicians and create the feeling of urgency. Such notifications have a much higher chance of driving action than a generic alert.

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BBC Learning English

This English learning platform by the BBC uses gamification right in the notifications.

“What’s that coming out of the snow? Is it a) penguin b) polar bear c) a monster? Watch the final episode of Frankenstein.”

This intrigues users and motivates them to open the app and watch the video to find the answer there, making the learning process more interactive and fun.

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Duolingo

Persistent, playful, and cleverly designed notifications are known even for those who don’t use Duolingo. Their notifications usually feature their mascot, the green owl, or other characters you meet when learning a language. These reminders use humor, emojis, and gamified language to encourage daily practice without feeling pushy. For example:

“Hey! It’s Lily.
Duo says you’ve been ignoring him. Giving up on learning French is so mainstream.”

A lighthearted tone and clear calls to action make these messages effective, motivating users to stay consistent, while making the learning fun, easy, and pressure-free.

Conclusion: Why Push Notifications Are Essential for Apps

Push notifications are the direct line to users. They can drive success to your app, but to achieve the best results and win customer loyalty, they should be used wisely. Otherwise, you risk missing sales opportunities and losing users.

Adherence to best practices, personalized messaging, and leveraging artificial intelligence can help you deliver value without overwhelming your customers. Remember to plan timing and content, as well as track the performance of notification campaigns.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your communications with customers, Ethora offers a feature-rich messaging SDK with the support for notifications. Just drop us a line, and we’ll discuss the best solution for your needs.

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Keep Reading

• SMS notifications vs push notifications — key differences
• Top 10 reasons your text message failed and how to resolve them
• Top 10 ways to improve app engagement and retention

Add deep-linked push notifications to your app — explore the Ethora chat SDK, or start building for free.