Google has published a short guide to best-practice push notifications.

Noticed in the noise

App notifications can reach both active and lapsed app users. When they get good interaction, their app generally experiences better retention rates.

Because they work, more apps are using them. As they become more commonplace, it’s increasingly challenging to ensure your message isn’t lost in the noise.

On the Google Play Developer Medium blog, Ryan Richmond of Google Play Games offers an evidence-based guide to cut through. His focus is on games, but the advice carries across to all types of app.

Purpose, brevity, selectivity and A/B

Most of the advice relates to communicating ‘the right things at the right times’. They must provide meaningful value to users, or they’re noise.

Stats show, for example that sending more daily notifications is correlated with users opting-out. So, reduce the number of push notifications, especially in the early user experience.

Giving users a choice about the kinds of notifications they receive. This way, they can opt out of what they see as noise, but still get your messages where it matters to them most.

Richmond recommends that app managers always conduct A/B testing before global rollout, to give confidence that changes will be beneficial.

Ever uninstalled an app because of its notifications? In the comments below, shout out the noisiest notifying apps.

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