A complete set of APP message push mechanism!

How does the app implement a push mechanism? Which push notifications will users open? How is the conversion? These are the issues we need to think about. Today, Qingguajun shares a complete APP message push mechanism, hoping it will be helpful to you!

The original intention of writing this article was because I saw a question on Maimai a few days ago: If the online app push fails, should a remedial push message be sent to the user?

I thought back to when I was an intern and I also made a similar push notification accident. Fortunately, I was able to remedy the situation and the final result was good. This time, I carefully read every answer under the question and found that many users think that push is harassment, and choose to block the push function or delete the APP because they can't stand the interference of push... For product and operation, this is a headache. Therefore, based on the push experience of the past two years, we have conducted a comprehensive review on how to build an APP push system, aiming to provide everyone with a complete idea.

1. APP push path and common problems

The essence of APP push is to make the connection between APP and users more friendly and close, improve user experience and promote activation. However, it is not easy to implement, the results are usually unsatisfactory, and users are overwhelmed. So, how to ensure a good push experience for users? I think this question still needs to start with the operation and user behavior path in the push process.

As shown in the figure, we can see that in the process of push notification from being sent out by operations to reaching users, it goes through six steps: content screening, copywriting refinement, time selection, frequency management, user authorization, and effect monitoring. User behaviors in these links also reflect the five main problems faced by APP push:

1. The user's device does not have permission to allow push notifications.

2. Push content does not match user preferences;

3. The push time is inappropriate and the timeliness is insufficient;

4. Push notifications are too frequent, causing harassment;

5. The push copy lacks click-through potential.

So, next, I will start with the construction of the push channel and sort out each link in the APP push system one by one, as well as the corresponding problem-solving strategies.

2. Build push channels

Push is carried through channels, and a complete APP push channel should include both APP’s own channels and third-party channels.

1. APP’s own channels

The so-called APP self-built channels refer to APP push based on its own products, which mainly affects the existing stock users of the product. According to the technology, it can be divided into three categories: operation push, system notification, and interactive notification:

Operation push is a personalized push configured by operations personnel to achieve the purpose of promoting activation and retention, including event notifications, hot information, etc. This is an important way to reflect the level of operation and is also the focus of this article.

System notifications are written into the product program via technical codes and automatically pushed by the system when users trigger certain conditions. For example, for system updates, everyone receives the same message.

Strictly speaking, interactive notifications are also system notifications, but the triggering mechanism is derived from the user's interactive behavior, such as system notifications such as likes/comments/favorites/follows/forwards received after publishing content; there are obvious personalized differences based on user interaction behavior.

2. Third-party channels

The third-party channel is a push notification service launched through a third-party platform, and is also a common means of reaching users when they have not enabled APP push permissions. It includes text messages, emails, and self-media channels represented by Weibo and WeChat public accounts. Does the product operate through third-party push channels? Should we focus on a single channel or take multiple channels into consideration? How to plan the operation rhythm of third-party channels? This is a question that companies need to think about when building push channels.

3. Obtain push permissions

Whether it is APP push or third-party channel push, the prerequisite for push is to obtain the user's permission to push.

Nowadays, when installing an APP, there will basically be an authorization prompt - whether to allow push notifications. If you choose to allow, you can receive APP push notifications; if you choose not to allow, you generally will not receive APP push notifications. However, even if users choose to allow push notifications when installing the APP, if the subsequent experience is not good, they can turn off push permissions or even uninstall the APP at any time.

So, how to guide users to enable push permissions? This issue is rarely mentioned online. The current solution is mainly to use pop-up windows to guide users, letting them know the benefits of allowing push notifications. For example, what important information will be received! What valuable rewards will you get (such as points, red envelopes, experience cards, coupons, etc.)! Although the principle of pop-up guidance is the same for everyone, details determine success or failure! The display interface, prompt text, and pop-up scenes are all areas where we can make efforts.

For third-party channels, the push permission settings mainly come from account following, content blocking, and number restrictions. Currently, self-media channels represented by Weibo and WeChat already have a relatively complete system for fan management and push notifications. The disadvantage is that users are in the hands of third parties, and the number of push notifications, content, and in-depth user management will be restricted. For example, push notifications for WeChat subscription accounts are limited to once a day, and push notifications for WeChat service accounts are limited to four times a month, and users are not allowed to be induced to share. Text messages, on the other hand, are often intercepted or filtered out as spam, and the chances of being seen by users are low, and this is even more true for emails.

Whether it is the APP's own push or the push through third-party channels, fully understanding and continuously optimizing the relevant authorization influencing factors are issues that must be considered and resolved in order to obtain continuous push permissions.

4. Accurately push content

How to filter push content? User needs determine the content to be pushed, ensuring that the content pushed by operations is highly matched with user needs, and pursuing accurate content push. This can be achieved through three steps: user segmentation, content screening, and content matching.

The first step is that user segmentation is the core of precise push.

There are many dimensions for user segmentation, and for the purpose of precise push, there are three dimensions: user behavior, content preference, and tag selection. Among them, the behavior dimension is often used in tool products; the preference dimension is common in e-commerce and content products; and the label dimension is often used in vertical community products. In actual applications, due to changes in the product life cycle and key indicators, the basis for user segmentation will also change. Products should make appropriate choices based on their own attributes.

The second step is content screening to ensure the quality of push.

Content screening generally has two dimensions: manual and algorithmic. The algorithm is mainly controlled by products and technology, and here we mainly talk about manual control of operations. Due to differences in product attributes, the criteria for screening content vary. Taking content communities as an example, the criteria for screening and pushing content should include six aspects: matching, value, originality, professionalism, timeliness and interest. Among them, the most important and often overlooked point is matching.

The third step is to complete content matching based on user grouping.

Why are APP push notifications considered user harassment? The key is that the pushed content is irrelevant and does not match user needs and is not needed by users. As mentioned earlier, the essence of APP push is to make the connection between APP and users more friendly and close, improve user experience and promote activation. In fact, APP push notifications are often put the cart before the horse. In order to achieve the purpose of promoting activation, they are pushed without regard to user needs, thus becoming harassment.

In order to prevent APP push notifications from becoming user harassment, operations need to match the filtered content with user groups and push them to different user groups separately to meet users' personalized needs as much as possible.

5. Polish the push copy

Regarding how to write push copy, there is a lot of relevant information on the Internet, there are many routines, and the principles are also correct. Therefore, I would like to emphasize only four points:

1. The theme is prominent and clear and easy to understand. When setting push copy, it is necessary to convey the most important information in the limited display space as much as possible, rather than leaving too much space for scene rendering, which makes users confused.

Second, be concise and clear, and avoid making it too long. There is a limit on the number of characters that can be displayed for push copy, and different models of devices can display different numbers of characters; at the same time, there are two display types of push copy, the difference lies in whether the title can be configured independently. Operators should fully consider the impact of these factors when pushing.

3. Control the scale of common routines. There are many articles online about copywriting routines, many of which mention the AIDA model (attract attention → arouse interest → stimulate desire → promote action). I agree with this, but I need to emphasize that we must grasp the right measure and avoid using excessive force. For example:

Do these titles look familiar to you? These are the types of articles that are commonly seen on WeChat Moments and among friends and relatives. In a sense, this copywriting routine is very useful for people who lack subjective judgment. Unfortunately, however, contemporary young people have already experienced all kinds of routines through the Internet, are very opinionated, and generally have good aesthetic abilities. When they see such titles, they can't help but feel that the taste is too low, and disgust is normal.

No. 4. Being sincere is the most powerful strategy! Perhaps it’s because in the Internet age, attention resources are scarce, and everyone is desperately trying to follow routines, but forgetting the simplest truth: copywriting requires heart! There are also many people who simply think that being sincere means saying a few sentimental words... What does being sincere mean? I think it should be about thinking what users think, worrying about what users worry about, and providing the necessary services from the user's perspective, just like a dining reminder before it rains!

Behind the heartfelt copywriting, there must be a profound insight! It doesn't need too many fancy words or too many routines to attract attention, it can touch people's hearts.

6. Choose the push time

Undoubtedly, pushing at the wrong time will not have any positive effect. So, how do you choose the time to push content?

After two years of push notification practice and long-term tracking of 80+ APP daily push notifications, we have summarized some rules about push notification timing:

If the content is wide-ranging and popular, such as industry headlines, gossip, or news policies, then timeliness is the first priority and it must be pushed immediately.

If it is a morning/evening broadcast, similar to the Campfire Camp [Campfire News Morning Tea] and the instant [What Happened in the World When You Wake Up], then in order to cultivate the user's receiving habits, fixed-point notifications must be given. The choice of specific time points can be determined based on industry attributes, user habits and AB testing methods.

If the content is updated periodically, select the periodic push method. Regarding periodic push, the basic principle is the same as fixed-point push, except that the period is longer and is not measured in days. There are two types:

• For long-term serialized content such as variety shows, video series, and novel chapters, updates should be pushed simultaneously to users who continue to follow the content. Recently, I have been following "Song of Youth" on Bilibili. This Chinese animation is updated every Wednesday at 10 o'clock. Today happens to be Wednesday, so I received an update notification from Bilibili at 10 o'clock. It reminded me that there is the latest content to watch, and I am very happy. Would users feel harassed by the push of content that they are interested in? Of course not.

• Similar to the [Weekly Summary] in corporate WeChat and the [King’s Battle Report] in WeChat games. Based on a summary of user behavior over the past week, many products have similar functions. I have seen similar sharing many times when chatting with friends and in Moments, but so far I have not seen any product externalize it and feedback it to users in the form of APP push. Perhaps this is a direction worth exploring.

7. Master the push frequency

One of the main problems currently facing APP push is that push notifications are too frequent and cause harassment to users. At all times, it is important to keep in mind the nature of APP push in order to promote a more friendly and close connection between the product and the user. Therefore, the starting point of push should be based on user needs, and the frequency of push depends on the frequency of user use of the product. The frequency of product usage is closely related to three factors: product type, usage scenario, and user type.

1. Product type. For tool apps such as Baidu Maps, the frequency of user use is limited, and generally no more than 1 push notification should be sent per day; for content products such as news and videos, in addition to user subscription updates, the number of push notifications should generally be controlled within 3 per day; for social apps such as Weibo, WeChat, QQ, and major vertical communities, push notifications can be more frequent, but it is still recommended to control within 5 push notifications per day.

2. Usage scenarios. Taking Baidu Maps as an example, users only have needs in specific situations. Combined with the positioning function, if the user is within the regular route range, the push frequency generally does not exceed once a day; when the user is outside the regular route range, perhaps on a business trip or in a new and unfamiliar place, the demand for maps becomes strong, and the map will be opened multiple times without the product's active push. At this point, the push frequency can undoubtedly be increased.

3. life cycle. This needs no further explanation. Users in different life cycles have completely different frequencies of product usage.

Nowadays, mobile phone memory is constantly increasing. Each person has dozens or even hundreds of apps on their phone, and the number of push notifications received every day is countless. However, except for apps that are frequently used in daily life and have strong user demand, many apps have not been visited for more than 30 days, regardless of your daily bombardment. After all, an excellent product itself is more effective than any operational means!

8. Common emergency measures

A complete APP push system must have emergency response measures for possible problems. Unexpected problems such as the push accident mentioned at the beginning of this article often occur. Similar crises are difficult to handle properly if they are not thought about in advance. Push accidents may be the responsibility of many parties, but there is no doubt that the ones who stand out are always the products and operations. Here, I have briefly sorted out the emergency ideas from two aspects: setting up the background fault-tolerant mechanism and handling common push problems, hoping to be inspiring to my fellow compatriots.

1. Set up a fault tolerance mechanism

Setting up a push fault-tolerant mechanism from a technical perspective can avoid most push accidents.

Perform push tests before batch push to check whether the display effect and related jumps are normal to ensure that there are no errors before the message is pushed; push interception is used to find problems after the push operation is completed. You can adjust or terminate the problem push process through manual abort or modify buttons, or the system can automatically intercept repeated pushes within a certain period of time; the push limit is used to avoid the problem that a user is in multiple groups and tags and receives the same push through multiple channels.

2. Common accident handling

If an accident has already happened, don't panic! The 5S principle of crisis public is still very useful. Respond as soon as possible and take the initiative in your own hands to avoid the situation being infinitely fermented by malicious speculation, thus causing irreparable impact.

Should we just go with the flow and launch a bug event marketing campaign? Or should you sincerely admit your mistake and tell the reason? This depends on the type of product, the content of the push, and the type of incident.

Bug marketing has existed for a long time, but it has never become one of the mainstream marketing methods, mainly because it is uncontrollable. If you are not careful, bug marketing will become a real bug.

Unlike premeditated and planned bug marketing activities, it is extremely difficult to transform passive bug accidents into planned bug marketing events in a very short period of time!

Therefore, when encountering a push accident, you can first quickly think about the possibility and implementation plan of bug marketing. If you have a better idea, you need to quickly consult with the relevant management and take action immediately after receiving a clear reply; if you have no ideas within half an hour, then just follow the current general routine, apologize sincerely, and compensate conscientiously! Generally speaking, the process from when an accident occurs to when the user receives a response should be controlled within 1 hour.

IX. Monitoring Data Effect

Data analysis points to the end point of a complete push process and is also the starting point for the next round of push.

Mature products all have their own powerful data monitoring background. Even if it is a product that is just in its start-up phase, the background will record some key data. Depending on the product type, the monitored data indicators will vary, but the purpose is basically the same: to analyze and summarize the rules and promote product optimization and iteration. It is an important basis for measuring whether the operation and push work is done well and whether the various techniques and routines used are effective. It is also a guide for the next step of operation work.

It is worth noting that data monitoring is not the only criterion for measuring push effectiveness. The reliability of the conclusions drawn from data analysis also needs to be measured in combination with user interviews. Only by combining data summaries, regularly revisiting users, collecting user opinions, and continuously optimizing and adjusting push strategies can a friendly and intimate connection between the APP and users be achieved. This is also the essence of APP push!

Finally, during the product life cycle, APP push strategies are constantly adjusted and changed! Observe the push notifications from other products more often, which push notifications would you open, and what are the characteristics of these push notifications? Which APP push authorization will you turn off or even uninstall? Record, observe, analyze, summarize, review, and then make progress!

Author: Ai Xiaoya

Source: Ai Xiaoya