For a user, notifications may be the simplest element of an app. There isn’t much to do with them (usually), other than just read and remove. Even for highly complex apps with a million features, notifications are probably the easiest to use from a user perspective.

But for business owners, notifications can be the difference between a successful and a failed app. Well-designed notifications can drive people to use the app more and engage with them. A poor notification experience can annoy users and drive them away. 

So how do you pick the best notification type for your app? Let’s explore. 

What are the different types of notifications?

When we think of notifications, the first thing that comes to our mind is probably the ones that come up on the status bar. These notifications are called Push notifications and are commonly used to drive users to the app. 

For instance, a ride-sharing app or a food delivery app may use push notifications to let you know your driver has arrived or your food was delivered.  

These are some of the other types of notifications that apps use: 

Email: 

The app sends notifications to the users’ emails. The major advantage of an email notification is that the sender can determine the length of text within the notification. Another difference is that it gives users the option to ignore a notification. 

Text notification

The app sends a text message to the user’s phone number. The notification size is usually much smaller than an email, but it is more likely to get a user’s attention. 

In-app notifications

These are the notifications you see within the app. Some apps have a separate tab for in-app notifications, as in the case of Instagram or Facebook. In some cases, there’s a bell icon that shows that you have a notification which you can view by tapping on it. 

Are alerts and notifications the same?

No. 

They may appear the same and are often pushed out the same way. They may be sent through email, text, the notification bar, or within the app. 

But notifications and alerts are different in the way we want the user to take action. 

We use alerts when we want the user to do something immediately. For instance, if you’re filling up a form and there’s an error, an alert may pop up next to it or when you try to submit the form to tell you what needs to be fixed. Or if you’re trying to save some information and the wifi is down, the app may send an alert to let you know about it. 

Another difference is that apps send alerts when you’re using them. They’re always in the context of what you’re doing with it. For instance, if you enter the wrong password, the app will show an alert.  

On the other hand, notification doesn’t need immediate action from the user. The goal is to get the user to open the app, but there’s a lot less urgency. Many apps use push notifications to send ads or promos. Unlike alerts, the user doesn’t have to be using the app to receive them. 

Four steps to pick the right notification type

Notifications may appear to be the easiest thing to figure out when you’re building an app. But the wrong type can literally drive away your users. So how do you choose the right one? Let’s have a look. 

1. Determine why you are using notifications

Before configuring the notifications, decide why you need to send a notification. You need different types of notifications for different reasons. 

For instance, e-commerce apps may use notifications to let people know about an upcoming sale. Dating apps may use notifications to let their users know about a match. Social media apps may use notifications to inform users about an activity on their profile or one of their friends. 

Each of them needs different approaches. 

Timing also matters. If you’re notifying users about a sale, you need to send it out when they’re most relaxed and ready to learn more about it. Monday mornings are not a great time to send a sales notification. On the other hand, people would want to know immediately if they have a match on a dating app or if someone started following them on social media. 

The reason behind a notification will also play a role in the type of notification the app should use.  Sales notifications are often best sent through email. Even if the user doesn’t have the time to read it then, it will be in their inbox and they may read it when they’re not busy. 

On the other hand, push notifications work best when the expected action won’t take much time from the user. For instance, even if you’re busy, it won’t take much time to check a comment on your Instagram post or a DM from a friend. 

Text notifications work best when you want to make sure the user won’t miss it. Even if they’re not online, even if they’ve uninstalled the app, they’ll still get the notification. But keep in mind that users won’t like it if your app keeps sending them texts. 

2. What kind of information are you notifying the users about?

What information do you want to share with your user? If it’s an e-commerce app, you may be sending sales information, but you’ll also have to send updates about delivery and shipment. If it’s a food delivery app, you may have to send notifications for every stage of delivery. 

You cannot use the same approach to different types of information. Customers can afford to miss sales notifications, but if they miss information about their orders, it will have an impact on their experience. More time-sensitive notifications should be sent as push notifications and through text and email, while for the rest it can be through just one channel. 

Order-related information should also be delivered in real-time, while sales notifications need specific timing to get the best results. 

The size of the information will also play a role in selecting the type of notification. For example, if a payment didn’t go through for an order, the app can let the user know about it through an alert or push notification. But it may be better to share all of the information through an email. It won’t look good (and it may not be visible) if you send too much information through a push notification. 

With advances in Android and iOS systems, users can now take action directly through push notifications. Apps can use this to let users take simple actions without opening the app. 

At the same time, keep in mind that there’s limited space on push notifications and there’s a high chance that users may accidentally hit an option. So don’t let users make high-impact decisions through notifications and always provide an option to cancel the decision. 

3. Determine how often you’re notifying your users

When it comes to notifications, the fewer the better. Notifications take the attention of users and unless they serve them value, it will be seen as an annoyance. Keep in mind that your app is not the only one sending them notifications. If you send too many notifications, users may get notification fatigue and miss important ones. 

Ideally, an app shouldn’t be sending more than two notifications in a day and five in a week. If you have to, send the less important ones through email and reserve push notifications for the important ones. 

When are you sending the notifications?

Besides the frequency, the timing of notifications is also important. Users won’t mind receiving notifications from messaging or social media apps at any time of the day. But they don’t want their phones buzzing with ads or promos when they’re asleep at night.

If you have to send notifications when your users are busy, stick to email notifications, unless they’re super important. 

Timing can also play a role in how successful your notifications are. Sales notifications are best sent during the evening at the end or beginning of the month (right when they have received their paycheck!). For gaming apps, notifications are best sent during weekends. 

Of course, for best results, apps should look at the user data and find out when their audience is most receptive, then optimize the timing. 

4. Decide the type of notification you want to use

Now that you’ve considered the reasons and the timing, you can choose the type of notification to send.

Push notifications: For the most important ones or the one that requires the users to take an action. If it’s not very important, choose another type of notification or make sure you’re not disturbing the user. Push notifications are great for letting users know about purchases and deliveries, messages, and social media updates. 

Email notifications: For the notifications that don’t require immediate action. Use email notifications when the user can afford to miss or ignore the information. They’re great when you want to let users know something but you don’t want to disturb them. You can also use email notifications when you have to share a lot of information with them. 

Text notifications: They’re perfect when you have to ensure the users get the information. But users don’t generally like being reached through their phone numbers, so limit their use to the minimum.  

In-app notifications: Use them when you want to let users know about something or want them to take any action. Limit notifications that disturb the users when they’re doing something on the app. Avoid popups unless you’re sure it adds value to the user.