What are mobile push notifications and how can they be used in marketing?

Mobile app users today are bombarded with messages from all sides. Inboxes are bursting with emails, social media adverts are vying for attention, and brands are looking for ways to reach their audience at the right moment.It is precisely in this context that mobile push notifications are becoming one of the most interesting communication channels.

It is a format that, on the one hand, is short and simple, yet on the other, can be surprisingly effective. Well-designed Mobile Push notifications can remind users of important events, support sales activities, build engagement and guide users back to the app. Their power lies not only in their visibility on the screen, but in the fact that, thanks to Marketing Automation, they can be sent at a specific moment – in real time and in response to specific user behaviour.

After all, marketing today isn’t about sending more messages. It’s about sending notifications that make sense, fit the context and enhance the user experience rather than disrupting it. Therefore, before we move on to the applications of Mobile Push in e-commerce, it is worth understanding exactly what they are and how they differ from other forms of notification.

What are Mobile Push notifications?

Mobile Push notifications are short messages sent from mobile apps to users’ mobile devices. They usually appear on the lock screen, in the notification centre or on the phone screen, even when the app in question isn’t currently open.

Their main purpose is to convey information quickly and encourage the recipient to take a specific action. Mobile Push notifications can inform users about promotions, changes to order status, product availability, abandoned shopping carts or other important events.

Unlike messages sent to an email inbox, push notifications are usually more direct and work faster, as they appear exactly where the user is most likely to notice them.

A key point regarding Mobile Push notifications is that they require the installation of an app and the user’s prior consent to receive notifications. This distinguishes them from channels such as Web Push, which can be displayed in web browsers or upon visiting a website.

Importantly, notifications of this type are not a rigid text format. They can take various forms – from simple text notifications to so-called Rich Push notifications, which contain additional visual elements, CTAs or expanded message content. This allows brands to send push notifications tailored to the campaign’s objective, the user’s preferences and the moment in question.

How do Mobile Push notifications work at the app and operating system level?

Mobile Push notifications work through a combination of the mobile app, the operating system and the notification delivery service. Often, an additional marketing automation tool is also involved in the process – exactly as is the case with ExpertSender.

For Apple devices, the Apple Push Notification Service is responsible for delivering notifications, whilst Firebase Cloud Messaging is most commonly used in the Android ecosystem. It is these solutions that transmit the message from the server to a specific mobile device and ensure that the push notification can be displayed on the screen.

On the user’s side, operating system settings and device settings also play an important role. These determine whether a given app can send notifications, as well as where they will be displayed.

From a marketing perspective, the most important thing is that Mobile Push notifications can be sent automatically and in response to specific user actions. This allows brands to send notifications exactly when it makes the most sense – without delays, manual intervention, or the need to wait for the recipient to return to the app themselves.

How do Mobile Push notifications differ from Web Push and in-app notifications?

Mobile Push differs from Web Push and in-app notifications primarily in terms of where they are displayed, how they work and their technical requirements. Mobile Push notifications are sent from mobile apps to users’ mobile devices, Web Push notifications work in web browsers, and in-app messages only appear once the user is already using the app.

In practice, this means that Mobile Push notifications can reach the recipient even when the app is not open. Web Push notifications also allow you to reach the user outside the website, but do not require the installation of an app; instead, they require consent to receive notifications in the browser. In-app notifications, on the other hand, are not used to ‘call’ the user from outside, but for communication whilst they are using the app.

Read also: 9 effective uses of Web Push Notifications in e-commerce >>>

Advantages of Mobile Push

Mobile Push notifications have several advantages: they are visible, fast and provide strong support for sales activities. Mobile Push notifications can appear on the lock screen or over other content, making them more effective at grabbing attention than many other communication channels.

Another major advantage is the ability to personalise them. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, you can tailor the content to users’ behaviour, purchase history, stage of the purchase journey or recipient preferences.

In e-commerce, it is also important that push notifications shorten the path to action. A single click can take the user to a specific place within the app, such as a product, the shopping cart, or a special offer. Without any unnecessary searching.

Why are mobile push notifications effective in marketing?

Mobile push notifications are effective in marketing because they reach users outside the app itself. When a message appears on the screen whilst the customer isn’t currently using your app, you have the chance to recapture their attention without waiting for them to return to the app or use another channel, such as their email inbox.

Their effectiveness also stems from their simplicity. If the recipient sees a well-targeted notification and, upon clicking, is taken straight to the relevant section of the app, the whole process is quick, convenient and very natural.

Thanks to Marketing Automation, Mobile Push notifications also effectively support engagement building. You can send notifications in response to specific user actions, as well as combine them with other channels such as Web Push, email or SMS.

How to make the most of Mobile Push in e-commerce?

Mobile Push notifications are most effective when linked to a specific event, user intent and business objective. In e-commerce, the aim is not to send more messages, but to send notifications that help the customer return to the app, complete an action or notice important information more quickly.

In practice, scenarios based on user behaviour work best. These might include a reminder about an abandoned cart, an alert that a product is back in stock, information about a price reduction, order status updates, or a message about a special offer tailored to the user’s purchase history. The better Mobile Push notifications respond to what the user has done or what they might need at a given moment, the more effective they are.

Well-planned Mobile Push notifications should also form part of a broader automation strategy. At ExpertSender, we help e-commerce brands grow in precisely this way: by combining data on users, behaviour and purchases with automated communication across various channels. This ensures that Mobile Push notifications do not operate in isolation from the rest of the ecosystem, but support a consistent customer journey alongside email, Web Push, SMS and on-site communication.

This is particularly important when a brand wants not only to increase clicks, but to build long-term engagement and better utilise the potential of its app. Well-implemented Mobile Push notifications help regain users’ attention, shorten the path to purchase and respond better to customer needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I send a mobile push notification when the customer isn’t currently using my app?

Yes, you can send a mobile push notification even when the user doesn’t have the app open. This is one of the biggest advantages of this channel – the notification can appear on the device’s screen and grab the recipient’s attention outside the app itself.

What is a mobile push notification?

A mobile push notification is a short message displayed on a mobile device’s screen. It can inform the user about a promotion, a change in order status, a new message or another event.

What is Mobile Push?

Mobile Push involves sending short messages from a mobile app directly to the user’s device. These types of notifications help to convey information quickly and prompt the recipient to take a specific action, such as returning to the app or navigating to a product.

How does Mobile Push differ from Web Push notifications?

Mobile Push notifications are linked to a mobile app, whilst Web Push notifications are linked to a browser and a website.

This means that Mobile Push notifications require the app to be installed, whereas Web Push notifications can work without it – once the user has given their consent in the browser.

See: Web Push Notification – how to use push notifications in marketing? >>>

What types of push notifications are there?

Push notifications can be categorised both by channel and by communication objective. The most important types include Mobile Push, Web Push and in-app Push.

From a marketing perspective, it is also worth highlighting promotional, transactional and behavioural notifications, as well as more sophisticated formats such as Rich Push. In practice, the best results are achieved by combining these formats and tailoring them to the stage of the user journey and the context in which the recipient receives the message.