Loyalty Register glossary
Push notification
A short message from a brand's app that appears on a member's phone or device outside the app, such as on the lock screen.
A push notification is a short message sent by a brand’s app that appears on a member’s phone or other device outside the app: on the lock screen, as a banner or in the notification list. Tapping it opens the app, often on a specific screen such as a reward or an offer. It arrives even when the app is closed, but only for people who have the app and have allowed notifications. Members can turn them off at any time in their device settings.
Updated · By Loyalty Register Editorial TeamRelated terms
How do members opt in to push notifications?
The phone asks them. On Android 13 and later, notifications from a newly installed app are off by default, and the app must request permission and wait for the person to grant it. On iPhone, an app must also obtain permission, and only its first request shows the system prompt; later requests do not ask again. So time the request: ask right after a member earns their first points, for example, not on first launch. Apple also allows provisional notifications, which arrive quietly in the notification history (not on the lock screen) and let the person choose to keep or turn them off.
Which loyalty messages suit push?
Short, timely messages tied to the member’s own account:
- a reward is ready, or points have just posted after a purchase;
- points will expire soon, with the date;
- the member is close to a reward or a tier;
- an order is ready for pickup, or a mobile order has been received;
- a time-limited offer the member can use today.
Broad promotions unrelated to the member’s habits are more likely to be swiped away, and too many of them lead members to switch notifications off for good.
How often should a program send push notifications?
Less often than email, because push interrupts. There is no single right number. Set a frequency cap per member, give account messages priority over general promotions, and adjust by engagement. A practical rule is to send when something has changed for the member, such as a balance, a status or an expiry date, rather than because the campaign calendar has a slot. Respect local time zones and avoid late-night sends.
How do you measure push notifications?
Open rates can mislead, because they only count members who still have notifications on. Track:
- the share of app users with notifications enabled, and how it changes;
- opt-outs after each campaign;
- purchases or redemptions compared with a holdout group that did not get the message.
A rising open rate alongside a falling opt-in share usually means the program is keeping a smaller, more tolerant audience while losing everyone else.
What is the difference between a push notification and a text message?
A text (SMS) goes to a phone number and reaches members without the app, but costs more per message and has stricter consent rules in the US. Push goes to an installed app and costs little per send. In-app messages guide members once they are inside the app, and email carries longer content. Plan the channels together, with one frequency cap across all of them, so a member does not get the same offer by push, text and email in the same hour.