How to Choose Between Push Notifications and SMS for Your Business Needs

Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of push notifications vs. SMS? We have your back.

Push notifications and SMS text blasts can both be effective methods for delivering information and marketing materials to customers. Both are brief and simple to read, but users engage with them in various ways. The best choice will depend on the message you’re sending, the preferred method of communication with your audience, and other aspects.

You can use the sector guide below to decide whether SMS, push notifications, or a combination of both are best for your company’s needs.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are clickable (or tappable) alerts that appear on a user’s home screen or in their web browser when they are using a mobile device. Regardless of whether a brand’s website or app is open, push messages from the brand are displayed.

While you are browsing the internet, you have probably noticed that push notifications are sliding into the bottom right corner of your screen. Alternatively, push notifications are also what your phone displays on your home screen when you go to use it.

A user must consent to receive push notifications. The first time they open your app or go to your website, they are typically prompted with a message asking if they want to accept push notifications.

The Advantages of Push Notifications

Push notifications and SMS text blasts can both be effective methods for delivering information and marketing materials to customers. Both are brief and simple to read, but users engage with them in various ways. 

• The best choice will depend on the message you’re sending, the preferred method of communication with your audience, and other aspects.
• You can use the sector guide below to decide whether SMS, push notifications, or a combination of both are best for your company’s needs.
• Finally, unlike SMS, which has a character limit of 160 characters, including spaces, a push has no restrictions on character length or formatting.

SMS Messaging

A regular text message sent via SMS gateway provider, also known as a short messaging service, is limited to 160 characters (extendable up to 1600 characters). The recipient must have a SIM card or an eSIM with an active network status because SMS messages are delivered over a mobile network. Furthermore, you need express permission to send text messages because it requires knowing the recipients’ mobile phone numbers.

The Advantages of SMS Messaging

• It takes less time to communicate. As a result, it is the quickest way to contact anyone.
• To view previous messages, communication history is automatically logged.
• It is a very considerate and economical method of information transmission.
• According to the mobile’s settings, one can store SMS messages for the amount of time they are desired. Set the desired message expiration time.
• SMS typing is simpler because default words are provided for convenient typing.
• Anyone can send a message to a person using SMS communication, regardless of whether that person is available or not. This assists in getting the message across to the recipient, who can then respond when they receive it.

SMS vs. Push Notifications: Which Is Better?

It turns out that this isn’t a race. Each strategy has advantages and disadvantages. SMS, for instance, allows you to be more creative with your message. The character restrictions are longer and links can be added. Customers are pretty much guaranteed to see your text thanks to reliable delivery (98% open rate mentioned above). Push notifications that may only be visible for a brief period are simpler to miss.

Push notifications are frequently effective at encouraging users to complete a particular task. It might involve doing anything from making a payment or declaring a sale to updating the app to the most recent version. Your messages must provide immediate value if you want to keep the permission to send push notifications.

But from an opt-in perspective, push notifications are simpler to handle. Push notifications can be started without the recipients’ explicit, written consent. Additionally, recipients control app permissions from their mobile devices, so they are less likely to spend time adjusting the type and frequency of notifications in their settings.

Before receiving SMS messages from your company, recipients must opt-in and give express written consent. That presents a very high entry barrier.

Cases to Use Push Notifications

1. Push notifications are fortunately very flexible, and you can use them to disseminate data about:
2. Promotional alerts, such as notifications of any current specials, sales, discounts, coupons, etc.
3. Product recommendations are suggestions or advice regarding particular products that are based on consumer behaviour, such as a recent purchase.
4. Reminders: updating your profile, viewing the welcome or onboarding video, leaving an item in your shopping cart, renewing or buying a subscription plan, connecting your social media accounts, etc.
5. News and Updates – announcing updates to the data privacy policy, new additions or changes to the catalog, and so forth.
6. Educating users about how to use the app, highlighting a new feature or functionality, and more.

Avoid sending lengthy messages, push notifications for reference information the customer may need access to later, and messaging with no clear value proposition.

Cases to Use SMS Messaging

SMS messages have advantages of their own. They don’t need an internet connection, for starters. Plus, as opposed to the constrained, straightforward characters of a push notification, you can offer longer, more complex messages (think hyperlinks, GIFs, and videos).

Additionally, since 90% of text messages are read within the first three minutes of delivery, this method virtually ensures that your message will be seen by your target audience.

The following use cases show particularly good results for SMS text messages:

1. Travel warnings
2. Updates on the delivery status
3. Reservation confirmations
4. Login codes for one-time passwords (OTPs)
5. Reminders for appointments and payments
6. Fraud warnings

For lengthy messages and reference materials, refrain from sending messages.

Final Thoughts

You should now have a better understanding of how to use SMS vs. push notifications and which one is best for your objectives after reading the above advantages and use cases.

Your audiences will ultimately decide whether to use SMS or notifications only (or a combination of the two). Some people might be more interested in push notifications, whereas others might prefer text messages. Therefore, you will need to adjust your marketing campaigns based on how they react to either communication.

Knowing the benefits and drawbacks of both channels will enable you to identify the approach that works best for your target audiences and use it to your advantage. Striking a balance between multi-channel marketing strategies is always advisable for the best outcomes, as it will increase conversion, foster long-term engagement, and boost retention rates.