Event app notifications help event organisers communicate important updates and reminders to attendees in real-time.
To ensure that these push notifications are effective and well-received, it’s important to follow a few key strategies. This short guide will help you create the perfect event app pop-up.
Be an Enabler
The majority of event apps require users to allow push notifications in their device settings. So, before any notifications can be sent, attendees must opt-in to receive them!
To encourage opt-ins, be sure to highlight the importance of pop-ups as a key feature of the event app. Remind attendees that they could miss out on valuable information, such as exclusive offers or session time changes if they don’t enable push notifications.
Stay On Point
It’s crucial to make sure notifications are relevant to recipients. Pop-ups that don’t offer immediate value to attendees run the risk of being ignored.
Work out if a pop-up is worth sending by considering:
1) Does the attendee really need to know this?
2) Will it add value to their event experience?
For example, a reminder about an upcoming cocktail hour is useful for busy attendees who may have lost track of time.
Short and Sweet
The perfect pop-up is short and to the point. It allows attendees to quickly read and understand the message without endless scrolling.
Avoid lengthy notifications and keep the text concise. The key message should be visible without having to open the notification, as attendees may only see the pop-up on a locked screen.
If the notification includes a link to additional content keep the text short but use words that will entice the recipient to click through.
Tip: for manageable URLs use a link shortening service, like Bitly.
Perfect Delivery
When it comes to push notifications, timing is everything.
Too many notifications can distract attendees from the event or cause them to switch off notifications altogether.
To avoid this, keep pop-ups to a minimum and only use them when necessary. Schedule notifications in advance, such as a reminder for lunch service, using a digital planner. This gives a helpful visual overview of when notifications are being sent.
Aim for one to two notifications every few hours, allowing for urgent updates while avoiding a busy pop-up schedule. Ideally, send notifications during event breaks and avoid sending them during speaker sessions and keynote speaker presentations.
Added Value
You can even use event pop-ups as an additional revenue stream!
Sponsors and exhibitors will relish the opportunity to make an immediate impression using event notifications.
Make sure sponsored notifications are limited in number and are always relevant to attendees and the event. Sponsors can use them to make exclusive offers to attendees, promote associated sessions, and encourage people to visit their event stand or booth.
It’s a good idea to make it clear that relevant pop-ups are sponsored.
In Summary
Push notifications are a powerful tool for event organisers to communicate important updates and reminders to their audience.
By enabling push notifications, staying on point, keeping notifications short, and timing them appropriately, you can create the perfect event app pop-up.