At OneSignal, we believe in the power of small yet mighty UX/UI enhancements. These are tiny tweaks and improvements that our engineers can tackle in three days or less. In this way, engineers can keep their eye on the larger roadmap while still devoting time to small UX iterations. Despite their size, these changes can significantly boost user satisfaction and product usability. Our process for managing these enhancements ensures that we consistently deliver value to our users, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Where Ideas Come From

Our ideas for these enhancements come from a variety of sources, ensuring we capture a broad spectrum of user needs and insights. Some idea sources include:

1. Customer Support Inquiries: Our customer support team is often the first to hear about recurring issues or pain points. They relay these insights to our product team, providing a direct line of communication for users experiencing real-world problems.
2. Usability Testing Sessions: Conducting regular user testing allows us to observe firsthand how users interact with our product. These sessions are invaluable for uncovering usability issues and identifying opportunities for small improvements.
3. Discovery Calls with Customers: During discovery calls, our team gathers feedback and suggestions directly from customers. These calls often reveal new perspectives and ideas that we hadn't considered.
4. In-House Cross-Functional Collaboration: We encourage collaboration across different teams through sessions often conducted via FigJam. This tool facilitates brainstorming and allows us to capture diverse ideas from various stakeholders.
5. Continuous Measurement of Current Designs: We continuously measure the performance of current designs within the product. By analyzing user feedback and behavioral data, we identify areas for improvement and ensure that our designs evolve to meet user needs.

From Idea to Implementation

We have a streamlined system to manage these ideas, ensuring they seamlessly flow from conception to execution within our two-week sprint cycles. Here's a detailed look at our process:

1. Idea Creation and Triage: When an idea surfaces, it's immediately added to a triage list and tagged as an "idea." This initial step captures the idea without delaying its consideration, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
2. Grooming by the Triad: The next step involves a detailed grooming process by our triad of the lead engineer, lead product manager, and lead product designer (EPD). Every two weeks, during our grooming sessions, the team assesses the idea's quality, scope, and potential impact on end users. They discuss the feasibility and prioritize based on user benefit and alignment with our product goals.
3. Design Phase Holding Area: If the idea passes the grooming stage, it moves into the "Needs Design" phase. This holding area is a queue where designers can pick up tickets as their bandwidth allows. It ensures that design work begins promptly without overloading any team members.
4. Design: When a designer picks up the ticket, they tag it as "Designing" and start working on the necessary UX/UI elements. This phase involves creating wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, which are then reviewed for consistency and usability.
5. Ready for Planning: Once the design is complete and reviewed, the ticket is tagged as "Ready for Planning." This designation indicates that the design work is finalized and the enhancement is ready to be considered for implementation.
6. Planned: During the next sprint planning session, the EPD reviews the "Ready for Planning" designs. If an enhancement meets all criteria, it is moved to the "Planned" phase. This status indicates that the enhancement is now part of the upcoming sprint and will be worked on by engineers.

A Seamless Iteration Process

In the past, we set aside time to dedicate to investing in our UX debt. Although this approach was fruitful, it was hard to keep up a steady cadence. Our updated process creates a fluid system for quick UX/UI iterations. Each feature team at OneSignal harnesses this process, enabling continuous and seamless user experience improvements every sprint. By maintaining this structured yet flexible approach, we're able to address user needs promptly and efficiently, ensuring our product evolves in line with user expectations.

Impact on NPS & ARR

Our commitment to continuous UX/UI enhancements has had a significant impact on our annual recurring revenue (ARR). Over the past year, we've seen a marked increase in ARR, directly correlating to the improvements we've made in user experience. By systematically addressing user pain points and refining our product's usability, we've increased our user satisfaction and net promoter scores as well as contributed to overall retention and new customer acquisitions. At OneSignal, we understand that even the smallest enhancements can make a big difference. By following this structured process, we ensure that every UX/UI iteration is purposeful and impactful, driving our growth and reinforcing our commitment to delivering an exceptional user experience.

Join Us!

We're always looking for talented and passionate individuals to join our team. Check out our current job openings to browse open position that fits your unique skill set.

As digital communication completes its shift towards a more holistic approach to customer engagement, OneSignal has had the privilege of maintaining a front-row view of emerging trends along the way. Based on a recent marketing awareness survey, we’ve surfaced some telling customer engagement insights that indicate exactly how much progress (and stagnation) marketers are experiencing on the road to omnichannel success.

Big picture? Marketers are optimizing the value of existing, reliable communication channels while simultaneously acknowledging critical gaps in their data utilization and omnichannel execution.

These trends paint a fascinating picture of a marketing ecosystem that has identified the need to evolve its engagement strategy but is stuck in the second half of that transformation when it comes to execution.

Mobile Marketing Trend #1: A Heavier Investment in Email

In no world would email qualify as an “emerging trend,” however, we truly see this as a case of finding newfound value in a historically reliable (and affordable) channel. So much so that 62% of marketers today plan to invest in email as a marketing channel in the future.

Email’s ability to deliver personalized and targeted messaging at scale makes it a rather effective foundation for omnichannel customer communication — especially in an era where hyper-relevance is critical for quality engagement. Furthermore, email provides measurable results through detailed analytics, enabling marketers to track performance, optimize campaigns, and demonstrate ROI with precision.

In 2024, email's role is further amplified by its seamless integration with other channels. As businesses aim to create cohesive customer journeys, email serves as a central hub that ties various touchpoints together. Whether nurturing leads through custom recommendations, re-engaging inactive app users, or complementing push notifications and SMS, this interconnectedness ensures consistent messaging across all platforms.

Fortunately, many email providers offer sophisticated builders and automations, allowing for real-time personalization and record-setting open rates. As a result, email continues to evolve as a cornerstone in achieving an omnichannel messaging approach, helping businesses improve the customer experience and drive sustained engagement.

Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make the one you already have faster.

Mobile Marketing Trend #2: Many Are Still Stuck With a First-Party Data Blind Spot

Marketers face increasing challenges in collecting third-party data due to heightened privacy regulations, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), along with the phasing out of third-party cookies by major browsers. These changes have significantly limited the availability and reliability of third-party data, altering how marketers go about tracking user behavior across different channels and platforms.

So why are a third of companies still not utilizing first-party data to personalize messaging?

This is a tough one to pin down without having full insight into specific data collection capabilities, but it is most likely due to one of the following reasons:

• Many companies may not have the necessary tools or systems in place to collect, manage, and analyze first-party data effectively.
• A lack of expertise to leverage data for personalization.
• Organizational silos hinder the integration of data across different departments, making it difficult to create a unified view of the customer.
• Concerns about data privacy and compliance with stringent regulations may make companies hesitant to fully utilize first-party data.
• Lastly, some companies might not fully understand the value of personalization or how to implement it effectively, leading to missed opportunities in their marketing strategies.

First-party data has become more crucial than ever for marketers aiming to maintain a competitive edge through personalized and relevant customer engagement. First-party data, collected directly from customer interactions with a brand's own channels (such as websites, apps, and emails), is not only more reliable but also more compliant with privacy regulations. This data allows marketers to build detailed customer profiles and deliver highly personalized experiences tailored to individual preferences and behaviors — a recipe for sustained retention rates.

Mobile Marketing Trend #3: The Omnichannel Roadblock

Throwing the term “omnichannel engagement” around is all well and good, but implementation isn’t always so slick. According to our marketing awareness survey, these are the top omnichannel marketing challenges businesses face in 2024:

• A lack of access to the right data
• Inefficiencies between switching platforms for different channels
• Dependence on engineering tech teams
• Inability to orchestrate messaging across multiple channels
• Inability to target the right audience

Integrating new tools efficiently is hard enough as it is and a disjointed data landscape only hampers consistent, personalized messaging. This often leads to operational inefficiencies and dependency on technical teams, drastically slowing down strategy execution. To compound problems, organizational misalignment further complicates matters, as conflicting priorities among departments hinder the orchestration of a cohesive strategy. It’s a mess that many marketers are a little too intimate with.

These roadblocks only highlight the need for businesses to invest in robust data management solutions, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and most importantly, stay agile in adapting to technological advancements and regulatory changes. Addressing these challenges, sooner rather than later, is crucial for companies to achieve a seamless and effective omnichannel engagement strategy.

Mobile Marketing Trend #4: Most Marketers Are Ready For a Change in Engagement

Believe it or not, 88% of marketers are considering switching customer engagement platforms this year. Why the mass migration?

One major reason is the need for better integration. As businesses adopt omnichannel strategies, the ability to seamlessly integrate various communication channels into a single platform becomes more and more crucial. Many existing platforms lack the sophistication required to handle this integration efficiently, prompting marketers to seek alternatives for a more unified approach to customer engagement. Additionally, advancements in technology have introduced new features and tools that offer enhanced personalization, automation, and analytics capabilities, which many older platforms do not support.

Another driving force behind this migration is the increasing demand for improved user experience and support. Marketers are looking for platforms that are not only more intuitive and easier to use but also come with robust customer support and documentation. A change in engagement solutions is made all the more enticing by the natural competitive landscape. New and improved platforms have emerged that offer more competitive pricing, flexible customization options, and innovative features that better align with businesses' evolving needs.

Speaking of a Better Engagement Solution…

OneSignal was built by app developers who foresaw the need for a more cohesive way to communicate with their users. One in every five apps now uses OneSignal to craft, analyze, and automate their mobile messaging strategy.

Today we offer push, in-app, email, SMS, and Live Activity support with the sophistication marketers and developers need to keep their engagement efforts on the right track. We encourage you to try us out for free and let us help you stay ahead of future omnichannel trends.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 brought a host of exciting updates and new features across its entire software ecosystem. Here’s a recap of the key highlights and what developers and iOS users can look forward to in the coming months.

Apple Intelligence: A New Era of Smart Features

One of the least surprising yet most anticipated announcements at WWDC 2024 was the introduction of Apple Intelligence, Apple's latest foray into advanced AI and machine learning. Apple Intelligence pairs existing generative models of OpenAI with “personal context” to enhance the functionality of Apple's ecosystem, making their devices smarter and more intuitive.

Setting a “New Standard” for AI Privacy & Security

In addition to promising a more seamless and advanced UX, Apple promises that its AI system will be secure and private  — two values that have become a brand hallmark in recent years but haven’t been a strong suit of generative AI systems to date.

To achieve this higher security standard, Apple leverages the powerful processing chips in iOS and Mac devices to handle many AI tasks locally rather than relaying personal information to the cloud.  For more complex tasks that require additional processing power, Apple built its own AI servers called Private Cloud Compute (PCC) which limit the amount of personal information relayed to the server and prevent that data from being stored or accessed by Apple or others. Although Elon Musk made headlines challenging whether Apple can truly promise such lofty security and privacy standards when using a system such as OpenAI, the reception for Apple’s “new standard” of privacy has been overwhelmingly positive.

iOS 18: AI-Driven Enhancements & Customization

Broad Language & Understanding Upgrades

iOS 18 is one of the most significant updates to date, packed with innovative features and AI-fueled improvements. Enhancements to Apple’s WritingTools will revolutionize language and understanding capabilities across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. Some standout upgrades include the introduction of Smart Compose, enhanced dictation, AI-powered grammar and style Suggestions, handwriting recognition, collaborative writing tools, and customizable templates.

New Home Screen Customization Options

Users can now place app icons anywhere on the screen, create blank spaces between them, and customize the icons to match dark mode settings. Additionally, larger icon sizes are available for improved accessibility, and the Control Center has been revamped with a multipage layout and third-party widget support.

Siri Enhancements

Siri is getting some serious AI upgrades to become more powerful, intuitive, and versatile. Apple’s new App Intents feature allows it to integrate with third-party apps and perform more complex tasks such as editing photos and managing emails. This system leverages machine learning to understand user behavior and preferences, providing contextually relevant suggestions and automating routine tasks. Siri updates also include a revamped full-screen interface and the ability to type commands to Siri in addition to voice commands.

Improved Privacy Controls

Apple is introducing several new privacy controls for iOS, including the ability to lock individual apps with Face ID, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure even if the device is unlocked. Additionally, the updated iOS now features enhanced Bluetooth accessory pairing to prevent unauthorized devices from connecting. Users can also hide specific apps from the home screen and search results, further protecting their privacy.

Messaging App Updates

With the introduction of Rich Communication Services (RCS), conversations between iPhone and Android users are (finally) more seamless. RCS supports cross-platform emoji reactions, read receipts, and real-time typing indicators, so no one gets device-shamed or left out of the conversation.

Photos App Updates

Apple’s photo app will get a complete redesign to handle growing photo library sizes more efficiently. New features include enhanced photo organization with a Collections feature, improved person grouping, and a new carousel interface for easier navigation. Additionally, the app now offers advanced photo editing tools powered by AI, allowing users to enhance photos with simple voice commands to Siri​Enhanced with AI-driven editing tools that allow for spoken or written commands to edit images.

Safari Updates

Apple plans to introduce Smart Summaries to highlight key information directly within web pages while browsing, offering users a quick way to understand the main points without scrolling through the entire content. These summaries are generated in real time and provide a snapshot of the essential details, enhancing the browsing experience by making it more efficient and user-friendly.

Additionally, a new Passwords app integration allows users to securely store and manage passwords directly within Safari. Enhanced privacy features were also introduced, such as improved tracking prevention and more control over website permissions.

Notes App Updates

Apple’s Notes app will benefit from enhanced handwriting recognition, making handwritten notes more fluid and legible. Other app upgrades include the introduction of Smart Scripts, new collapsible sections to improve note organization and readability, and the ability to add rich text formatting, such as bold, italics, and underlines to highlight important content.

Password App Updates

The iOS Passwords app now serves as a comprehensive hub for managing all your passwords, passkeys, and verification codes in one hub. This centralization makes it easier for users to securely store and access their login credentials across various accounts and devices. In addition, enhanced security features, improved AutoFill functionality, deeper integration with Safari, and a redesigned user interface all aim to provide a more secure, convenient, and user-friendly experience.

Introducing Genmojis

Apple introduced Genmoji, a new feature in iOS 18 that allows users to create custom emojis using AI-powered tools. With Genmoji, users can generate unique emojis by simply typing a description into the Apple keyboard. For example, you could create an emoji of a "smiley with cucumber slices over its eyes" or a "DJ squirrel." The tool then generates multiple variants of the described emoji, allowing users to choose their preferred design.

These custom emojis, known as Genmojis, can be used as stickers in messages, placed inline within text, and used as tapback reactions. This feature leverages Apple's advancements in AI to provide a more personalized and expressive way to communicate.

Updates to Notifications Announced at WWDC24

At WWDC 2024, Apple introduced several significant updates to the notifications system across its platforms, aiming to make notifications more useful, less intrusive, and more customizable.

Context-Aware Notifications

One of the standout features is the introduction of context-aware notifications. This system uses AI to understand when and where notifications should be delivered, ensuring they arrive at the most appropriate times. For instance, if you are in a meeting or driving, non-essential notifications might be delayed or summarized to avoid distraction.

Notification Summaries

Smart Notification Summaries have been enhanced to provide more relevant information at a glance. These summaries group non-urgent notifications together and deliver them at scheduled times, helping users to focus on their tasks without frequent interruptions. The summaries are now more interactive, allowing users to perform quick actions directly from the summary.

Improved Customization

Users can now enjoy greater control over their notifications with enhanced customization options. This includes the ability to prioritize certain notifications and set different notification styles based on the app or contact. For example, messages from important contacts can bypass Do Not Disturb mode, ensuring they are seen immediately.

AI-Powered Categorization

The notifications system is also leveraging AI-powered categorization, which intelligently sorts notifications by type, such as personal, work, or promotions. This categorization helps users quickly identify and respond to the most important notifications.

New Interaction Features

Apple has introduced new interaction features for notifications, including the ability to respond to messages and emails directly from the notification banner without opening the app. This streamlines user interactions and saves time​.

Privacy Enhancements

Lastly, there are significant privacy enhancements. Notifications that contain sensitive information can now be automatically hidden from the lock screen until the device is unlocked, ensuring that personal data remains secure even when the phone is in someone else’s view​.

macOS 15 (Sequoia): Bridging Devices and Enhanced AI

macOS 15 “Sequoia” aims to enhance the synergy between Apple's mobile and desktop environments. One of the new key features is iPhone Mirroring, which allows users to mirror their iPhone screens on their Macs for seamless integration and control. This feature will also enable users to receive iPhone notifications on Mac, providing a more seamless UX and giving apps even more opportunities to connect with users wherever they are.  Additionally, macOS 15 leverages Apple's Neural Engine to introduce advanced AI capabilities, including enhanced Siri functionality and smarter system apps. The System Settings app also receives a much-needed overhaul, improving usability and organization for a better user experience.

iPadOS 18: Powerful Tools and Greater Accessibility

iPadOS 18 integrates many of the new features from iOS 18, enhancing functionality and accessibility on the iPad. One notable addition is a dedicated Calculator app, which includes advanced features such as handwritten notes and graphing capabilities. The Notes app has also been significantly updated with smart scripts and collapsible sections, improving organization and ease of use. Additionally, a new eye-tracking control feature has been introduced, allowing users to operate their iPads through eye movements, thus greatly enhancing accessibility for users with mobility impairments.

watchOS 11: Health and Fitness Innovations

watchOS 11 enhances the Apple Watch's health and fitness capabilities with several new features. The new Vitals app tracks key health metrics and provides insights into overall wellness, offering users a comprehensive view of their health. The Training Load feature measures the intensity and duration of workouts over time, helping users optimize their fitness routines. Additionally, customizable activity rings allow users to pause their activity rings without affecting streaks and set different goals for each day, providing greater flexibility and personalization in their fitness tracking.

visionOS 2: Enhanced Spatial Computing

visionOS 2, the latest update for the Vision Pro headset, significantly enhances the spatial computing experience with several new features. One of the standout additions is Spatial Photos, which transforms traditional 2D images into immersive, three-dimensional experiences using advanced machine learning techniques. This feature adds depth and realism to photos, making them more vivid and engaging.

Another notable improvement is the introduction of Intuitive Hand Gestures, allowing users to access frequently used features with simple hand movements. This makes interaction with the Vision Pro headset more natural and efficient, as users can perform tasks without needing to use physical controllers.

Moreover, the international rollout of the Vision Pro headset will expand its availability to several new countries. This broader distribution aims to increase the user base and make the advanced features of VisionOS 2 accessible to a more global audience.

AirPods and Siri: Smarter and More Interactive

AirPods have received significant updates aimed at improving usability. One of the major enhancements is Voice Isolation, which improves call quality by isolating the user's voice, even in noisy environments. This ensures clearer and more effective communication, particularly in places with a lot of background noise.

Additionally, the introduction of Siri Gestures allows users to interact with Siri through head gestures. This hands-free interaction makes it easier to control devices without needing to touch them, offering a more seamless and convenient user experience.

Build a Better UX with OneSignal

As a global leader in messaging and engagement, we've helped millions of developers take their applications to new heights by making it easy to create a seamless user engagement and retention strategy. Our intuitive solution makes it easy to execute, manage, and automate user messaging across all devices, including iOS, iPadOS, Safari, and many more.

We offer a built-in solution to simplify sending iOS notifications and initiating Live Activities, so you can take advantage of the latest and greatest iOS enhancements and remain in lockstep with user expectations.

We pride ourselves on staying on top of the latest device and industry trends, so you can spend your time where it matters most — on your product.  Create a free account to try out OneSignal for yourself.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) specialists play a crucial role in bridging the gap between apps and their users — a gap that sometimes feels like a canyon. They are often responsible for crafting meaningful communication strategies, analyzing user data, and optimizing engagement campaigns to nurture long-term relationships with customers.

Finding the right mobile messaging solution poses significant challenges for CRM specialists. The customer engagement landscape is complex, requiring a delicate balance between personalizing messaging to meet individual user needs and managing these efforts at scale to ensure efficiency. Many CRM specialists function in close coordination with a company’s product roadmap, making their choice for a mobile engagement solution that much more integral to success.

Let’s take a look at how CRM specialists can use OneSignal to meet their needs and enable them to build impactful and personalized user journeys with ease.

The Search for the “Goldilocks” Engagement Solution

Many platforms lack the flexibility, scalability, and integration support needed to execute sophisticated strategies effectively. CRM specialists often face difficulties in synchronizing messages across channels, accessing actionable analytics, and maintaining seamless communication without overwhelming their users.

OneSignal makes it a point to cater to these needs by offering a three-pronged approach that resonates with the sweet spot many CRM specialists are looking for:

1. A Painless, Centralized Platform: As companies expand into new markets, it’s vital that they can quickly onboard and train new team members to maintain a seamless UX.
2. Integrated A/B testing: For CRM specialists to make data-driven decisions and drive long-term retention, an accessible A/B testing suite functions as a engagement laboratory to continually optimizing campaigns for performance.
3. Deep Personalization: It’s the lifeblood of retention and a crucial element of mobile messaging, helping turn casual users into loyal advocates.

“We use OneSignal because it’s simple to use and there’s the possibility of scaling campaigns. If you have a variety of campaigns and markets, giving everyone access empowers you to scale. It’s quite user-friendly compared to other tools — even for people who have never used them before.”

Traci Trang
CRM Specialist, Taptap Send

Unifying Campaigns Across Channels, in One Place

For brands with a global audience, automation is key to achieving sustained, meaningful engagement. Creating omnichannel flows through the use of OneSignal’s Journeys has proven, by far, to be the most impactful feature for CRM specialists. These Journeys not only help in coordinating personalized campaigns efficiently but also offer significant potential for scalability and application. Rather than manually running similar campaigns back to back, Journeys allows CRM specialists to consolidate campaigns into a single, drag-and-drop sequence to be triggered in real-time.

At OneSignal, we’ve worked with CRM specialists who have set up over 100 unique, multichannel Journeys. This demonstrates the ease and effectiveness of building a communication strategy using multiple channels in the same flow. Consequently, this approach allows for respecting user channel preferences and engaging with a wider global audience.

Journeys is particularly useful for onboarding users and assisting them in navigating the app. It helps users “unblock” themselves by providing guidance on how to use various features.

Optimize, Refine, Repeat With A/B Testing

With OneSignal, CRM specialists can optimize communications at scale by leveraging A/B testing within those multi-channel messaging flows we discussed above. By splitting Journeys into different branches and targets, CRM specialists can experiment with various messaging strategies across push notifications, in-app messages, SMS, and email. This allows for precise targeting and segmentation, enabling the identification of the most effective communication tactics for different user groups.

For instance, one branch of a Journey might focus on push notifications for users who frequently engage with the app, while another branch might prioritize email for less active users. This methodical approach ensures that each user receives the most relevant and engaging messages, thereby enhancing overall user experience and retention.

Use these A/B testing best practices to get the most out of your experiments:

• Understand the benchmarks: Keep easy access to past results to set practical goals and interpret A/B testing outcomes.
• Have a clear goal and hypothesis: Define what results you aim to achieve and predict the outcome to build effective tests.
• Control your experiment: Change only one variable at a time for clear insights. Finalize one variant, then alter one variable in each subsequent variant.
• Have a control version: Use a baseline version to measure the results of your variants.
• Test the variants simultaneously: Ensure messages are seen at the same time and day for accurate comparisons.
• Continuously experiment: Optimize strategy by testing various elements (subject lines, email layouts, CTAs, promotions, etc.)

By analyzing the performance of various branches over time, CRM specialists can identify which strategies yield the highest engagement rates and which ones need refinement.

An iterative process like this allows for continuous improvement and the development of a robust understanding of user preferences and behaviors. Consequently, CRM specialists can make data-driven decisions to optimize their messaging strategies, resulting in more meaningful and effective engagement with their audience. This approach not only enhances user satisfaction but also drives long-term growth and success for mobile apps.

Slice and Dice Data to Your Liking

OneSignal empowers CRM specialists to personalize communication with diverse audiences through advanced segmentation and analytics. This enables CRM specialists to tailor messages based on user behaviors, preferences, and engagement history, ensuring that each user receives the right communication at the most impactful point in their journey.

Whether creating custom filters or syncing audiences from existing analytics providers, CRM specialists can bring deep and effortless targeting to their multi-channel campaigns. Segments can be created based on several factors including:

• First session
• Last session
• Session count
• Usage duration
• Amount spent
• Purchased item
• Language
• App version
• Device type
• User tag
• Location
• Rooted (for Android)
• Country
• Test users

By leveraging OneSignal's advanced segmentation and targeting capabilities, CRMs can deliver highly relevant content, fostering deeper user engagement and loyalty. This strategic approach not only enhances the user experience but also positions CRM specialists to drive their company's growth by scaling personalized communication efforts efficiently across a large and varied user base.

Scaling Up Engagement With OneSignal

If you're a CRM specialist, we know how frequently you're held accountable for coordinating with different internal teams, optimizing campaigns, and maintaining alignment with product teams. It's a tall order and we think you deserve a platform you can depend on to get the job(s) done, without the need for a lengthy learning curve.

We encourage you to reach out to our team to learn more about OneSignal Journeys, and in the meantime, try us out for free.

Sender reputation is a silent yet powerful force that can make or break your  campaigns. It's the behind-the-scenes score that determines whether your carefully crafted emails land in the inbox, the dreaded spam folder, or get blocked entirely. For email marketers, mastering sender reputation is crucial for ensuring your messages reach and resonate with your audience.

In this blog post, we dive into the concept of sender reputation, explore its impact on your email marketing efforts, and provide actionable steps to build and maintain a strong sender reputation.

What is Sender Reputation?

Sender reputation is like your email domain’s credit score. It’s a score assigned to your email-sending domain and IP address based on factors that reflect the quality and trustworthiness of your email practices. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and email providers use this score to decide if your emails deserve to be in the inbox, the spam folder, or blocked entirely.

Key Factors Influencing Sender Reputation

1. Spam Complaints: When recipients mark your email as spam, it’s a clear signal to ISPs that your emails might be unwanted or harmful.
2. Bounce Rates: High bounce rates due to invalid addresses can damage your reputation. Keeping a clean email list is vital.
3. Engagement Rates: High open and click-through rates (CTR) show that recipients value your emails. Low engagement can suggest the opposite.
4. Spam Traps: These are email addresses set up to catch spammers. Hitting a spam trap can severely harm your reputation.
5. Frequency and Volume: Sudden spikes in email volume or frequent sending can raise red flags. ISPs prefer consistent sending patterns.
6. Content Quality: Spammy language, excessive links, and misleading subject lines can trigger spam filters and damage your reputation.

Why Sender Reputation Matters

A strong sender reputation is your ticket to the inbox. Here’s why it’s essential:

• Inbox Placement: A good reputation means your emails are more likely to land in the inbox, not the spam folder.
• Deliverability: Ensuring your emails are delivered successfully is crucial for reaching your audience.
• Engagement: Emails that make it to the inbox are more likely to be opened, read, and acted upon, boosting engagement.
• Brand Trust: Consistently reaching the inbox helps build trust and loyalty with your audience.

How to Build and Maintain a Strong Sender Reputation

1. Authenticate Your Emails

Implement email authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance). These help verify that your emails are genuinely from your domain and prevent spoofing.

2. Maintain a Clean Email List

Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid or inactive addresses. Use double opt-in methods to ensure recipients genuinely want your emails. Avoid buying email lists, as they often contain outdated or unverified addresses.

3. Monitor Engagement Metrics

Track key engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use this data to refine your content and sending strategies. Segment your audience to send more relevant and personalized content, boosting engagement.

4. Manage Bounce Rates

Regularly monitor and manage bounce rates. Remove hard bounces (invalid addresses) immediately. Keep an eye on soft bounces (temporary issues) and manage them accordingly.

5. Avoid Spam Traps

Ensure your email list is organically grown and comes from legitimate sources. Regularly clean your list and use email validation services to detect and remove potential spam traps. For more tips and best practices, check out our article on how to identify and avoid spam traps.

6. Optimize Sending Frequency

Find the right balance for your email sending frequency. Avoid overwhelming recipients with too many emails in a short period. Establish a consistent and predictable sending schedule that honors user preferences.

7. Create High-Quality Content

Craft engaging and relevant content that provides value to your recipients. Avoid spammy language, excessive symbols, and misleading subject lines. Use clear, concise language and ensure your emails are well-designed and mobile-friendly.

For more email writing best practices, check out the following articles:

• 10 Tips for Writing Good Email Subject Lines and Preheaders
• How to Write and Structure Captivating Marketing Emails
• The Anatomy of a Successful Marketing Email

8. Monitor Sender Reputation

Use tools and services to monitor your sender reputation regularly. Platforms like Google Postmaster Tools, Sender Score by Validity, and Microsoft SNDS provide insights into your reputation and help identify areas for improvement.

9. Solicit Feedback

Encourage recipients to provide feedback on your emails. Include options for them to update preferences or unsubscribe if they no longer wish to receive your emails. Listening to your audience and making adjustments based on feedback can improve engagement and reduce complaints.

Choose a Trustworthy and Reliable Email Provider

By understanding the factors that influence sender reputation and implementing best practices, you can enhance deliverability, increase engagement, and build lasting relationships with your subscribers. Your email provider can be instrumental in helping you maintain good email hygiene and nurturing brand trust.

OneSignal provides built-in analytics and segmentation options, so it's easy to target your messaging and ensure that each email resonates with its intended audience. We also make it easy to handle user consent and opt-ins, manage unsubscribes, and maintain regulatory compliance, so you're always aligned with industry best practices. For new email senders, our auto warm-up feature enables you to establish a positive reputation for a new or inactive sending domain and build trust with ISPs from day one.

By integrating personalized messaging at each stage of the customer journey, lifecycle emails function as critical guiderails that steer users through the stages of awareness, consideration, purchase, and loyalty. A context-rich welcome message or personalized re-engagement email sent at the right moment is often the difference between churned users and brand champions.

The psychology behind lifecycle emails is rooted in their ability to resonate with users on a personal level. They address users not based on what they bring to your brand but rather as individuals with their own definition of how your brand fits within their day-to-day lives. Done effectively, this personalized approach taps into triggers such as reciprocity, where users feel more valued, leading to sustained usage and increased lifetime value.

For a complete overview of meeting your users as the correct place in their journeys, this Journey Engagement Guide goes into more detail.

These seven lifecycle email examples illustrate how helpful and dynamic your messaging should be to maximize retention rates.

Lifecycle Email #1 — The “Covering All Bases” Welcome

This welcome email from pet product company Fresh Patch sets new customers up for success through a variety of value propositions, all designed to point them in the direction most natural for them at this early stage in their journeys.

• They start with a simple, warm welcome and a 10% discount to incentivize customers who may be immediately interested in purchasing.
• For those who aren’t yet ready to purchase, Fresh Patch includes a brief brand elevator pitch in the form of digestible bullet points highlighting their most popular product, their origin story, and their appearance on Shark Tank — all of which lend to sharing their core value propositions: convenience, genuineness, and credibility.
• Fresh Patch also includes a prominent feature for its social media presence, capitalizing on its massive (and inherent) brand strength—an adorably irresistible online community.
• Lastly, they end their welcome email with a footer detailing some of their other auxiliary products to reinforce that they’re not just a brand that delivers fresh grass to pet owners, they’re a brand that has your back when it comes to solving a very real problem: the training and ongoing comfort of our furry family members.

Apps that send onboarding messages have 24% higher install-to-purchase conversion rates.

Lifecycle Email #2 — The Fork-in-the-Road Welcome

As a direct comparison to the above example, it is worth noting that there is more than one way to onboard new customers. Mental health booking service Zocdoc uses its welcome email as a stage for driving users to their mobile app. After a brief bit of copy touching on some of their most practical benefits, they give new users only two places to go:

1. “Download the app”—This takes mobile browsers directly to the Zocdoc app store page and web browsers to an app download page containing a QR code.
2. “Book an appointment” — This funnels users directly to their platform to encourage conversions.

Although it seems counterintuitive (and depends on your industry), sometimes offering fewer options helps alleviate the overwhelming nature of entering a new brand’s ecosystem and actually increases the chances of quick conversions.

Lifecycle Email #3 — The Progress Report

Ah, usage statistics — the vanity mirror of mobile engagement! There are a couple of reasons why email reports like the above from Grammarly are so effective. The first is that usage reports validate users' efforts and achievements by showing progress and milestones. Whether it's tracking fitness goals, spending habits, or writing productivity, seeing tangible evidence of improvement is highly motivating.

This validation taps into the human desire for achievement and recognition, providing a sense of accomplishment that encourages continued engagement and effort. Notice how Grammarly adopts a celebratory tone by congratulating users on their total words analyzed as well as their current writing streak. Gamification can be incredibly engaging when backed by personal data.

Speaking of personal data, the second reason usage reports are so engaging is because they’re inherently just that… personalized and tailored to the individual’s specific actions and preferences. This high level of relevance makes the content feel more meaningful and valuable to the user. It demonstrates that Grammarly understands and caters to their unique needs and interests. This relevancy enhances the overall user experience, making it more engaging and satisfying. Notice how Grammarly includes users’ “Top 5 Mistakes” — turning a seemingly negative into a teachable moment and something helpful for users.

Lifecycle Email #4 — The Personalized Re-Engagement Incentive

We are more likely to engage with content that feels directly relevant to our interests, and the exclusivity of this personalized offer email from PetSmart is a perfect example of this. The offer is targeted based on the user’s past purchase history with the Blue Buffalo dog food brand, offering bonus reward points for making a repeat purchase.

By tailoring rewards and offers to the specific preferences, behaviors, and past interactions of individual users, these emails create a sense of personal connection and value. As a bonus, notice how PetSmart reminds its customers of how much reward money they have saved currently (the blue banner at the top) to reinforce a sense of progression and remind them of the money that should be burning a hole in their pocket!

Lifecycle Email #5 — The Referral Program

Referral programs are a fantastic way to drive app traffic via word-of-mouth promotion, but as you can see in the above example from the outdoor brand, Parks Project, they don’t always warrant their own dedicated campaign.

Your referral program is a great opportunity to seamlessly integrate additional value into communications that your users are already inclined to open. By embedding these programs within relevant promotional emails, you capitalize on the existing interest and engagement, subtly encouraging users to take advantage of the referral or loyalty incentives without overwhelming them with separate messages that may feel like homework.

Check out these 7 ways to incentivize your referral campaigns to drive more app traffic!

This approach not only increases referral awareness but also enhances the perceived value of the original promotional offer, as users see the added benefits of participating. And on top of all that, it reinforces the idea that your brand continually provides opportunities for users to gain more rewards, fostering a sense of ongoing engagement and loyalty.

Lifecycle Email #6 — The Feedback Request

This one is tricky, as I’m sure we’ve all awkwardly stood at the counter promising we’d take a survey or leave feedback knowing full well we probably won’t. To combat that disengagement with your online feedback pathways (which are even easier to ignore than in-person ones), a little extra incentive may be in order.

This email from the web hosting company SiteGround makes taking a survey worthwhile by offering a drawing to win an Apple Watch. This approach not only increases response rates but also enhances the quality of the feedback, as users are likely to take the survey more seriously when they know they are being rewarded. Additionally, it demonstrates that SiteGround values its users' opinions and is willing to invest in their satisfaction, fostering a stronger connection and loyalty to the brand.

These in-app survey building tips will help you get started increasing the likelihood of user feedback.

Lifecycle Email #7 — The Upgrade

UltimateGuitar, the musician’s tablature provider, offers existing users a (steep!) discount on upgrading to a pro membership appeals to users' desire for enhanced features and benefits at a lower cost, making the upgrade very attractive and accessible.

The inclusion of a countdown timer is an excellent choice to emphasize the limited-time nature of this offer and motivate users to act before they miss out. Combined with the premium benefits listed on the right-hand side, this email makes a compelling case for users to invest further in the app, reducing the likelihood of churn as they become more reliant on its advanced features. This strategic move not only boosts immediate revenue but also strengthens long-term user loyalty and retention.

Create Emails That Go Beyond Day-One Engagement

As mobile marketing continues to become more and more unified, strategically combining your messaging channels has become a prerequisite for sustained success. OneSignal’s intuitive drag-and-dorp email composer and multichannel Journeys builder unlock a whole new way for you to delight users at key engagement moments.

The power of word-of-mouth cannot be overstated. Mobile app referrals harness the trust and credibility inherent in personal recommendations, often resulting in higher conversion rates and more loyal users compared to traditional acquisition methods.

Unlike paid ads or organic search, referrals come from a trusted source — friends, family, and colleagues — making them a highly effective way to drive app traffic. A well-executed referral program not only attracts new users but also encourages existing users to engage more deeply with your app, planting the seeds for long-term retention and growth.

These seven app referral strategies are designed for you to create a unique and undeniably engaging experience for your users.

1. Offer Rewards for Both Referrer and Referred

Creating a win-win scenario within the realm of mobile marketers isn’t exactly easy, so you must pounce on every chance to do so when the opportunity arises. By rewarding both parties in the referral process, you tap into the psychology of reciprocity, where users feel more inclined to refer friends because they know their friends will benefit as well.

This dual incentive structure also helps to reduce the friction that might otherwise prevent users from making referrals. No one likes being treated as your unpaid advertising intern — give them something in return! As a bonus, your referred users — having received a reward — are more likely to engage with and remain active with your app.

To implement this strategy strategically, start by identifying valuable rewards for your user base, such as in-app currency, discounts, or premium features. Ensure that the rewards are compelling enough to motivate users to make referrals and sustainable for your business. For maximum engagement, communicate the referral program clearly across multiple channels, including in-app notifications, email campaigns, and social media.

Take a look at how the sports betting app, Betmate, uses OneSignal Journeys to create a cross-channel referral flow featuring push notifications and emails, rewarding both the referrer and the new user.

Read Betmate’s full case study to learn how they managed to achieve a 600% increase in monthly active users (MAU) using OneSignal.

2. Create a Tiered Reward System

Momentum is the backbone of long-term app retention and implementing a multi-level reward structure that increases incentives as users refer more people is a perfect way to foster this.

By offering escalating rewards for achieving higher referral milestones, users are encouraged to continuously participate in your program rather than stopping after a single referral. This creates a sense of progression and achievement, similar to levels in a game, which motivates ongoing referrals. Moreover, tiered rewards can foster a sense of competition among users, driving them to outperform their peers and reach the next reward level.

To create a successful tiered reward system, start by defining clear and attainable milestones that users can work towards. Each tier should offer increasingly valuable rewards, ensuring that the effort required to reach higher levels is balanced by the attractiveness of the incentives. For example, a music streaming app might offer a free month of premium service for the first referral, an exclusive playlist for the third referral, and a concert ticket for the fifth referral.

Go the extra mile with these tips for promoting a tiered reward system:

• Referral Progress Bars: Display visible progress bars within your app to remind users how close they are to achieving the next tier reward.
• Email Campaigns: Regularly update users on their referral progress and upcoming rewards through personalized email campaigns.
• Social Media Engagement: Share user success stories and testimonials on social media platforms to create buzz and encourage participation.
• In-App Notifications: Use in-app messages and pop-ups to inform users of their current tier and the benefits of reaching the next level.
• Seasonal Campaigns: Align tiered reward promotions with holidays or special events to capitalize on increased user activity and interest during these times.

3. Leverage In-App Gamification

We touched on elements of this briefly in the above strategy, but it goes deeper. Leveraging in-app gamification is an effective strategy because it taps into users' intrinsic motivations for achievement, competition, and fun. By incorporating game-like elements to your app, regardless of your industry, you can transform the process of referring friends into a perpetually rewarding experience. Additionally, gamification fosters a sense of community and social interaction among users, further enhancing their connection to your app.

To strategically implement gamification, start by identifying game mechanics that align with your app's user experience and goals. Introduce elements such as points for each referral, badges for reaching specific referral milestones, and leaderboards to showcase top referrers. Design challenges or missions that encourage users to refer a certain number of friends within a specified timeframe. For example, a language learning app could offer points for each friend referred, with badges awarded for every five referrals and a leaderboard displaying the top referrers each month.

Ensure these elements are prominently featured within your app and complementary messaging channels to keep users informed and motivated.

• Push notifications provide timely and direct reminders about referral opportunities and achievements, prompting users to take immediate action.
• In-app messages offer contextual and interactive prompts within your app, keeping users engaged by highlighting their progress, upcoming challenges, and available rewards.
• Email campaigns can deliver more detailed information, celebrate milestones, and offer personalized encouragement, ensuring that users stay informed and motivated even when they are not actively using your app.

By combining these channels, you can maintain a consistent and engaging communication flow that keeps users excited about the gamified referral program and continuously motivated to participate.

Did you know that using more than one messaging channel to engage users increases average engagement by 35.8%?

4. Collaborate with Influencers and Brand Ambassadors

Building trust with users is a key engagement driver, but one that often takes time. A great way to expedite this process is through influencer partnerships. Collaborating with brand ambassadors leverages the existing trust, reach, and influence these individuals have with their followers, providing your referral program with a credible and far-reaching endorsement.

Influencers can authentically promote your app and referral program to their engaged audiences, which often results in higher conversion rates compared to traditional advertising. Start by identifying influencers and brand ambassadors whose values and audience align with your app. Engage them with personalized invitations to join your referral program, offering them exclusive benefits or rewards in return for their promotion. Provide them with unique referral links, creative assets, and clear guidelines to ensure their promotions are consistent and compelling.

To maintain the relationship with your ambassadors, it’s a good idea to  collaborate on content creation such as videos, social media posts, and blog articles that highlight the benefits of your app and the referral program. Don’t forget to track the performance of these collaborations to refine your approach and maximize their impact!

5. Implement Time-Limited Referral Campaigns

This strategy hinges on creating a sense of urgency, motivating users to act quickly to take advantage of a limited-time referral offer. This urgency can significantly boost referral activity as users are driven by the fear of missing out. To implement these campaigns, define clear and attractive incentives that are available only for a short period, such as:

• Exclusive Discounts: Offer a significant discount, such as 50% off a premium subscription, available only to users who refer a friend within the next week.
• Limited-Edition Rewards: Provide access to exclusive in-app items or features, like a unique avatar or special game levels, that are only available to users who participate in the referral campaign during a specific timeframe.
• Double Referral Bonuses: Temporarily double the rewards for each successful referral, such as offering $10 instead of the usual $5 for each new user referred during the campaign period.
• Entry into a Sweepstakes: Give users who make referrals a chance to win a high-value prize, such as a smartphone or a gift card, with entries only valid for referrals made within the campaign window.
• Early Access to New Features: Offer early access to upcoming app features or beta programs exclusively to users who refer friends during the campaign period, incentivizing early participation and fostering a sense of exclusivity.

Communicate your campaign details through push notifications and SMS to ensure maximum reach and visibility. Push notifications are ideal for instant alerts, prompting immediate action.

SMS is an excellent channel for communicating time-limited referral campaigns due to its immediacy and high open rates. Text messages are typically read within minutes of being received, making it an effective way to quickly reach users with urgent information. Additionally, SMS provides a direct and personal touch, which can increase the likelihood of users taking immediate action. By leveraging these channels, you can create a coordinated and compelling call to action that drives rapid participation in your referral program.

Bonus tip: Use in-app or in-email countdown timers and progress trackers to remind users of the campaign's duration and their referral goals.

6. Provide Personalized Referral Links

One of the best ways to encourage app engagement is by removing friction wherever possible. Providing personalized referral links allows users to easily share your app with their network in a way that is trackable and user-specific, enhancing both the referrer's and the referred user's experience.

You should be generating unique referral links for each user, making them accessible through your app, email, and social media. Ensure that the process for sharing these links is seamless, and consider adding personalized messages or social sharing buttons to further facilitate distribution.

Notifications that use personalized content have a 344% higher engagement rate than notifications that don't.

7. Offer Exclusive In-App Content for Referrals

Exclusivity breeds loyalty, and by offering exclusive in-app content for referrals, you provide a unique reward that can only be accessed through your referral program. This kind of content not only serves as a powerful incentive but also enhances the user experience, increasing engagement and retention.

Bike resale app, Sprocket, offers a free sale listing as a reward for their simple but effective referral program, using push notifications to alert recipients of the good news.

To implement this strategically, identify content or features that would be highly valuable to your users and make them accessible only to those who refer new users. Promote these exclusive offerings through in-app notifications, email, and social media to ensure users are aware of the benefits.

Here are some exclusive content ideas, broken down by app category, to help you get inspired:

Mobile Games

• Special Access Levels or Missions: Unlock challenging game levels or special missions only available through referrals.
• Exclusive Characters or Skins: Provide unique avatars, characters, or skins that can only be obtained by referring friends.
• Bonus In-Game Currency: Offer special in-game currency or limited items that enhance gameplay for users who participate in the referral program.

Fintech

• Reduced Fees or Higher Interest Rates: Provide lower transaction fees or higher interest rates on savings for users who refer new customers.
• Exclusive Financial Tools: Offer access to premium financial planning tools or investment insights not available to regular users.
• Personalized Financial Advice: Give access to one-on-one financial advice sessions or personalized financial reports for referring users.

Travel

• Exclusive Discounts on Bookings: Offer special discounts on flights, hotels, or vacation packages available only to those who refer friends.
• VIP Lounge Access: Provide access to airport lounges or exclusive travel lounges for users who participate in the referral program.
• Priority Booking: Allow referring users to book popular destinations or tours before they are available to the general public.

Entertainment

• Early Access to New Releases: Give access to new movies, shows, or music releases before they are available to others.
• Exclusive Content: Offer special behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, or bonus content accessible only through referrals.
• VIP Event Invitations: Provide invitations to exclusive events, such as movie premieres or private concerts, for users who refer new members.

Food Service

• Special Menu Items: Offer unique or limited-time menu items only available to users who refer friends.
• Discounts or Freebies: Provide discounts or free items (like appetizers or desserts) for successful referrals.
• Exclusive Cooking Classes: Give access to virtual or in-person cooking classes with renowned chefs, only available through referrals.

Health & Wellness

• Premium Content Access: Offer access to premium workout plans, meditation sessions, or wellness courses for referring users.
• Personalized Coaching Sessions: Provide one-on-one coaching or personal training sessions exclusively for users who refer new members.
• Exclusive Wellness Products: Offer unique wellness products, such as supplements or fitness gear, that are only available to referral program participants.

OneSignal — Making Every Message Unique

OneSignal was built by app developers who knew there had to be a better way to reach their users than with generic, one-off alerts. Ever since, we’ve been bringing innovative, omnichannel engagement methods to a growing family of brands — currently, OneSignal powers messaging for one in every five apps.

Read our full story or create a free account to experience our hyper-personalized approach to mobile messaging for yourself!

As the world of mobile messaging evolves with all the certainty of quicksand, SMS marketing continues to emerge as a reliable tool for engaging customers directly and personally. Unlike other channels, SMS boasts exceptionally high open rates, often exceeding 90%, making it a highly effective way to capture attention. When integrated with other mobile channels, such as email and in-app messages, SMS can create a more rewarding experience for users and marketers alike.

Subscribers who opt-in for SMS updates are more likely to stay informed about promotions, updates, and personalized offers, ultimately leading to increased loyalty and sustained app usage. These five SMS strategies are designed to help you drive immediate engagement while fostering long-term app retention.

1. Simplify the Subscription Process

A user-friendly SMS sign-up process is crucial for maximizing subscriber acquisition and offering a smooth user experience. The key here is to make your SMS sign-up steps as minimal and straightforward as possible, avoiding any unnecessary barriers that might deter potential subscribers.

Lengthy sign-up forms requiring a full name, email, and other demographics will most likely overwhelm or irritate users, deterring them from subscribing. Keep things simple — only ask for essential information, typically just a phone number, followed by a brief opt-in confirmation.

Additionally, transparency about what subscribers can expect to receive and how often will build trust and make users more likely to join. If users are unsure about what they are signing up for, such as the type of messages they will receive or the frequency of messages, they may hesitate to opt in. Clearly outline the benefits of subscribing and what they can expect in terms of content and frequency.

It’s the difference between:

Join our SMS list for updates. Text "JOIN" to 12345.

And

Stay updated with our latest news, exclusive offers, and special discounts! Text "JOIN" to 12345 to receive 2-3 messages per week. By subscribing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Reply STOP to unsubscribe anytime.

One is vague, offers no context, and frankly reads like an automated request to send spam (at least that’s what many readers will assume). The other offers opt-in value, specifies frequency, and leaves little up to assumption.

Keep the following tips in mind when creating your SMS opt-in process:

• Use Pre-Filled Forms: If possible, use pre-filled forms with information you already have (e.g., from previous interactions).
• Single-Click Subscription: Implement a one-click opt-in process where feasible, especially on mobile devices.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure sign-up forms and CTAs are mobile-friendly and easily accessible on any device.
• Visible and Prominent CTAs: Place sign-up CTAs in high-traffic areas like your homepage, product pages, and checkout pages.
• Instant Confirmation: Provide immediate feedback that the sign-up was successful, such as a confirmation message or email.
• Simple Keywords: Use simple and easy-to-remember keywords for SMS opt-in (e.g., “JOIN” or “SIGNUP”).
• Incentives: Offer a small incentive, such as a discount code or exclusive content, to encourage sign-ups.
• Use QR Codes: Utilize QR codes in physical locations, such as stores or events, to make the opt-in process quick and seamless.

2. Leverage Website and App Interactions for Sign-Ups

The key to sustained mobile engagement with any channel, not just SMS, is to provide numerous opportunities for engagement throughout the user journey in places that make the most sense.

On websites, strategically placed SMS sign-up forms on high-traffic pages, such as the homepage, product pages, and during the checkout process, can effectively capture visitors' attention when they are most engaged.

Similarly, mobile apps offer unique advantages through in-app notifications, banners, and pop-ups that prompt users to subscribe to SMS updates. Multiple touchpoints not only make the subscription process convenient and accessible but also allow for personalized messaging based on user behavior, thereby enhancing the likelihood of conversion and fostering a more integrated and cohesive customer experience.

Consider the following strategies for both web and mobile SMS sign-up integration:

Web — Exit-Intent Pop-Ups

Implement exit-intent pop-ups that trigger when a user is about to leave your website. These pop-ups can offer a last-minute incentive, such as a discount or free shipping, in exchange for subscribing to SMS updates. This captures the attention of users who might otherwise leave without engaging further.

Web — Sticky Sign-Up Bars

For even greater visibility, consider using sticky sign-up bars that remain fixed at the top or bottom of the webpage as users scroll. These bars should have a clear call-to-action, such as "Get Exclusive Offers via SMS – Subscribe Now!" This ensures that the opt-in option is always prominent and accessible without interrupting the user’s browsing experience.

In-App — Notification Banners

Use in-app notification banners that appear at the top or bottom of the screen, prompting users to subscribe to SMS updates. These banners should be unobtrusive but noticeable, and they can be timed to appear during key moments, such as after a purchase or when a user achieves a milestone within the app. Capatlize on moments of success to sustain the positive reinforcement loop for your users — let them know every time they receive a reward, there’s more where that came from

In-App — Onboarding Process Integration

Integrate an SMS sign-up prompt into your app’s onboarding process. When new users first download and open your app, include an in-app carousel that highlights the benefits of subscribing to SMS updates. This is a perfect place to offer an incentive, such as a welcome discount, and provide an easy opt-in button within the onboarding flow!

3. Craft Compelling and Personalized SMS Alerts

The right SMS content (concise, relevant, and personalized) can significantly enhance the user experience by delivering value through timely updates, exclusive offers, and custom recommendations. Remember, SMS messaging is a direct line to your users, a space typically reserved for personal conversations.

When people subscribe to your alerts, they are putting an immense amount of trust in your brand, a trust that teeters on a knife’s edge until you prove your value.

Bloated or unclear SMS content can lead to confusion, frustration, and instant opt-out rates. Messages that are too long, irrelevant, or poorly structured have been known to overwhelm recipients, making them less likely to read or act upon future messages.

Review these SMS Do’s and Don’ts when the time comes to craft your next SMS campaign:

• Do Personalize Messages — Use subscribers’ names and tailor messages based on their preferences or past behavior.
• Do Keep it Concise — Stick to the point and ensure your message is short, clear, and easy to understand (aim for between 100 to 160 characters).
• Do Include a Clear CTA — Provide a specific and compelling call-to-action, such as "Unlock Rewards," "Get Your Discount," or "Save Your Spot!"
• Do Offer Value — Ensure each message provides real value, such as exclusive offers, discounts, or important updates.
• Do Time Messages Appropriately — Send messages at times when they are most likely to be read and acted upon, avoiding late nights or early mornings.
• Do Make Unsubscribing Easy — Always include simple instructions for opting out, like "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."
• Do Test and Optimize — Continuously A/B test different messages, send times, and formats to find what works best for your audience.

• Don't Overwhelm Subscribers — Avoid sending too many messages, which can lead to annoyance and higher opt-out rates. Aim for one to two messages per week, which keeps your brand top-of-mind without bombarding subscribers.
• DON’T USE ALL CAPS — It’s a bit much, right? Avoid using all caps as it can come across as shouting and may irritate recipients.
• Don't Send Irrelevant Content — Ensure the content of your messages is relevant to the recipient's interests and preferences.
• Don't Forget Compliance — Always comply with regulations such as GDPR or TCPA, including obtaining explicit consent before sending messages.
• Don't Use Long URLs — Use shortened URLs to keep messages neat and reduce character count.
• Don't Ignore Feedback — Pay attention to feedback and opt-out reasons to improve future campaigns.
• Don't Neglect Segmentation — Avoid sending the same message to your entire list; segment your audience to ensure more targeted and relevant messaging.

4. Offer Incentives and Exclusive Content

This one is easy. Make your users feel special and they’ll treat your app accordingly. Aside from boosting conversion rates and revenue, providing incentives for subscribers through SMS messages can significantly enhance engagement and long-term loyalty. The goal here is to create a sense of both value and appreciation, encouraging subscribers to remain active and responsive.

A “product restock alert” is a great example of how well SMS leverages immediacy and incentivized offers. The message may look something like:

🎉 Good news, [First Name]! Your favorite [Product Name] is back in stock! Shop now before it sells out again. Click here to buy: [Shortened URL] 🛒 Use code RESTOCK10 for 10% off! [Brand Name]

Make sure to include rich media such as an image of the product or even a short GIF to bring the message to life. Your alert should also have a shortened URL that leads directly to the product or destination page for easy access. It’s worth noting here, that “product restock alert” SMS messages are good for more than just eComm products. These kinds of SMS campaigns are also a great fit for:

• Event apps: To alert users when additional tickets for a sold-out event are released.
• Fitness or wellness apps: To inform users when spots for a popular class or session become available again.
• Education apps: To notify students when enrollment for a high-demand course reopens.
• Travel apps: To alert travelers when rooms or travel packages for popular destinations are back in stock or available again.
• Mobile games: To notify players when exclusive or high-demand in-game items are restocked or available for purchase.

Regardless of your app category, use an enthusiastic tone to convey the excitement of the product's return and create a sense of urgency for the user to act quickly.

Lastly, always segment your audience for maximum engagement. Consider targeting this message only to users who have previously shown interest in or purchased similar products, ensuring the message is relevant and enticing. You could also target subscribers who have added a specific product or service to their wishlist — these users have already demonstrated high intent to purchase in the past, and more often than not all they need is a nudge to close the deal.

5. Utilize Email Marketing to Promote SMS

The synergy between SMS and email is often overlooked because marketers tend to view them as separate channels rather than complementary ones. The relationship between these two channels is incredibly valuable because combining the immediacy and high open rates of SMS with the detailed and rich content capabilities of email creates a truly symbiotic communication strategy.

Let’s take a look at a couple ways in which SMS and email work together towards boosting user engagement.

Lifecycle Drip Campaigns

• Email: Use an email drip campaign to onboard new users or nurture leads, sending a series of informative and engaging emails over a period of time. Include tips, tutorials, and product benefits.
  
• SMS: Complement the email campaign with SMS messages at key milestones. For example, after a welcome email, send an SMS with a quick tip or a special discount code: "Welcome! Use code WELCOME10 for 10% off your first purchase. Check your email for more tips."

Event and Webinar Promotions

• Email: Send detailed invitations and follow-up emails for upcoming events, webinars, or live sessions. These emails should include all relevant information such as the agenda, speakers, registration links, and what attendees can expect to learn or gain.
  
• SMS: Use SMS to send timely reminders as the event date approaches. For instance, send an SMS reminder 24 hours before and another one an hour before the event starts. Example: "Reminder: Our webinar on 'Effective SMS Marketing Strategies' starts tomorrow at 3 PM. Don’t miss it! Check your email for details."

Rather than thinking of your different mobile marketing channels as isolated paths to engagement, it’s helpful to treat them as a single tree with certain branches better suited to certain campaigns or audiences. This holistic approach ensures consistent messaging, leverages the strengths of each channel, and builds lasting retention by meeting customers where they are with the right message at the right time.

Every Message, Every Channel, One Dashboard

OneSignal offers bulk SMS capabilities, easy-to-use automation, and MMS support to bring your text-based marketing in line with the rest of your campaigns. We encourage you to reach out to our sales team if you want to learn more about how OneSignal’s SMS support fits into your current marketing strategy.

If you prefer to jump right into OneSignal, our free account is the way to go!

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, where inboxes are flooded with countless emails, standing out can be a formidable challenge. For digital and app marketers, a well-crafted email isn’t just a tool — it's a powerful weapon that can drive engagement, boost conversions, and foster brand loyalty. But what exactly makes a marketing email successful? We'll dissect the anatomy of a winning marketing email and provide actionable tips to help you craft messages that captivate your audience and achieve your marketing goals.

Know Your Audience Inside Out

Before you even start thinking about your email's content and design, you need to understand who you're talking to. Segmenting your email list based on demographics, behavior, and preferences allows you to send highly personalized and relevant messages.

Key Considerations:

• Demographics: Knowing your audience’s age, gender, location, and income can shape your message to fit their context.
• Behavior: Analyze past interactions, purchase history, and engagement levels to predict what will catch their interest.
• Preferences: Pay attention to preferred content types (videos, articles, infographics) and how often they want to hear from you.

Craft an Irresistible Subject Line

Your subject line is your email’s first impression. It needs to grab attention and entice recipients to open the email. A successful subject line is concise, intriguing, and relevant.

Tips for Effective Subject Lines:

• Keep It Short: Aim for under 50 characters to ensure it’s fully visible on mobile devices.
• Create Urgency: Phrases like “limited time offer” or “exclusive access” can prompt immediate action.
• Personalize: Using the recipient’s name or specific details can increase open rates.
• A/B Test: Experiment with different subject lines to find out what works best for your audience. Check out our advanced A/B testing webinar video to learn how to develop a solid A/B testing framework.

Design with Precision

A visually appealing and easy-to-navigate email can make a big difference. Good design enhances readability and directs attention to the most important elements.

Essential Design Elements:

• Responsive Design: Ensure your email looks great on all devices, especially mobile. For tips on how to achieve this, check out our guide to responsive email design.
• Clear Hierarchy: Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up content and guide the reader.
• Strong Visuals: High-quality images and graphics can make your email more engaging. For more specifics, review our tips for designing and optimizing images for email.
• Consistent Branding: Use your brand’s colors, fonts, and logo to maintain a cohesive look and feel. Follow these email branding tips to create a consistent and professional brand experience.

Deliver Value with Your Content

Your email content should be valuable, relevant, and aligned with your marketing goals. The message should be clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary jargon or lengthy paragraphs.

Content Strategies:

• Personalization: Tailor content to the recipient’s interests and past interactions. Review our message personalization best practices if you're looking for a good place to start.
• Value Proposition: Clearly state the benefits of your offer or message.
• Call to Action (CTA): Include a clear and compelling CTA that directs the recipient to the next step.
• Storytelling: Use narratives to make your message more relatable and memorable.

Personalization: Go Beyond Names

Personalization goes beyond just using the recipient’s name. It involves delivering content that feels tailor-made for the individual.

Advanced Personalization Techniques:

• Dynamic Content: Use dynamic content blocks to show different content to different segments within the same email.
• Behavioral Triggers: Send emails based on user behavior, such as abandoned cart reminders or post-purchase follow-ups.
• Product Recommendations: Suggest products or services based on past purchases or browsing history.

Optimize for Deliverability

Even the most well-crafted email is useless if it doesn’t reach the recipient’s inbox. Ensuring high deliverability rates involves several technical and strategic measures. Learn more about what factors impact email deliverability and how to optimize emails to improve deliverability.

Best Practices for Deliverability:

• Clean Your List: Regularly remove inactive subscribers to maintain a healthy email list. For more step-by-step instructions, check out our guide on how to clean an email list.
• Authenticate Your Domain: Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your emails and prevent them from being marked as spam.
• Monitor Metrics: Keep an eye on bounce rates, open rates, and spam complaints to identify and address potential issues.
• Test Your Emails: Use tools to check for spam triggers and ensure your email renders correctly across different email clients.

Harness the Power of Automation

Email automation allows you to send the right message at the right time without manual intervention. This not only saves time but also ensures timely and relevant communication.

Key Automation Workflows:

• Welcome/Onboarding Series: Introduce new subscribers to your brand or app with a series of welcome and onboarding emails.
• Nurture Campaigns: Gradually move leads through the sales funnel with a sequence of educational and promotional emails.
• Re-Engagement: Win back inactive subscribers with targeted re-engagement campaigns.
• Post-Purchase: Follow up with customers after a purchase to thank them, offer support, and suggest related products.

Measure and Analyze Performance

Regularly analyzing the performance of your email campaigns helps you understand what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

Important Metrics to Track:

• Open Rate: Indicates how many recipients opened your email.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures how many recipients clicked on a link within your email.
• Conversion Rate: Tracks the percentage of recipients who completed the desired action (e.g., making a purchase).
• Bounce Rate: Shows the percentage of emails that couldn’t be delivered.
• Unsubscribe Rate: Indicates how many recipients opted out of your email list. Learn more about how to troubleshoot your unsubscribe rate.

Elevate Your Email Campaigns with OneSignal

Creating standout marketing emails is no small feat, but with OneSignal, you can streamline the process and achieve impressive results. Loved by marketers, product managers, and developers alike, our platform offers powerful tools to enhance your email strategy without overwhelming your workload.

With OneSignal, designing beautiful and effective emails is a breeze thanks to our intuitive drag-and-drop email editor. Customize your email design to reflect your brand's unique style, or effortlessly upload your existing HTML templates. Our platform’s advanced segmentation and personalization features enable you to craft messages that resonate with specific audience preferences, driving engagement and reducing unsubscribe rates.

Experience the difference yourself — try OneSignal for free and take your email marketing to the next level.

User loyalty isn't something that happens overnight or even over a month. It's earned through a continuous effort of personalized experiences, consistent value, and responsive support. Today, users have countless options at their fingertips, so they won't hesitate to switch to a competitor if their expectations aren't met.

Essentially, building loyalty hinges on showing users that you value their time and that you're dedicated to creating an experience that is personally unique to them. An omnichannel approach enhances this loyalty even further by providing a seamless experience across every touchpoint, giving users frequent, but intuitive opportunities to engage with your brand.

Loyal users are more likely to engage with your app routinely, make in-app purchases, and refer new users, increasing lifetime value and reducing churn rates. Focus on these seven strategies to go beyond weekly engagement and solidify a lasting relationship with your users.

1. Prove Your Value Early Through Personalized Onboarding

Mobile app onboarding sets the tone for the entire user experience. When people first download an app, they are often eager but cautious, looking to quickly determine if the app will meet their needs and expectations. An engaging onboarding process can immediately capture their interest and demonstrate your app's value, encouraging users to explore further. On the other hand, a confusing or tedious onboarding experience all but guarantees abandonment.

Customizing the onboarding experience for new users builds a foundation for a meaningful relationship by making each user feel valued and understood. Unlike non-personalized apps, which offer a one-size-fits-all introduction, personalized onboarding tailors the experience to individual preferences. This approach can involve asking users about their goals or preferences at the outset and then adjusting your app's tutorial, features, and recommendations accordingly. For example, a fitness app might start by asking users about their fitness levels and goals, then customize the initial setup with tailored workout plans and tips.

Take a look at MyFitnessPal's onboarding sequence — it asks users about their goals and habits upfront, reinforcing the value of their app while collecting important preferences of new users.

Onboarding can also be a perfect opportunity to personalize the user experience in smaller, intuitive ways. For instance, the sports betting app Betmate tailors their onboarding flow based on how new users enter the app (based on a signup offer for instance) so that their onboarding Journey will be tailored to that experience.

Read Betmate’s full story to find out how they achieved a 600% increase in monthly active users (MAU) using OneSignal.

2. Keep Communication Regular, But Relevant

Consistent communication through push notifications and in-app messages is essential for fostering lasting user loyalty. But be warned, “consistent” doesn’t mean constant. Mobile marketers should focus on building a living, breathing ecosystem rather than sending a swarm of one-off generic messages. Personalized interactions keep users engaged and feeling valued without causing the message fatigue associated with spammy, untargeted notifications.

Regular updates and relevant content tailored to users' interests and behaviors demonstrate that your app understands and, better yet, anticipates their needs. This dynamic communication approach can include timely reminders, exclusive offers, or curated content that enhances the user experience. This ongoing dialogue leads to increased retention and long-term loyalty.

Consider segmenting your audience based on different, specific factors such as:

Demographics

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Language

Behavior

• Purchase history
• Browsing history
• In-app behavior (e.g., features used, time spent)
• Engagement level (active vs. inactive users)

Psychographics

• Interests
• Lifestyle
• Values and beliefs

Lifecycle Stage

• New users
• Returning users
• Loyal customers
• At-risk users (those who haven't used your app recently)

Device Type

• Operating system (iOS vs. Android)
• Device model

Subscription Status

• Free users
• Paid subscribers
• Trial users

Interaction History

• Response to previous communications
• Customer support interactions
• Feedback provided

Spending Habits

• High spenders
• Low spenders
• Non-spenders

Referral Sources

• Users referred by friends
• Users from social media
• Users from advertising campaigns

3. Harness the Power of Positive Reinforcement

By rewarding users for specific actions, such as frequent usage, referrals, or in-app purchases, loyalty programs encourage consistent interaction and long-term commitment. This not only enhances user satisfaction but also drives higher retention rates and increases lifetime value.

Campaigns across multiple channels that offer personalized rewards and incentives can further boost retention rates by reaching users wherever they are most active and receptive. For example, our hypothetical fitness app may send a morning push notification at 7 AM to users with a personalized message encouraging them to start their day with a workout. Around noon, they send another push notification reminding users to log their meals or hydration.

Upon opening the app, an in-app message appears, with a personalized workout plan for the day. When users complete a workout or log their meals, an email is triggered, congratulating them and offering a reward.

By tailoring these rewards to individual user preferences and behaviors, you create a cohesive and engaging experience that keeps users returning to your app, ultimately strengthening their loyalty over time.

Seattle-based coffee payment platform, Joe, gives merchants the ability to set up online menus, web ordering, as well as automated loyalty and rewards programs for free

Read Joe’s full story for a look at how they leveraged advanced segmentation to boost their retention rate.

4. Don’t Shy Away From User Feedback

By actively soliciting feedback through surveys, in-app prompts, and social media interactions, you gain valuable insights into user preferences, pain points, and suggestions for new features. Acting on this feedback to make meaningful updates and improvements shows users that their voices are heard and that their satisfaction is a priority. This responsiveness fosters trust and a sense of community, making users feel more connected and loyal to your app as time goes on.

So what do you do once you have all that feedback?

1. Categorize Feedback: Sort user feedback into specific categories, such as usability issues, feature requests, bugs, and general comments, to identify common themes and areas needing attention.
2. Use Sentiment Analysis: Conduct a “sentiment analysis” to gauge the overall mood of user feedback, distinguishing between positive, negative, and neutral sentiments to prioritize actions.
3. Track Key Metrics: Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like user satisfaction scores, net promoter scores (NPS), and churn rates to quantitatively measure the impact of feedback-driven changes.
4. Identify Trends Over Time: Regularly review feedback trends to spot recurring issues or popular feature requests, enabling the team to focus on long-term improvements and strategic development.
5. Conduct A/B Testing: Use A/B testing to evaluate the effectiveness of changes made in response to feedback, ensuring that updates positively impact user experience and engagement.

At the end of the day, your users want to feel heard, whether the feedback is good, bad, or ugly. When users see that their feedback leads to tangible improvements and solutions, they will feel encouraged to continue using your app, confident that their experience will keep evolving to meet their needs.

5. Embrace the Omnichannel Approach

When users receive cohesive and harmonious communication from an app, it reinforces the brand's identity and reliability. Consistency in messaging ensures that users are not confused or overwhelmed by conflicting information, making their interactions with the app seamless and enjoyable. By delivering a unified experience, you create an environment where users can smoothly transition between different channels without feeling disjointed or disconnected, building earned trust in your app.

Furthermore, an omnichannel approach allows for more personalized and contextually relevant interactions — two key pillars of user retention. For instance, a user might receive a push notification about a new feature, followed by an in-app message providing detailed instructions on how to use it, and then an email summarizing their recent activity and offering tips for better engagement. Thought the campaign is all for the same event (a new feature), the user experiences a dialogue that moves with them through at their exploratory pace.

OneSignal’s no-code Journeys builder allows you to orchestrate and automated mobile messaging across all channels based on real-time triggers. By mapping out custom, drag-and-drop flows and sequencing dedicated campaigns to specific audience segments, Journeys was designed for marketers who are actively trying to become independent from time consuming engineering resources.

The above example helps illustrate what the parking space finder app, YourParkingSpace, went through before settling on using Journeys. YourParkingSpace knew that catching new users within their first 30 days was critical, but to achieve success at scale, they needed a way to automate the process.

By automating targeted push, email, and IAM campaigns within OneSignal Journeys, YourParkingSpace discovered that a multi-touchpoint approach yielded extremely impactful results. By catching customers during the onboarding process with personalized offers, auxiliary add-on services, and automated follow-up reminders, their conversion rate increased by 700% and they saw a 25% increase in the average number of bookings per customer.

Read the full YourParkingSpace story to learn more about this stellar use case!

6. Always Enable Community

Creating in-app communities and social features, along with encouraging user-generated content and peer interaction, significantly contributes to lasting user loyalty and higher app retention. When users can engage with each other, share experiences, and contribute content, they become more invested in your app and its community.

This social interaction not only makes the app more enjoyable and engaging but also creates a network effect where the value of the app increases as more users participate. Additionally, seeing peers actively using and enjoying your app can motivate users to stay engaged and return regularly.

Consider sending a push notification inviting users to participate in a social media challenge or contest. Once users open your app, reinforce the campaign with an in-app message that provides more details and encourages participation. This message can include direct links to your social media pages and instructions on how to enter the challenge.

7. Make Users Feel Special With Exclusive Content

Offering exclusive content, features, or early access to select users nurtures loyalty and increases the chances of them returning to your app by making them feel valued and privileged. When people receive special benefits that are not available to everyone, it creates a sense of exclusivity and strengthens their relationship with your brand.

These unique offerings can cater to their specific interests and needs, providing users with added value and a compelling reason to stay engaged. Over time, users will begin to look forward to discovering and utilizing these exclusive benefits, ultimately driving higher retention.

Shake Shack used geolocation data to segment subscribers located in specific cities in order to send them regional campaigns. When users in the target area launched their app, they were immediately rewarded with an exclusive special Mardi Gras King Cake Concrete, available only at the New Orleans Shake Shack location. To tease and promote the offer, they sent a teaser push notification to users within a 15-mile radius of the location.

Ready to Get Started? User Loyalty Begins With Your Messaging Provider

One in every five mobile apps chooses OneSignal to handle their mobile messaging. From simple push campaigns to cross-channel re-engagement sequences, we take pride in making engagement a more intuitive process for marketers, while delivering the API and documentation that every developer needs. See what people have to say about us by checking out our reviews, or if you’re a little more “hands-on,” create a free OneSignal account to jump in.

Even in today's mobile-first world, email remains one of the most effective channels for engaging with your audience. However, a high unsubscribe rate can be a significant concern, signaling potential issues with your email strategy. Understanding and troubleshooting your unsubscribe rate is crucial for maintaining a healthy email list and maximizing engagement. In this guide, we’ll explore the key factors that contribute to high unsubscribe rates, how to diagnose the problem, and effective strategies to reduce it.

Understanding Unsubscribe Rates

Before troubleshooting, it's important to understand an unsubscribe rate and what it signifies. The unsubscribe rate is the percentage of subscribers who opt out of your email list over a specific period (typically via an unsubscribe link). Although some level of unsubscribes is normal, a consistently high unsubscribe rate can indicate underlying issues with your email marketing strategy.

Discover best practices for managing unsubscribes in an intuitive and professional way.  

Key Factors Contributing to High Unsubscribe Rates

1. Irrelevant Content: One of the most common reasons subscribers opt-out is that the content they receive is not relevant to their interests. Sending generic or poorly targeted emails can lead to disengagement and unsubscribes.
2. Email Frequency: Sending emails too frequently can overwhelm your subscribers while sending them too infrequently can lead to disengagement. Finding the right balance is crucial. Check out our related article to find out more about the best times to send marketing emails.
3. Poor Email Design: Emails that are difficult to read, poorly formatted, or not optimized for mobile devices can frustrate subscribers and lead them to unsubscribe. Learn more about responsive email design best practices and how to format your email content to maximize success.
4. Lack of Personalization: Generic emails that do not address your subscribers' specific needs or preferences can feel impersonal and irrelevant, prompting unsubscribes.
5. Unclear Expectations: If subscribers do not know what to expect from your emails in terms of content and frequency, they might opt out when their expectations are not met.
6. Ineffective Subject Lines: Subject lines that are misleading, boring, or irrelevant can lead to low open rates and increased unsubscribes. Check out our 10 tips for writing good email subject lines and preheaders.

Troubleshooting Your Unsubscribe Rate

To effectively troubleshoot your unsubscribe rate, follow these steps:

1. Analyze Your Data: Start by examining your email marketing analytics. Look at your unsubscribe rate in relation to other key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Identify any patterns or trends, such as spikes in unsubscribes following specific campaigns.
2. Segment Your Audience: Analyze unsubscribe rates across different segments of your audience. This can help identify specific groups that are more likely to opt-out and understand their unique preferences and behaviors. Follow these email segmentation best practices to set your campaigns up for success.
3. Review Content Relevance: Assess the relevance of your email content. Are you providing value to your subscribers? Ensure that your emails are tailored to the interests and needs of your audience. Conduct surveys or ask for feedback to better understand what your subscribers want.
4. Evaluate Email Frequency: Review your email sending frequency. Use A/B testing to experiment with different frequencies and identify what works best for your audience. Ensure you are not overwhelming your subscribers with too many emails.
5. Assess Email Design: Evaluate the design and readability of your emails. Make sure your emails are visually appealing, well-formatted, and optimized for mobile devices. Use responsive design to ensure a positive experience on all devices.
6. Improve Personalization: Leverage data to personalize your emails. Use your subscribers' names, tailor content to their preferences, and segment your list to deliver more targeted messages.
7. Set Clear Expectations: Ensure your subscribers know what to expect when they sign up. Clearly communicate the type of content they will receive and how often they will hear from you. Setting clear expectations and creating user preference centers to honor those expectations can reduce the likelihood of unsubscribes.
8. Refine Subject Lines: Craft compelling and relevant subject lines that accurately reflect the content of your emails. A/B test different subject lines to see which ones resonate best with your audience.

Email Troubleshooting Examples

Company A - Content Relevance

• Problem: Company A noticed a spike in unsubscribes following their monthly newsletters.
• Solution: They conducted a survey to understand subscriber interests and preferences. Based on the feedback, they segmented their list and tailored content to different audience segments.
• Result: The unsubscribe rate dropped by 25%, and engagement metrics improved across all segments.

Company B - Email Frequency

• Problem: Company B had a high unsubscribe rate due to frequent email blasts.
• Solution: They implemented A/B testing to determine the optimal email frequency. They found that sending bi-weekly emails instead of weekly resulted in higher engagement and lower unsubscribe rates.
• Result: The unsubscribe rate decreased by 30%, and open rates increased by 15%.

Company C - Email Design

• Problem: Company C received complaints about their emails being difficult to read on mobile devices.
• Solution: They redesigned their email templates using responsive design principles, ensuring a better user experience on all devices.
• Result: Mobile open rates increased by 20%, and the unsubscribe rate dropped by 10%.

Best Practices for Reducing Unsubscribe Rates

1. Provide Value: Ensure every email provides value to your subscribers. Whether it’s educational content, exclusive offers, or important updates, make sure your emails are worth their time.
2. Ask for Feedback: Regularly ask your subscribers for feedback on your emails. This can provide valuable insights into what they like and dislike, helping you improve your content and strategy.
3. Use a Preference Center: Allow subscribers to manage their email preferences via a preference center. Giving them control over the types of emails they receive and the frequency can reduce the likelihood of unsubscribes.
4. Monitor Competitors: Monitor your competitors' activities. Analyze their email strategies to identify potential improvements for your own campaigns.
5. Stay Compliant: Always adhere to email marketing laws and regulations. Make it easy for subscribers to opt-out if they choose to, and respect their preferences.
6. Regularly Clean Your List: Periodically clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers. This can help improve engagement metrics and reduce the likelihood of unsubscribes from uninterested recipients.

Optimize Your Email Unsubscribe Management with OneSignal

OneSignal can help you effectively manage your email campaigns and reduce unsubscribe rates. Loved by marketers, product managers, and developers alike, we offer an array of powerful tools to enhance your email strategy without burdening your workload.

With OneSignal, you can easily create beautiful and effective emails using the intuitive drag-and-drop email editor. Customize your email design to fit your brand's style, or upload your existing HTML templates to hit the ground running. Our platform also provides advanced segmentation and personalization features, allowing you to tailor your messages to specific audience preferences and drive engagement. Try our platform for free to experience the difference yourself.

Mobile marketing should never be a performance — but rather, a conversation. The moment that brands understand this deceptively simple philosophy, is the moment their engagement strategies open up to an entire new landscape of possibilities.

One strategy that continues to gain traction is SMS text marketing. As mobile usage skyrockets, SMS marketing presents unique opportunities and challenges for mobile marketers that are much different than navigating the world of in-app messages or push notifications. If you’re on the fence about SMS as a messaging channel or unclear about where text marketing fits within your omnichannel engagement strategy, here is a breakdown of what to look out for.

If you’re ready to jump into omnichannel engagement with SMS right now, we suggest starting with this retention guide.

The Rewards of SMS Marketing

High Open Rates

Perhaps the most compelling reason to incorporate SMS marketing into your strategy is its impressive open rate. In fact, 97% of texts are read within 15 minutes. This means your messages are almost guaranteed to be seen, providing an excellent opportunity for immediate engagement.

When users frequently open and interact with SMS communications, they remain informed about your latest updates, exclusive offers, and personalized content, fostering a sense of connection and loyalty to your brand. This regular engagement helps to build a habit of attention and response to your messages, reinforcing the value of your offerings and maintaining a strong, ongoing relationship.

Immediate Delivery and Response

SMS messages are typically delivered within seconds and often read within minutes. This immediacy is tailor-made for time-sensitive promotions, urgent alerts, and reminders. Whether you're announcing a flash sale or reminding customers of an appointment, SMS ensures your message is received and acted upon promptly.

You may run SMS flash sales, where limited-time discounts are offered exclusively via text, encouraging quick purchases and driving a sense of urgency. Geotargeting is another creative approach, where brands send personalized, location-based offers when customers are near a physical store, enticing them to visit and make a purchase on the spot. SMS can also be used for interactive campaigns, such as polls or quizzes, where customers can respond instantly, fostering engagement and providing valuable insights into customer preferences.

Direct and Personal

SMS marketing allows for a direct and personal line of communication with your customers. Unlike the email inbox, which can be cluttered with various messages, SMS is typically reserved for more personal and urgent communications. This makes it an ideal channel for fostering a closer relationship with your audience.

Transactional messages, including order confirmations, shipping notifications, and appointment reminders, provide timely and relevant information that customers appreciate, improving their overall experience and trust in your brand. Additionally, customer service communications, such as support updates or satisfaction surveys, leverage the personal touch of SMS to resolve issues promptly and gather feedback, fostering a sense of attentiveness that is hard to conjure through other channels.

High Engagement Rates

With the high open rates and the personal nature of SMS, engagement rates are often higher compared to other marketing channels. Customers are more likely to click on links, respond to messages, and take the desired action. This makes SMS marketing highly effective for driving conversions and customer interactions.

For example, a semi-regular SMS reminder about an in-app event or special offer can drive users to engage with your app more frequently than simply sending one-off reminders. Similarly, SMS can serve as a prompt for users to check their email for more detailed content or visit social media for community interactions and updates. This synergistic approach leverages the strengths of each channel, creating a cohesive and engaging experience that keeps users consistently interacting with your brand across multiple touchpoints.

Cost-Effective

Compared to other forms of marketing, SMS can be relatively cost-effective, especially when considering its high open and engagement rates. The ROI on SMS campaigns can be significant, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes. This affordability enables even small businesses to compete effectively, reach their audience promptly, and allocate more resources to other essential areas of their marketing strategy.

Learn how to improve the ROI of your SMS to fully take advantage of this channel.

The Risks of SMS Marketing

Regulatory Compliance

One of the biggest challenges in SMS marketing is ensuring compliance with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the United States or the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Non-compliance can lead to hefty fines and legal issues. Marketers must ensure they have explicit consent from recipients and provide an easy opt-out option.

For example, the TCPA in the United States requires businesses to obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending them promotional SMS messages. In 2019, the retail giant J.C. Penney faced a class-action lawsuit for allegedly sending unsolicited promotional text messages without proper consent. The company ended up agreeing to a settlement of $6 million.

For a full overview of SMS guidelines, view our SMS Compliance Guide to learn more.

Message Fatigue

While SMS is a powerful tool, overuse can lead to message fatigue. Bombarding customers with too many messages can result in them unsubscribing from your list. It’s crucial to strike a balance and ensure that each message provides value to the recipient.

Customers typically sign up for SMS notifications because they value the immediacy and convenience of receiving timely updates, not because they want a new, daily texting buddy. To avoid messaging fatigue, segment your audience and tailor the frequency and content of messages to match their preferences and behaviors.

For instance, sending fewer but highly relevant and personalized messages to active customers can maintain their engagement without overwhelming them, thus preventing unsubscribes and maintaining a positive relationship with your brand.

Limited Message Length

SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, which can be a constraint for marketers used to crafting longer content. This requires messages to be concise and to the point, ensuring that every word counts. Crafting effective short-form content can be challenging but is essential for success.

SMS marketers must prioritize essential details in their notifications such as their call-to-action, and any necessary contact information, while cutting out any “fluffy” marketing copy normally included in campaigns over email.

Our guide on writing effective SMS marketing texts will get you pointed in the right direction.

Privacy Concerns

Given the personal nature of SMS, privacy concerns are paramount. Customers expect their data to be protected and used responsibly. Any breach of trust, such as selling data to third parties without consent, can damage your brand's reputation and lead to customer attrition.

Always ensure that you have explicit consent, or opt-in, from customers before sending them SMS marketing messages. Along those lines, provide easy opt-out mechanisms for customers who wish to stop receiving SMS messages, ensuring that opt-out requests are processed immediately.

Technical Issues

Deliverability can sometimes be affected by technical issues, such as carrier restrictions or message filtering. Carrier restrictions, which vary across providers, can impose limitations on message length, content types, and delivery rates, complicating the uniformity and reliability of campaign execution.

Meanwhile, message filtering algorithms designed to combat spam can inadvertently flag legitimate marketing messages, reducing their visibility or causing them to be blocked altogether. Mobile marketers must conduct thorough testing across multiple carriers to ensure compliance with varying restrictions and optimizing message content to avoid triggering spam filters.

SMS Marketing in the Omnichannel Ecosystem

It’s important to note that SMS marketing doesn't exist in isolation, and therefor its risk and rewards should be considered in the larder, omnichannel ecosystem. Even with its inherent risks, SMS is a crucial component of any effective omnichannel marketing strategy.

Here’s how SMS can fit into your larger messaging ecosystem:

Complementing Email Marketing

While email marketing is great for detailed content and visuals, SMS is perfect for quick updates and immediate calls to action. Combining both can enhance your marketing efforts. For instance, an email can provide in-depth information about a sale, while an SMS can serve as a timely reminder.

Enhancing Customer Service

SMS can be an excellent tool for customer service, providing quick answers to customer inquiries and real-time updates on issues like delivery status or appointment reminders. This immediacy can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Integrating with Mobile Apps

For businesses with mobile apps, SMS can drive app engagement by sending personalized notifications, special offers, or reminders to use the app. This integration ensures that your mobile strategy is cohesive and creates a unified experience between your other mobile channels like in-app messaging and push.

Boosting Social Media Campaigns

SMS can complement social media campaigns by driving traffic to your social media pages, promoting special social media contests, or offering exclusive deals to your SMS subscribers. This cross-channel promotion can boost your overall marketing effectiveness.

Supporting Offline Campaigns

SMS can bridge the gap between online and offline campaigns. For example, sending an SMS with a discount code that can be redeemed in-store creates a seamless customer journey from digital touchpoints to physical locations.

A More Intuitive User Experience With OneSignal

With careful planning and a focus on providing value, SMS marketing can be a serious difference-maker in your mobile marketing arsenal – and there’s no reason it needs to be difficult to implement.

OneSignal allows teams to create personalized, automated SMS (and MMS) messaging sequences at scale, straight from the dashboard. And when you’re ready to combine SMS with your other channels, our cross-channel builder, Journeys, lets you drag, drop, and set triggers for the ultimate engagement campaign.

SMS marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their audience directly and drive meaningful results. When executed strategically, SMS campaigns can yield impressive returns on investment (ROI) by reaching customers effectively and prompting immediate action. Below is some guidance on how to enhance your SMS marketing ROI.

Segment Your Audience

Effective audience segmentation is the foundation of successful SMS marketing. Divide your subscribers into specific groups based on demographics, behavior, location, purchase history, or other criteria that's relevant to your unique customer journey. This allows you to send targeted messages that are relevant to each segment, increasing the chances of engagement and conversion. For example, you can segment based on past purchase behavior to send tailored promotions or based on location to announce local events or offers.

Personalize Your Messages

Message personalization is key to capturing attention and fostering a connection with your audience. Use the recipient's name and customize content based on their preferences or past interactions. Tailored messages make subscribers feel valued and can lead to higher conversion rates. Incorporate dynamic content that adapts to each recipient's profile, such as including their recent purchase history or recommended products based on their browsing behavior.

Craft Compelling CTAs

A strong call-to-action (CTA) is essential for driving action from your SMS campaigns. Clearly state what you want the recipient to do, whether it's visiting a website, redeeming a discount, or signing up for an event. Use concise language and create a sense of urgency to prompt immediate response. For example, use phrases like "Limited time offer - shop now!" or "Exclusive discount for you - claim yours today!"

Be Mindful of Timing and Frequency

Timing plays a crucial role in SMS marketing success. Send messages at times when your audience is likely to be receptive, avoiding early mornings or late nights. Use data analytics to determine the optimal times for engagement based on past open rates and customer behavior. Be mindful of the frequency of your messages to avoid overwhelming subscribers and risking opt-outs. Experiment with different cadences and monitor performance closely to find the right balance.

Offer Exclusive Deals and Promotions

Use SMS to deliver exclusive deals, promotions, or limited-time offers to your subscribers. Make them feel special by providing discounts they can't find elsewhere. This incentivizes engagement and encourages recipients to take action. Include unique promo codes or links that track conversions attributed to your SMS campaigns, allowing you to measure the direct impact on ROI.

Integrate SMS with Other Channels

Create a seamless omnichannel experience by integrating SMS with other marketing channels. Coordinate SMS campaigns with email marketing, social media, or in-app notifications to reinforce your message and maximize reach. Cross-promotion enhances brand visibility and boosts overall campaign performance. For example, send a follow-up email with more details after sending a teaser SMS about an upcoming sale.

Measure and Analyze Results

Regularly track and analyze key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI. Use this data to optimize your campaigns, identify what works best for your audience, and make data-driven decisions for future SMS marketing efforts. Experiment with different approaches and iterate based on performance insights to continually improve your ROI.

Maintain Compliance and Respect User Preferences

Ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and obtain explicit consent from subscribers before sending SMS messages. Provide clear opt-out instructions and respect user preferences regarding message frequency and content. Building trust and respecting privacy is crucial for maintaining a positive brand image and fostering long-term customer relationships.

Test and Iterate

Continuously test different elements of your SMS campaigns, including message content, CTAs, timing, and frequency. Use A/B testing to compare variations and refine your approach based on performance insights. Iterative improvements lead to higher ROI over time as you optimize your messaging strategy to resonate with your audience more effectively.

Use a Reliable SMS Marketing Platform

Choosing a reputable SMS marketing platform like OneSignal can help streamline campaign management and ensure deliverability. OneSignal makes it easy to orchestrate your cross-channel messaging from one easy-to-use dashboard. With intuitive built-in features for audience engagement, optimization, automation, and omnichannel campaign management, OneSignal makes it easy to customize and scale your engagement strategy to drive better results.

In today's competitive digital landscape, leveraging social media is crucial for promoting and growing your mobile app. With billions of active users across various platforms, social media offers a powerful avenue to reach your target audience, increase app downloads, and foster engagement. Here are eight effective strategies to harness social media's potential and propel your app's growth.

1. Create Compelling Content

Craft engaging and visually appealing content that highlights the unique features and benefits of your app. Use a mix of images, videos, and infographics to showcase its value proposition. Share user testimonials, behind-the-scenes peeks, and tutorial videos to demonstrate how your app solves specific problems. Regularly update your content to keep followers engaged and informed about new app updates or features.

2. Optimize Your Social Profiles

Ensure your social media profiles are fully optimized to reflect your app's branding and message. Use high-quality images for profile and cover photos, include a clear description with relevant keywords, and provide a link to download your app prominently. Consistency in branding across platforms builds trust and recognition. Use targeted hashtags related to your app's niche to increase discoverability.

3. Run Contests and Giveaways

Organize contests or giveaways on social media to create buzz around your app. Encourage users to participate by sharing their experiences or referring friends to download the app. Offer enticing rewards such as free premium features or exclusive merchandise to incentivize engagement and app installs. Leverage user-generated content (UGC) from the contests to showcase community involvement and build social proof.

4. Collaborate with Influencers

Partner with influencers or micro-influencers in your niche to amplify your app's visibility. Identify influencers whose audience aligns with your target market and collaborate on sponsored content, reviews, or live demos. Influencer endorsements can significantly boost app awareness and credibility. Provide influencers with exclusive access to your app or special promotions to encourage authentic reviews and recommendations.

5. Utilize App Install Ads

Invest in social media advertising campaigns specifically designed to drive app installs. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X offer robust targeting options to reach users who are likely to be interested in your app. Optimize ad creatives with compelling visuals and clear calls-to-action to maximize conversions. Track ad performance metrics such as cost per install (CPI) and adjust targeting based on insights from A/B testing.

Check out our guide on how to calculate customer acquisition costs (CAC) for mobile apps.

6. Engage with User Feedback

Monitor social media channels for user feedback, reviews, and comments related to your app. Respond promptly to inquiries, address concerns, and show appreciation for positive feedback. Demonstrating active engagement builds trust and encourages user loyalty. Implement feedback-driven updates and feature enhancements based on user suggestions to improve the overall app experience.

7. Implement User-Generated Content (UGC)

Encourage users to create and share content related to your app. Feature user-generated testimonials, reviews, or creative uses of your app on your social media profiles. UGC not only showcases authentic experiences but also extends your app's reach to new audiences through social sharing. Develop interactive campaigns that encourage users to share their stories or experiences with your app and reward them for their participation.

8. Host Live Q&A Sessions

Organize live Q&A sessions on platforms like Instagram Live or Facebook Live to interact directly with your audience. Answer questions about your app's features, updates, and future plans. Live sessions humanize your brand and foster a sense of community among users. Promote upcoming Q&A sessions in advance to maximize attendance and engagement. Repurpose live session recordings as evergreen content to reach a wider audience over time.

Enhancing User Engagement Beyond Social Media

While social media is a powerful tool for app promotion and user acquisition, an effective messaging strategy is essential for sustaining user engagement and maximizing lifetime value (LTV). Beyond social media, leverage push notifications, in-app messages, email campaigns, Live Activities, and text messages to maintain ongoing communication with your app users. Personalize messages based on user behavior and preferences to deliver relevant updates, promotions, and reminders. By integrating messaging channels with your social media efforts, you can create a cohesive user experience that reinforces brand awareness and encourages recurring app usage.

Unlock More Engagement Opportunities with OneSignal

Unlock the full potential of personalized messaging and increase engagement across all channels with OneSignal. Our platform is designed to streamline messaging while enhancing personalization and automation, without adding complexity to your existing tech stack. Whether your focus is on web or mobile, OneSignal offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including in-app messaging, push notifications, email campaigns, bulk SMS, and support for iOS Live Activities. Meet rising customer expectations and drive app growth with OneSignal's versatile and user-friendly platform. Start your journey toward enhanced messaging performance and elevated customer engagement today!

Marketers and developers can create nearly anything with enough time and resources — everything but more time. At OneSignal, we know better than most how much of a blessing or curse just a few hours can be in either direction.

Delays in mobile messaging implementation can result in missed opportunities for engagement, technical landmines, and stalled revenue generation. We’ve put together a list of the five best places to get value out of OneSignal the fastest to help you start delivering targeted messaging campaigns efficiently and with the greatest impact.

1. Start Creating Segments

After adding your app to OneSignal and setting up your channels, you’ll want to use our segments builder to target your users with hyper-personalized and relevant messages.

Apps that segment their audience earn 57% higher engagement rates than those that don’t.
- 2024 State of Customer Engagement Report

In the OneSignal dashboard there are two primary steps to creating effective segments: adding a filter and adding a clause.

Your filter dictates various criteria for sorting your audience such as:

• First session
• Last session
• Session type
• Purchased item
• App version
• Custom user data tags
• And many more

For example, to target only users who have been inactive for over 10 days, you would create a filter for “Last session, greater than, 240 hours.”

You can then use “And” clauses to create additional segmentation criteria to combine with your filters or an “OR” clause to combine several filters that are independent of one another.

Finally, use these segmentation best practices to skip the guesswork and get straight to boosting retention:

• Focus on first-party data — With third-party cookies actively phasing out, first-party data is more important than ever for ethically collecting customer information to use for targeting. App analytics are a goldmine for this!
• Use OneSignal’s built-in Segments — Our pre-built segments for subscribed users, engaged users, active users, and inactive users were tailor-made for you to hit the ground running, whether you’re segmenting for individual campaigns or automated Journeys.
• CSV data tag upload — You can add, remove, and update data tags straight from your own CSVs. Check our requirements, along with a step-by-step guide, to learn more.

For a full walkthrough of OneSignal Segments, view our documentation page which includes all filter types and additional segmentation options.

2. Get Onboard With Onboarding Now, Not Later

Mobile user onboarding is perhaps the most visible and influential component of your omnichannel messaging strategy, making it a top priority whether you are just getting started with OneSignal as a new sender or if you’re transitioning from a previous provider.

Apps that send onboarding messages report a 56.25% higher DAU/MAU Ratio on average than apps that don’t.
- 2024 State of Customer Engagement Report

By providing new users with a cohesive and consistent experience across email, SMS, in-app messages, and push notifications, you encourage feature adoption from the get-go and nurture user retention to eventually grow into monthly active users (MAU).

As a bonus, a well-designed onboarding sequence allows you to gather valuable data on user preferences and behaviors early on, giving all future communications a much more targeted approach to earning conversions.

Use these best practices to ensure your onboarding sequences gain traction quickly without the need for heavy, corrective optimizations later.

Personalize Your First Impression

Your app onboarding sequence should be divided and personalized according to multiple audience segments for optimal engagement. By addressing specific user personas and addressing potential pain points before they occur, you create a more gratifying experience that serves as a strong foundation for high user lifetime value (LTV). Here are a few effective onboarding personalization criteria to kickstart your segmentation efforts:

• Demographics (age, gender, location)
• Progress (new users vs. abandoned onboarding users)
• Device (iOS vs. Android, smartphone vs. tablet)
• Source of acquisition (organic vs. paid, referral vs. marketing campaign)

Set Yourself Up For More Push Opt-Ins

As we mentioned above, onboarding should be a proactive practice for your engagement strategy. This is a perfect opportunity to get in front of the native iOS permission prompt for iPhone users and provide your own dedicated soft prompt.

Users are much more likely to subscribe to your push notifications if they are reassured that they won’t be spammed with irrelevant alerts all day. By adding a “pre-permission” soft prompt within your onboarding flow, you create an opportunity to give wary users critical context for how opting into your notifications will actually improve their experience with your app.

This also works for other device permissions such as Bluetooth, camera, and location enablement.

Streamline the Registration Process

If your onboarding flow includes an account registration sequence, simplify the process by minimizing the number of required fields and leveraging social media sign-in options where possible. Onboarding is a place to focus on capturing essential user information needed to personalize messaging, such as users’ names and email addresses—any additional information can be gathered later.

As you’re trying to get started fast, this approach maximizes the potential for immediate impact and ROI as you avoid the delays associated with lengthy registration processes. By streamlining the registration process, you avoid an extremely common area of new user friction and churn while facilitating rapid engagement with your app's core features.

3. Consolidating Campaigns into a Sequenced, Automated Flow

Journeys is OneSignal’s automated, drag-and-drop messaging builder that allows you to sequence some pretty incredible cross-channel flows for virtually any type of campaign.

For anyone new to OneSignal, centralizing your customer data and consolidating individual campaigns into dedicated Journeys is the most effective way to save time. Journeys requires no coding experience and allows you to automate messaging based on real-time triggers instead of relying on manually created campaigns over and over.

Apps that use Journeys have 13.6% higher average 30-day retention rates.
- 2024 State of Customer Engagement Report

Some examples of successful cross-channel Journeys include:

• New user onboarding — Catching users while their interest is fresh with to-do tasks designed to build loyalty.
• Re-engaging at-risk users — Targeting previously regular users who haven’t opened your app in the last week.
• Retaining successfully re-engaged users — Using targeted, follow-up notifications containing different messaging depending on users’ free vs. paid status.
• Abandoned offer recovery — Sending personalized reminders encouraging the completion of stalled conversions.

Keep in mind, that this is only a sampling of Journeys’ versatility. We encourage you to experiment with different Journeys use cases to discover the best way to retain your particular users.

4. Embrace Experimentation With A/B Testing

Oftentimes, the best route for feedback is the most direct. By systematically A/B testing different variations of messaging content, delivery times, and channels, you can quickly identify the most effective approaches for engaging your target audience across multiple touchpoints.

With A/B testing, you effectively expedite the learning curve, enhance campaign performance, and achieve meaningful results in a shorter timeframe, ultimately driving greater ROI. Our 2024 State of Customer Engagement Report found that A/B testing push notifications led to a 16% improvement in engagement on average.

When A/B testing with OneSignal, here are a few things to keep in your back pocket to help you get the best results.

Balancing Your Test Audience

Ensure your test audience is large enough to obtain reliable results, while still leaving room for a portion of your audience to receive your “winning” variant. OneSignal sets your test audience to 25% by default, but this percentage may need to be increased based on how many variants you are testing, as test variants are split evenly amongst your target audience.

If you are testing two variants of a message for 50% of your audience, 25% will receive variant A and 25% will receive variant B. A message with five variants will mean that each variant will go to a 10% portion of your test audience.

Come Prepared

Before you begin your A/B testing, ensure that you’ve sent a “baseline” version of your message without any test variables. Track the results of this control message, as it will directly inform how successful your future test variables are performing.

From these benchmark results, you can create a hypothesis detailing what you hope to achieve from your A/B tests and what you predict will happen. Both of these give you a clearer understanding of how your messaging variables affect performance.

Stay Consistent

While testing different messaging variations, ensure consistency in other elements such as branding, tone of voice, and visual design. Maintaining consistency across messaging variations helps isolate the impact of specific changes and makes sure your results accurately reflect the effectiveness of each variation in engaging users and driving desired outcomes.

Without consistency, it's challenging to determine whether differences in results are due to the messaging variations themselves or other factors such as branding or tone of voice. This ambiguity can lead to misleading conclusions and wasted time spent analyzing inconclusive results.

5. Intelligent Delivery — The Helping Hand You Didn’t Know You Needed

While the effectiveness of your notifications depends on various factors, perhaps none is more important than timing. Catching your users’ attention when they’re most likely to be receptive to you is no easy task, especially when navigating busy schedules, multiple timezones, and the increasing nuisance of irrelevant mobile alerts that we’ve all grown accustomed to. As a sender, we know you need a better way to predict and capitalize on the “magic moment” when your users will engage with your messaging.

OneSignal’s Intelligent Delivery functions as exactly that magic moment detector we’re talking about, on a per-user basis. Whenever one of your users opens your site or app with our SDK, OneSignal tracks their session time. This means that, when enabled, Intelligent Delivery will automatically send your notifications depending on when users are most likely to open them.

Using intelligent Delivery has been proven to perform 39% better than notifications that are manually scheduled to be sent later, but that doesn’t mean you should use this feature for every single send. If your notifications are time-dependent, such as urgent communications or timezone-optimized alerts, we recommend scheduling accordingly.

We Believe in a Value-First Approach to Messaging

OneSignal was built to give developers the resources they need and the convenient campaign management that marketers love. If you’re an existing OneSignal user looking for more of the best ways to utilize our tools, take a look at our tools and templates where we have content collections, free interactive sheets, and custom checklists to explore.

If you’re interested in learning more about OneSignal, we encourage you to schedule a live demo with us or better yet, create your own account for free and dive right in.