Forrester recently released a report on the future of push notifications (those messages that apps send to your mobile device).
“Moving forward, we expect to see push notifications integrated as a core component of any direct marketing and relationship program.”
That goes for mobile devices, but also for all of the other connected devices like TVs, cars, and game consoles. Two TV operators are planning to launch push notifications soon.
Push notifications are seen by mobile marketers as the holy grail. They’re inexpensive, very measurable, highly targeted, less interruptive than SMS, and harder to lose than an email. All of this leads to a high marketing ROI.
But push notifications can also be annoying as all hell.
Irrelevant, non-targeted push notifications can drive consumers as crazy as the guy in this cartoon. Push marketing is a powerful marketing tool, but it can easily be abused. Brands should tread carefully.
Brent Hieggelke, CMO at Urban Airship, wrote a useful article on the difference between “good push” and “bad push”. Brands like Airbnb and Rue La La are successfully using push notifications to connect with their audiences in meaningful and effective ways.
Ultimately, as with all marketing tools, brands need to realize that communicating with an audience is a privilege. Just because consumers automatically opted in to push notifications doesn’t mean a brand has earned that privilege. If a brand is going to interrupt a consumer with a marketing message, that message had better be worth it (not just to the brand, but to the consumer).
(Marketoonist Monday: I’m giving away a signed print of this week’s cartoon. Just share an insightful comment to this week’s post by 5:00 PST on Monday. Thanks!)