Apple Lets Apps Send Ads As Push Notifications: Just The Facts

Apple has updated its App Store Review Guidelines, now allowing apps to send ads as push notifications. The change comes with a required opt-in, but it could provide another outlet for brands to engage consumers effectively. 

How Can Digital Marketers Make Apple Push Notifications Work For Them?

Like for all other advertising, keeping push notifications relevant to the person receiving them should increase engagement and conversions. However, according to Mobile Marketer, “mobile push notifications have an open rate of only 5% because of clutter.” So the first thing brands need to do, if they want their push notifications to get noticed, is stand out from all the other alerts users get on their phones regularly. Additionally, avoiding excessive push notifications could decrease the amount of app deletions.

Do Apple Push Notifications Require User Opt Ins?

Yes, Apple app users must opt in for push notifications. From the Apple guidelines, “Push notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app’s UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages.” The benefit of opt-in for marketers is the willingness of a self-selecting group to receive the messages and, ideally, engage with them. 

Why Is Apple Letting Apps Send Advertising As Push Notifications?

Antitrust regulators are watching the big four closely, and any unfair market advantages could add fuel to the fire of ongoing investigations. Insiders speculate that Apple allowing apps to send ads as push notifications levels the playing field, taking some of the advantage away from Apple, which controls the App Store and previously sent out its own push notifications that looked like ads.

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