Push notifications
Best practices and strategy in banking apps
#push notifications
#mobile banking
#user engagement
#personalization
#timing
#content strategy
#re-engagement
#UX writing
#discovery
Summary

Research contains industry best practices for implementing push notifications in mobile banking applications. Technical specifications for iOS and Android are provided alongside guidelines for call-to-action clarity, frequency management, and relevance. Results suggest avoiding intrusive or irrelevant notifications, optimizing opt-in flows, and leveraging in-app controls to enhance user experience.

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Conducted in February 2023.

Key takeaways
  • Push notifications are most effective when timely, relevant, and actionable - delivering clear value to the user
  • Overuse or irrelevant content significantly increases opt-outs and churn
  • Personalization boosts engagement by up to 259%, with segmented messaging lifting open and click-through rates by ~83%
  • Best engagement windows are 18:00–22:00 (peak ~20:00) and noon for re-engagement flows
  • Soft pre-permission prompts improve opt-in rates (iOS +50%, Android +15%)
  • In-app notification controls improve trust and allow users to customize experience
Scope and goal

Research reviews competitor practices and industry recommendations for push notifications in mobile banking apps, focusing on how to balance user engagement with non-intrusiveness.
Goal: To identify optimal strategies for content, timing, frequency, and personalization that enhance trust, encourage app usage, and improve overall customer experience.

Methods
  • Competitor Analysis: Examined notification strategies from leading banking and fintech apps
  • Best Practice Review: Synthesized findings from UX, marketing, and product design literature
  • Platform Specification Analysis: Reviewed iOS 15 and Android 12 native notification capabilities and constraints
Results

Effective notification types:

  • Transactional updates: Real-time payment and account changes to drive utility
  • Security alerts: Clear, urgent CTAs linked to exact in-app location
  • Major account updates: Statement reminders, card expirations, account openings
  • Financial planning: Pushes linked to resources and advisory services

Content guidelines:

  • Use clear CTAs, short headlines, and templates (+17% engagement)
  • Avoid jargon; make intent scannable
  • Deep links reduce friction and improve conversion

Avoid:

  • Immediate opt-in requests without context
  • Notification bursts or irrelevant content
  • Complicated opt-out flows

Personalisation:

  • Base content on lifecycle stage, preferences, and behaviors
  • Time messages at natural breakpoints in user activity

Technical Specs:

  • iOS: Title 25–50 chars, message ≤150 chars, up to 4 actions, 1:1 rich media
  • Android: Title ≤50 chars, message ≤150 chars, large image 2:1, up to 3 actions

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You can see screens from competitor analysis in full results.

See full results