There are ever-increasing concerns over data security, especially for apps kids use. Since the FTC clarified that push notification tokens used to send notifications to US child users are considered personal information, all apps kids used in the US have to use parental consent flows to send push notifications.
By incorporating edge computing into the design of a push notification SDK, it's possible to cut out the necessity of a cloud storage center, and not require the parental consent flow.
Data analysis for segmentation will occur on the device itself within the app, with push notifications then being delivered locally by the app itself on the edge rather than sent out from the centralized cloud, and avoiding the collection of personal information.
By cutting out the roundtrip path to centralized servers, we can also create a more direct, agile flow of data—with the ability to communicate and respond to data triggers in true real-time.
Edge computing can provide more ways to communicate with users without sacrificing privacy, and these can be provided in highly context-sensitive ways, with messages for the exact moment on a person-to-person basis.
For example, a person can receive a discount code for an In-App Purchase (IAP) to help complete a level of a game they just failed to complete. The code can be delivered by the app to that specific player using machine learning on device-data to deliver when they are at home, and have just unlocked their phone – without any user or device data ever leaving the user's device.
Another significant advantage of this on-device approach is the significant reduction of cloud costs given the reduction of data collection, cloud side processing and cloud side sending of push notifications for every user and user data scenario.
Appropriate results data can still be aggregated to evaluate the key metrics in the push notification funnel including delivery, click through and goal completion, leading to ongoing optimisation of push notifications and the balancing of increasing mobile engagement and retention without annoying users through a bad user experience.
When done right, app messaging provides value to both customer and mobile app. If someone receives a notification tailored to their needs and interests that will have great impact, but personalisation is a delicate balancing game.
If done badly – they will feel harassed, and may pull back from further engagement. When done right, push notifications should put the user first, using their personal data to tailor an experience that drives engagement and motivates click-through.
It is often said that we're living in the golden age of video. With endless content on YouTube and other platforms monopolising our attention – at the moment, there is more Emmy-worthy content at our fingertips than we could watch in a lifetime – competing for user interaction seems like a daunting task.
This is where going that extra step to provide well-written, feature-rich content really pays off. Is your video entertaining? Is it contextually relevant to the user's needs? Does the text use emojis effectively? Does it pique their interest enough for them to engage and come back to your mobile app?
With standard notifications garnering a disappointing 4% click-through rate among users, apps need to take every advantage they can get to distinguish themselves from the crush.
OpenBack: A Unique Solution to Key Stumbling Blocks
Every app utilizing push notifications is going to have to address these issues in some way or another, and there are few solutions out there to choose from. But when it comes to providing the best push notification campaigns, custom-made for each device user based on their device-side data in a data privacy compliant way, OpenBack stands apart from the noise.
Trusted by many leading apps and with major brands such as DreamWorks and Ultimate Rugby among the clientele, OpenBack provides a multi-language platform to launch smart-push notifications. With a machine learning-based platform, you can be confident that your notifications will reach their destination 100% of the time, which will more than double user click-through rates.
With our edge-computing and machine-learning technology, your app will have full control of delivering push notifications, rather than users receiving notification blasts at random moments from a cloud server. The tiny OpenBack SDK is easy to integrate and use, and you'll be able to measure and manage your push notifications even after delivery, to keep your communications relevant and accurate.
