Push message design

The 3‑second rule

Users decide whether to tap or dismiss in under three seconds. Lead with the value, not the feature. A push notification is not a changelog entry — it is an invitation.

Timing windows

Respect local time zones. The highest open rates cluster around 10:00–11:00 and 14:00–15:00 local time on weekdays. Weekends before 10:00 perform worst across all verticals.

For transactional messages (export complete, payment confirmed), send immediately. For engagement nudges, batch into the next optimal window rather than firing on the event itself.

Segmentation before copy

A perfectly written message sent to the wrong cohort is spam. Segment by:

• Last active date (active, at‑risk, dormant)
• Plan tier (free, pro, enterprise)
• Feature adoption (has used exports, has not)
• Device platform (iOS push limits differ from Android)

Copy structure

Title: 30–40 characters. Body: 90–120 characters. Use sentence case — title case reads like an alarm. Include exactly one call‑to‑action verb (Download, Open, Review, Try). Never use “Click here.”

Deep‑link hygiene

Every push must land on a screen that fulfills the promise made in the notification body. If the message says “Your report is ready,” the deep link opens the report — not the dashboard home. Broken expectations train users to mute.

Opt‑out rate as KPI

Track opt‑out rate per campaign. If it exceeds 2%, pause and inspect: frequency too high, segmentation too broad, or copy misaligned with user intent. A healthy push channel loses under 1% of subscribers per month.