MOBILE APP GUIDE

Best Practices
for Mobile App
Messaging
How leading brands are using mobile apps to
drive more engagement and increase revenue
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 2

Table of Contents

Introduction 03

When to use different mobile app messaging types: push, in-app, or inbox 05

Push notifications spark urgency and action 06

In-app messages give users something valuable 07

Mobile inbox messages provide something to refer back to 08

How to integrate mobile app with other messaging channels, like email and SMS 09

Unique ways marketers are using mobile app messages to engage 10

How to measure and evaluate success of your messaging strategies 13

In summary 15
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 3

Introduction

Today’s consumers are anytime, anywhere digital shoppers

who have a world of information at their fingertips. In the
last two years, we’ve seen a fundamental change in the ways
consumers are shopping and engaging with digital media. In
fact, 70% of consumers say they are using mobile apps more
frequently for shopping than even a year ago.

Invest in your mobile app and use it to meet

consumers where they are with compelling, well-timed
communication. According to Tech Times, “mobile apps
currently present the most efficient, direct, and customizable
way to deliver information about a product and encourage
clients to remain loyal to a particular brand.” Downloading
an app is a big step in customers showing their loyalty to a
brand. As a brand, this is your opportunity to pay respect to
that loyalty and prioritize ways to keep them as avid fans.

We understand that building a mobile app can be a big

commitment. But a well-built, mobile-friendly website can
only get you so far. Your customers are likely only using your
mobile website for:

• Basic browsing of products and purchasing

• Reading about general top news headlines
• Looking up store hours or contact information

Mobile apps, on the other hand, give marketers more

76%
control to customize and guide the customer experience.
In fact, consumers actually prefer the improved experience
that mobile apps offer over more basic web experiences.
According to recent Cordial research:
of consumers prefer when
stores and brands offer their
• 76% of consumers report that they prefer when stores own mobile apps over
and brands offer their own mobile apps over just shopping on their website
shopping on their website
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 4

• 66% of consumers say the experience is usually better

using mobile shopping apps than shopping on a brand
or retailers’ website

66%
The ability to receive personalized offers and
communications certainly factors into the improved
experience on mobile apps vs. websites as well. Case in
point, brands can personalize their mobile app messaging
for a better customer experience in numerous ways such as: of consumers say the
experience is usually better
using mobile apps than
• Tailoring ‘on sale now’ products based on shopping on a brand
previous behavior or retailers’ website
• Customizing an article or brand suggestion based on
preferences given
• Sending a notification about a wish list item coming
back in stock
• Including a mini-game as part of a contest to win a
unique reward

There are a variety of ways brands use mobile app

messaging to increase engagement, build loyalty, and drive
revenue. The best practices featured in this guide include
unique examples of brands getting it right. We hope it helps
to spark new ideas for how you can build mobile apps into
your cross-channel messaging strategy and better connect
with customers through your mobile app communications.

This guide covers:

• When to use different mobile app messaging types:

push, in-app, or inbox

• How to integrate mobile app with other messaging

channels, like email and SMS

• Unique ways marketers are using mobile app

messages to engage

• How to measure and evaluate the success of your

messaging strategies
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 5

When to use different mobile app

messaging types: push, in-app, or inbox
Before deploying these different types of app messages,
many brands like to get input from their customers on their
There are three main types of mobile app
communication preferences. Understanding what customers
messages: push, in-app, and inbox and each
prefer is especially important because new features
serve a different purpose.
continue to be added to phones (such as in iOS 15’s focus
mode) letting people customize when they are notified and
why. To give consumers the opportunity to share what type
Push notifications
of messages they want and how they want to receive them,
Push notifications are small, pop-up alerts
marketers can build a preference center as part of their app.
that appear on the home or lock screen of
a mobile device. The message goes away
For example, users could select if they’d like to get notified
once dismissed or clicked.
when sales happen, when new products arrive, when
something is back in stock, and more. Asking for user
In-app messages preferences lowers the risk of users disabling notifications
In-app messages are pop-up alerts that and takes the guesswork out of knowing what messages
brands can send to users when they open to send. The more customized and personalized brands
the app or go to a certain page within the can get in their messaging to customers, the stronger the
app. The message goes away once closed. engagement will be.

Recent Cordial research uncovered that many consumers

Inbox messages
are willing to give up even more personal information
Inbox messages are persistent messages
if marketers can figure out how to use it to offer them
that brands can send to an inbox or
something of value in exchange.
message center within the app for
users to keep track of brand information or
In addition to or in lieu of getting information on customer
promotions.
preferences, understanding the pros and cons of the
different message types can help you send a better message.

81%
of consumers agree, “I am more
70%
of consumers are willing to share
likely to buy from stores and more information with brands if
brands that communicate with they knew they would use it to
me in personal, relevant ways.” improve their shopping experience
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 6

Push notifications spark urgency Overall, brands use push notifications to get users in the
app, increase engagement, and enhance the customer
and action
experience. When users download an app, they’ll usually
opt-in to these notifications by default. But be careful not to
Push notifications are sent to users who’ve downloaded
send too many push notifications as users can easily opt-out.
a brand’s mobile app, so they’re already engaged with or
expressed interest in a brand. These alerts are the best
Push messages have, in the past, had a character limit,
way for brands to deliver important and time-sensitive
forcing marketers to be succinct. However, things are
information because they’re sent directly to the
starting to shift with recent creative enhancements, such as
homescreen of the mobile device.
carousel units, that help brands extend their messaging and
promote more than one item. Carousel push notifications
Push notifications are often automatically triggered based
get users to scroll through personalized content like items
on a customer’s product preferences, orders, or browsing
left in cart, new sale promotions, or limited time offers all in
behaviors to meet the individual’s needs at precise
one push message. Each content block can be deep-linked
moments. Cordial clients commonly use push notifications
to the right area of the app for quick access and conversion.
for order updates, abandoned cart reminders, last
This is a huge step up in personalization and bringing even
minute sales, back-in-stock alerts, low inventory alerts, or
more timely content to customers via push.
subscription reminders. The beauty of these messages is
that when users click, they’re brought straight to the app for
quicker conversion.

Push notifications

Push notifications are

the best way for brands
to deliver important and
time-sensitive information
because they are sent
directly to the homescreen.
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 7

In-app messages give users A great example of an in-app message that drives
engagement is a congratulations message for reaching a
something valuable
new loyalty tier. The user doesn’t need to be interrupted
by a push notification and can read more about their new
In-app messages are sent to users when they’re actively
loyalty tier benefits given the space provided in an in-app
using the app—and are messages that have to be deployed
message. Similar to push, in-app messages can deep-link to
thoughtfully. The customer is likely using the app for a
anywhere a brand wants to direct customers in the app. In
specific purpose, so brands have to be mindful to not
this case, the user could be linked to their loyalty account to
disrupt them, but rather provide something valuable to
explore new options.
engage them. One way to ensure relevance in the moment
is to tailor messages based on what you know about them—
Overall, brands use in-app messages to keep users
their behaviors, interests and intent—and their needs in that
engaged, build loyalty, and enhance the customer
moment. Brands should always focus on providing content
experience. Maintaining a positive experience with your
that is relevant and ensures a positive customer experience.
loyal customers is so important. There may even be certain
instances, such as during checkout or when viewing a video
Cordial clients commonly use in-app messages to welcome
clip, when brands want to block in-app messages from being
new users, communicate new products, send targeted
shown to avoid interrupting their customers and disrupting
promotions or one-time offers, update users on loyalty
their experience.
status, or speak to new app enhancements. These messages
get the user’s attention because they’re integrated into the
app experience. Additionally, brands have more real
estate on the screen to convey their message compared
to push notifications.

In-app messages

Tailor messages based on

what you know about your
customers—their behaviors,
interests and intent—and
their needs in that moment.
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 8

Mobile inbox messages provide REVOLVE, a next-generation fashion retailer, also saw
incredible success with their first mobile inbox message
something to refer back to
announcing a one-day only secret sale. When users
opened the app, they could see an unread notification icon
Mobile inbox is the least prominent of the three mobile
indicating there was a message waiting for them. Although
message types. It serves as a message center to keep
the message was time-sensitive, it gave customers a feeling
track of information (i.e., order or message history) and
of being a “VIP” by essentially rewarding them for engaging
as a way to reach users who have notifications turned
with their app. Using an inbox message also allowed them
off. Cordial clients use mobile inbox messages in several
to reach a wider audience because they were able to reach
thoughtful ways.
customers who had push notifications disabled.

JOANN, a leading fabric and craft retailer, uses mobile inbox

Overall, brands use mobile inbox messages to keep users
to refer users back to prior push notifications. Although
engaged and enhance the customer experience.
inbox messaging isn’t intended for urgent messages, it
can be used as a place for users to refer back to a push
notification at a later date. For example, the brand sends a
coupon code via a push notification and an inbox message.
The inbox message is a way for their customers to easily
retrieve and use the coupon code at a later time when
they’re ready to start shopping.

Inbox messages
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 9

How to integrate mobile app with other

messaging channels, like email and SMS
Not only do you need to be considerate of how the different
mobile app messaging types work, but you also need to
ensure your mobile app messaging complements your other Questions to help identify
messaging channels. which type of message to send:

As a cross-channel marketing partner, Cordial consults

with marketers on channel strategy and use-case journeys.
We’ll help make a channel priority list based on the use
Does the user need to be alerted right
cases and set up messaging activation tools to make the
now with urgent information or a time
implementation easy for the marketer.
sensitive action?

If yes, send a push notification.

The Cordial approach involves:

• Setting up templates in the Cordial Sculpt message

Does the user need to be given a larger
builder tool for more holistic email and
amount of information, but won’t need to
mobile app messages.
refer back to that information?
• Establishing priority rules in the Cordial Podium
If yes, send an in-app message.
orchestration builder to ensure proper channel
sequencing. For example, brands can set up a push
notification to send first, and if the contact can’t receive
Does the user need to refer back to
push notifications, then they will be sent an email.
something again?

If yes, send a mobile inbox message.

One marketer that Cordial partners with has rules for not
sending similar messaging across SMS and push to the
same users. Some marketers, like this one, prioritize sending
via their mobile app because the app experience drives Does the user need timely information
better engagement from their most valued customers. To along with important details?
ensure users engage more fully in the app, some marketers
If yes, send a push and link to an
can exclude customers from receiving SMS messages, if
in-app or inbox message.
the contact was already reached via the app. However, if
a contact is reacting more to SMS or if that’s an identified
preference, marketers can send in SMS and exclude that
individual from receiving a message in the app.
As a reminder, these message types can work
independently or in concert with one another
Another Cordial client determines their cross-channel
based on a brand’s specific use case.
approach based on the type of campaign they’re running.
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M ES S AG I NG 10

When triggering an immediate message based on

real-time behaviors, the marketer prioritizes email and push
notifications. The email can contain multiple items with
more information and personalized modules, while the push
notification focuses on providing item-specific reminders.
Alternatively, when supporting top merchandising and
promotional themes, the brand’s messages are typically
sent via email and SMS, again with a multi-item vs. single
item focus respectively. Regardless of channel, the marketer
always deep links customers to the mobile app to create a
consistent shopping journey, resulting in higher conversion.

Unique ways marketers are using mobile

app messages to engage
While some marketers are dabbling in using all three mobile
Push notifications
app messaging types with great success, we see the most
new and exciting approaches among those using push
notifications. Examples of creative approaches to using
push notifications:

Use of custom keys:

BuzzFeed, an online publishing company, sends push

notifications that take users to a specific content page in the
app. Once the user is on the page and hits the back button,
BuzzFeed leverages custom keys to take them to a relevant
content category page versus back to the homepage. This
is meant to keep the user engaged in the relevant content
they were looking for versus having to restart their journey
on the homepage.

What are custom keys?

Custom keys are additional data points that you can
include within a mobile app message that allow you to
trigger a wide range of unique app experiences and give
you more ways to personalize your message. These keys
will be specifically designed by your app development
team to enable specific functionality in your app.
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M E S S AG I NG 11

Use of targeting: Use of sound:

The Mighty, an online health community, sends push Wines ‘Til Sold Out (WTSO), an online wine retailer, uses a
notifications with daily article recommendations that are custom sound of wine glasses clinking when sending a push
tailored to the member’s identified preferences. The Mighty notification. This sound builds incredible brand recognition
also uses push notifications to ask community members to and is a fun way for a customer to know exactly when they
engage with posts that have little to no engagement. Overall, receive a message from WTSO. Their avid customers love
these targeted messages boost engagement and foster a being in the know and getting alerted that it’s time to shop
greater sense of support and connectedness by connecting for wine.
the right people to relevant, timely content. The Mighty has
an average tap through rate of 3.78%, and is looking to test
mobile inbox as a place to store these push notifications for
additional engagement at a later date.

Push notifications
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M ES S AG I NG 12

Use of urgency: Unified service:

SNIPES, one of the largest global sneaker and streetwear AdoreMe, a women’s underwear company, sends push
retailers, uses push notifications to give their customers notifications with shipment updates to customers who’ve
exclusive access to enter raffles for a new sneaker release made a purchase on their app. AdoreMe provides
or limited edition product. The push notification announces connectivity on the same channel from purchase to
the start of each raffle and users can tap the message to fulfillment. They also customize the message with their logo
easily enter for a chance to purchase the high demand for brand recognition and the customer’s first name for an
item at their closest SNIPES location. The sense of urgency added touch of polish.
and exclusivity drives significant engagement with SNIPES
customers garnering an average tap through rate of 20%
resulting in a significant increase in AOV.

Push notifications
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M ES S AG I NG 13

How to measure and evaluate success

of your messaging strategies
Start by experimenting to see what works and then Ultimately, all marketers want to attribute the success of
optimize campaigns from there. their communications, understanding how each message
performed and what actions users took after clicking on a
Cordial helps our clients simultaneously test multiple message. Mobile apps are no different! To help marketers
variants, campaigns, and automations by using A|B testing achieve this goal, Cordial provides built-in capabilities
and machine learning to select the best-performing to track event and revenue attribution across channels.
option. Cordial’s machine learning rapidly identifies and Cordial’s revenue attribution insights are designed to
automatically shifts traffic to the best-performing content, help our clients demystify the attribution process and
driving more revenue for our clients, and delivering a better determine which campaigns—and channels—are driving
experience for their customers. the most revenue.

There are a variety of things you could test in your mobile Giving the right messages proper credit and focusing on
app messages. We rounded up a quick list here: campaigns that drive the most revenue is a top priority.
There’s real value in having a partner who can provide a
• Image/no image
holistic view of cross-channel attribution, which Cordial
• Type of imagery and colors
does out of the box across all our channels.
• Time of day/week/month
• Frequency of sends
• Tone of message
• Length of message
• CTAs
• Different audience segments
• Different personalization triggers.

The common performance metrics many brands use in

testing or in their evaluation of mobile app messaging
performance include: clicks/opens/taps, revenue, average
order value, app uninstall, or opt-out.

Did you know that clicks, opens, and taps

are all terms used to describe how users
engage with mobile app messages?
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M ES S AG I NG 14

Spotlight on REVOLVE: Using mobile app to unify the shopping

experience and increase revenue

Cordial helped REVOLVE on their journey to creating more

$20M
personal messages—triggered by real-time customer
behavior and delivered in a unified way across
channels—leading to increased engagement and revenue.
in revenue from
• REVOLVE attributes $316M in revenue annually from
mobile push
sending cross-channel messages through Cordial with
$20M coming from mobile push

$316M
• Mobile app is now REVOLVE’s second
largest channel with a subscriber base of 1.8M
app users

in revenue
• Each message, regardless of channel, deep links
customers to the mobile app to create a consistent across channels
shopping journey, resulting in higher conversion
 BEST PR ACT ICES FOR M OBILE APP M ES S AG I NG 15

In summary

While investing in a mobile app can be a big undertaking,

it can also have a big payoff. By implementing the best
practices outlined in this guide and leveraging these tactics
to run experiments and identify what strategies your
customers respond best to, you’ll be able to successfully
grow your subscriber base, drive engagement, and generate
revenue. Cordial can also help you seamlessly integrate this
innovative channel into your digital marketing toolbox, giving
you the power to create cohesive and engaging
cross-channel experiences.

Learn more about mobile

app messaging with Cordial.
Connect with us