Push Notifications vs Email: Which Is Better for Growing Your Business?

Hey there! Are you trying to decide between using push notifications or email marketing to connect with customers and grow your business?

I‘ve been building websites for over 15 years, so I‘ve seen the power of both channels firsthand. In this post, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned so you can choose the best option based on your goals.

We‘ll compare push vs email in depth including:

• Key stats on performance
• Unique benefits of each platform
• Strategies to boost results
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Tips to get started

Let‘s dive in!

Push and Email Usage Continues to Rise

First, it‘s worth noting that both push and email are growing in popularity year after year.

People are spending more time online across devices, and these digital channels allow you to reach them wherever they are.

Push Notification Stats

• Push opt-in rates average between 40-60% across industries (Source)

• The open rate for push is 60-80%, compared to 15-30% for email (Source)

• Push messages have a click-through rate of 5-15%, much higher than email (Source)

• 49% of users said push notifications are their preferred channel for time-sensitive alerts (Source)

Email Marketing Stats

• 81% of US small businesses use email marketing (Source)

• Email generates $42 for every $1 spent, a 4,200% ROI (Source)

• Email achieves 50-70% higher conversion rates compared to other channels (Source)

• Segmented, targeted emails have open rates of 18-50% vs under 10% for mass emails (Source)

As you can see, both options deliver results when used strategically. Now let‘s compare how they work.

How Push and Email Work Differently

The core functionality of push notifications vs email marketing is quite different:

Push notifications instantly reach users with messages on their screens without opening an app. They allow very timely, “real-time” alerts and interactions.

Email marketing sends promotional messages to a subscriber’s inbox. It takes more effort on the user’s end to open, with longer delays in delivery.

These differences make each channel better suited for certain use cases.

Key Differences At a Glance

Push Notifications	Email Marketing
Instant message delivery	Delayed inbox delivery
Higher opt-in and open rates	Lower opt-in and open rates
Tighter message size limits	Flexible length and customization
Interruptive alerts	Less intrusive experience
Requires website visitor	Can build list anywhere online

Now that you know how they work at a high level, let’s get into the unique pros and cons of each platform.

Push Notification Benefits and Limitations

Push alerts offer some great advantages, but also come with downsides to be aware of.

Key Pros of Push Notifications

• Delivered instantly – Messages appear on screen right away unlike waiting for email open
• Urgency and higher CTR – Real-time feel drives more clicks and actions
• Higher opt-in rates – One-click subscriptions vs filling forms
• Better for timely alerts – Great for limited-time offers or events
• Personalization – Customize messages based on user behaviors

Potential Cons of Push Notifications

• Message size limits – Only ~70-100 characters available
• Can feel intrusive if overused – Avoid frustrating users
• Technical setup required – More dev work than basic email

As you can see, the main advantages of push are around the real-time nature and higher opt-in and open rates. However, you need to be careful not to overdo it.

Next let’s look at why email marketing is still a very effective channel.

Email Marketing Benefits and Drawbacks

While email has some downsides, its flexibility and conversion power make it a staple channel:

Key Advantages of Email Marketing

• Flexibility in content and design – No tight character or format limits
• Opens and clicks still convert well – Consistent channel for revenue
• Develop relationships over time – Ongoing nurturing capability
• Advanced automation and segmentation – Strategic drip campaigns
• Accessible everywhere – Reach users on all devices

Main Disadvantages of Email

• Inbox clutter and slower open rates – Competing against other messages
• Delayed delivery – Wait for users to open their inbox
• More spam and unsubscribes – Impacts list quality over time
• Easy to ignore – Less real-time feel than push

You have lots of creative control with email, and it lends itself well to strategic nurturing sequences. But it can be slower and less attention-grabbing than push.

Now let’s look at some pro tips to maximize results for both.

Expert Tips to Boost Push and Email Performance

Here are some best practices I’ve learned over the years for getting more from each channel:

Proven Ways to Improve Push Notifications

• Limit to 2-5 per week – Avoid oversending and opt-out fatigue
• Personalize with user names – 160% higher open rates (Source)
• Use emojis and images – Raise engagement up to 180%
• Test days and times – Determine when your audience is most active
• Coordinate with email campaigns – Create unified narratives across channels

Tactics to Enhance Email Marketing Results

• Write clear subject lines – Gets more opens and attention
• Send abandoned cart emails – Recover 70% of lost sales (Source)
• Make mobile friendly – Over 50% of emails are opened on mobile
• Test different designs – Compare open rates between layouts
• Optimize schedules based on analytics – Target when your audience reads

With some optimization along these lines, you can get considerably higher performance from both tactics.

Common Push and Email Pitfalls to Avoid

I want to call out a few key mistakes I see businesses make that limit their potential:

Biggest Push Notification Mistakes

• Sending too frequently – Keep it to what users expect (2-5 per week)
• Pitchy, promotional messages – Focus on value, not sales
• Irrelevant, poorly targeted alerts – Know your users‘ interests
• Getting blocked as spam – Be overly careful about frequency and content

Major Email Marketing Errors

• Purchasing low-quality email lists – Lead to bounces, spam complaints, opt-outs
• Sending at the wrong cadence – Optimal frequency depends on audience
• Poor subject line and preview text – Many won‘t open without compelling hooks
• Overdoing promotions – Balance with valuable content

Avoiding these pitfalls takes testing and insight into your customers. But it‘s worth it to build an effective program.

Tips to Get Started with Push and Email

If you‘re just getting started with these platforms, here is some guidance to set things up successfully:

Quick-start Guide for Push Notifications

• Choose a provider – Quality options like PushEngage take care of the infrastructure
• Install site snippet – Copy/paste provided code to enable push capability
• Add opt-in prompt – Ask permission with compelling benefits language
• Test on yourself first – Send notifications to ensure proper setup
• Craft useful messages – Offer value before promotional content

Email Marketing Checklist for Beginners

• Pick an email service – User-friendly tools like Constant Contact provide templates
• Upload contacts – Integrate your CRM, newsletter list, etc.
• Create opt-in forms – Embed sign up forms on site, social, etc.
• Design templates – Build emails for different purposes like promotions or nurturing
• Write compelling subject lines – Research what resonates with subscribers

Once the basics are covered, you can move on to more advanced automation and segmentation to take results to the next level.

Which Channel Should You Prioritize?

So when considering push notifications vs emails, how do you know which one to focus on?

Here are a few key questions to help prioritize based on your business:

• How timely does the communication need to be? Push wins for real-time alerting.
• How much design creativity do you need? Email allows for more visual customization.
• What level of segmentation and automation is required? Email has more advanced capabilities.
• How frequently do you need to reach users? Avoid overusing push which can frustrate.
• How impatient or savvy is your audience? Push grabs attention but email converts well too.

For most businesses today, using both channels together is best. But focus your energy where you have the biggest needs and opportunity.

Over time, monitor performance data to see which tactic delivers the highest ROI and double down on that channel.

Bringing It All Together

We‘ve covered a lot comparing push notifications vs email. Let‘s recap the key points:

• Push delivers instant, real-time messages while email sends to a slower inbox experience.

• Push sees higher opt-in and open rates but less creative control. Email has more flexibility and nurturing power.

• Avoid common mistakes like overly promotional content and poor targeting to maximize results.

• Use push for timely alerts and email for more detailed, visual campaigns based on their strengths.

• Ultimately combine push and email to coordinate your messaging across channels.

I hope this breakdown gives you clarity on which option(s) fit your unique business needs and audience. Don‘t be afraid to test and iterate to see what resonates.

The most important thing is crafting valuable content first, regardless of which platforms you use. With compelling messaging, you‘ll drive engagement and conversions over the long-term.

Let me know if you have any other questions!