“Make a great first impression” is a phrase that most of us have heard on multiple occasions and in various scenarios of our lives. Be it a crucial interview or a first date; your ideal course of action must always begin with creating an impactful impression on the person sitting across from you. The same can be said for your website, with respect to a new visitor.

There must be a driving factor behind the user’s decision to choose your website and it is therefore your duty to reinforce that decision in earnest, by making the right first move. Now as far as welcome push notifications go, there is no dearth of options, as you have lots of room to get creative. You must however, be mindful of how you go about designing and framing said message, as per the utility of your website and the perceived expectation of the user.

Here are 4 essential welcome push notification practices that will help you stand out:

• Don’t be hasty, but don’t wait too long either: Your website should ideally trigger a welcome message within the first 24 hours of user subscribing. While it is good practice to not bombard your user with a notification immediately, you must also not wait too long before making your presence felt.
• Tell them what’s what: Your welcome push notification must not only be conversational and inviting, but must also include a clear CTA (call to action) that tells the user what she must do next. This will not only guide the user experience right from the beginning, but will also help you to effectively gauge the same.
• Make it visual: It is said that actions speak louder than words. Well guess what, so do creative visuals of your web push notification welcome messages. If you are able to smartly harness the potential of good visuals, then your message is sure to stick.
• Customize and personalize: Many opportunities exist for you to customize your web push notifications; occasions such as seasonal holidays, religious celebrations being some prime examples.
  Another thing that helps you leave a good impression is personalized messaging, that involves addressing each user on an individual basis, right from their name to  recommendations based on their usual purchase patterns.

Using the above pointers will greatly benefit you in your user engagement endeavours, and will surely place you at a cut above your competitors. However, before you set out to conquer the world, take a look at how some existing companies have succeeded in making an effective first move towards good brand communication:

A teachable moment: If yours is a website that comes with a large array of features, then starting users off with a tutorial can be quite helpful, both for them as well as their impression of you. Just consider the case of the design app InVision. A welcome notification bearing a tutorial video appears, explaining all the salient features of the app, thus helping the user to better navigate.

Think crisp visuals: Putting emphasis on visual appeal of the welcome push notification can project any intended aesthetic appeal of the app to the user. Take for instance, the case of Ello. A social media platform meant for artist collaboration, the welcome message aptly sets the tone for user experience. The message features a monochromatic design, consisting only of writing (and nothing else) in a rustic typewriter font, indicating the minimalist feel of the app itself, as well as catching the eye of the user.

Think nifty offers: Getting right down to business can be a good way to go. If you have an e-commerce website, then putting in a simple discount code offer will work just as well as any well thought-out welcome message. The Lee mobile app for instance, offers two highly direct CTA’s to the user right off the bat: a flat 15% discount on the first purchase, as well as free shipping and returns.

Photo by Hunters Race on Unsplash