Have you ever seen a notification pop up on your device from a particular website?
These are web push notifications that website owners use as a marketing strategy or to simply generate revenue.
How?
Mostly, website owners take third party push notification services that sends notifications on the website’s behalf.
Although most website owners think of it as an extremely good opportunity to generate revenue, it’s far from the truth.
In this blog, we will walk you through the harsh reality of push notification monetization.
What is Push Notification Monetization?
Push notification monetization is basically a monetization plan that many notification service providers offer. The third party service provider uses sponsored ads to generate revenue themself and you get a share of that revenue.
How does Push Monetization Work?
The entire monetization system of push notifications works on the subscriber base you build.
To do so, website owners add a piece of code to their website. The code is used to present a small pop-up on the website asking users if they want to see notifications from this website.
The users can either allow or decline the notifications.
In case the person agrees to receive notification, their details are added to the advertising network.
Push Notification Monetization: The Untold Truth
Although it seems like an opportunity for bloggers and website owners, things are not that straightforward.
Here are some of the major consequences that website owners should be aware of –
No Data Ownership
The first and most common problem with push notification monetization is data ownership.
When you use services from third-party platforms, they have access to all user data and rarely share any with website owners. These datasets may be valuable for the growth of their business. Not only that, the data owned by third party service providers may be misused.
Notification Limits
Do you know how most push notification service providers lure website owners? By making the notification services free.
But as that saying goes, “If you’re not paying for the product, you’re the product.,” and the same goes with these free services.
Starting with, they put tons of limitations such as the number of notifications you can send on a daily basis. These restrictions don’t allow users to effectively reach and engage with audiences, especially if your business has a large and active user base.
But the most important one is that most of these free services collect your readers’ data, which is a very shady practice.
Data Sellout
Some push notification providers sell user data to third parties without your or users’ consent. This creates privacy concerns.
Not only that, your users will stop trusting your website and may raise legal issues.
Although service providers sell out data even after claiming complete security, reviewing their data usage policies reduces the chances.
Difficulty in Migration
Let’s say you are not satisfied with the service you are currently using and choose to migrate. But now, your current platform has access to all user databases. They can create complications during migration.
Most push notification monetisation platforms refuse to share information of current subscribers. This leads to loss of complete subscriber base.
And in the end, you have to start from scratch.
Sponsored Ads
Since these monetization service providers are free, they earn from sponsored ads.
These sponsored ads are inserted within the notifications they send to your users.
What they don’t let you know anywhere on their website or before going forward with their service is that these sponsored ads are extremely inappropriate. They are mostly annoying to your subscribers.
In fact, most service providers normally promise around 3-4 sponsored ads on a daily basis but send more than 10.
Harsh Revenue Share
When push notification service providers use your subscriber base for sponsored ads, they promise a certain share of revenue. But these are again a tactic for website owners to use their platform.
Once you gain a good amount of followers the revenue share drops significantly.
Some of our clients have observed a 70% drop in just 2 months.
Alternatives to Push Notification Monetization
If you are using push notification services only to generate revenue from your website, there are better alternatives.
Let’s have a look at these alternatives one by one.
In-Website Advertising
In-website advertising involves displaying ads directly on your website. Google Ads is one of the most used in-website advertising, allowing you to display targeted ads on your website.
For example if you have an educational website, you can customise google ads such that it only displays educational ads. Website owners generate revenue every time users interact with these ads through clicks or impressions.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| More control over the user experience | Stringent application process |
| Revenue grows with more traffic | Ad blockers can affect ad performance |
| Wide range of ad types and tools to increase revenue |
Affiliate Marketing
In affiliate marketing, website owners promote products or services from other businesses. You earn a commission for every sale generated or action taken by visitors. You can promote these products through content, banners, or links.
Ever heard of Amazon associates? It’s one of the biggest affiliate programs. To generate revenue, you have to promote products on Amazon. Once visitors on your website click and go to amazon and make a purchase, you get commission.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ability to choose products that align with your audience’s interests | Highly competitive |
| Flexible monetization method | Requires a deep understanding of your audience and effective content marketing technique |
Send Your Own Push Notifications
Sending your own push notifications is a better and much more effective way to engage with your audience and promote your own content, products, or services. Not just that, the amount you earn from your own push notification is way higher than the revenue share you get.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Full control over the content and timing of your notifications | No way to generate direct revenue |
| Helps build brand loyalty and increase user retention | Need consistent content creation and engaging messaging |
Our Client’s Experience with Push Notification Monetization
“They promised 3 ads a day, but the number of ads they were sending was much higher. Also, the revenue from monetization came down to almost 70% just after 2 months.” -Arup Ghosh
“The sponsored notifications were totally misleading, I believe that I can drive much higher revenue just by sending notifications of my own articles.” – Owner of MPnrc
Is there any Push Notification Service without these problems?
Push notification has its tons of advantages. It is one of the most profitable marketing strategies for businesses. They offer a direct communication channel with customers.
Moreover, push notifications enhance brand consistency and integrity by delivering consistent, value-added messages with your brand logo.
But the question is, is there a push notification service that has your back rather than being a headache?
Well, yes, there is!
LaraPush offers a self-hosted push notification panel with several advantages.
Everything here is unlimited. You can register unlimited domains, send unlimited notifications for an unlimited period, all with a one-time cost.
Isn’t that amazing? Plus, it officially supports Google’s AMP, helping your blog posts rank on Google Discover.
Most importantly, LaraPush ensures the security of user tokens by keeping them on your server, preventing unauthorized use, and ensuring your users’ data and experience remain in your control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sends push notifications?
Any website that supports compatible browsers and operating systems (OS) can deliver a push notification. Depending on your browser or OS, notifications may appear in various places on a screen or view.
Are Push Notification Services Paid?
The price of push notification services depends on the platform you choose. There are platforms who provide monetization for free, but bombard your audience with nagging sponsored ads. On the other hand their are platforms who charge money but provide top notch facilities.
