Did you know online buyers are more likely to be impulsive? Apart from internal psychological factors, external stimuli also play a role in affecting a consumer’s buying decisions. It could be that one time, your favorite clothing brand was running a special offer, or a message you received on your phone about a price drop for those shoes you were eyeing, and you couldn’t resist making a purchase.

Does the feeling seem familiar? That feeling is one of urgency that nudges you to make snap decisions. In life, that’s not always the best-case scenario, but in marketing, it can be.

Creating an environment of urgency can help you nudge users into taking action before time runs out. After all, no one likes to be the last to find out about something interesting, eventful, or beneficial. So how do you package this right and nudge the user enough but not push them away entirely? The answer is with a Timer Push Notification.

What Is a Timer Push Notification?

Timer Push Notification allows you to configure a timer within a Push Notification. By using this approach, you can give users a clear cut-off time for performing specific actions as personalized Push Notifications can improve reaction rates by 400%. To ensure the notifications appeal to the target audience, you can include elements such as gradient colors, attention-grabbing content, and attractive effects. Additionally, setting up these notifications is a quick and straightforward process, eventually leading you to improved audience interactions and driving conversions.

A Countdown Timer induces a sense of urgency and increases the buyer’s intent to purchase. Consider an example: to reduce cart abandonment, you introduce a Countdown Timer indicating a limited period over which customers can enjoy free delivery on their orders. Result? Customers who already had a high purchase intent were incentivized into purchasing with a limited period free shipping offer.

A Timer Push Notification can be helpful to:

• Introduce FOMO and get customers to make a purchase. People don’t like to miss opportunities, and when combined with products they have viewed or added to their cart, it incentivizes instant purchases.
• Incentivize purchases by offering additional perks for a limited period, such as offering a 10% discount if the purchase is made within the next 2 hours.
• Highlight a product or service to drive sales. You can adopt this strategy to promote a new product or collection launch.

Introducing Timer Push Notification Support in WebEngage

With WebEngage, you can now leverage Timer Push Notifications to your advantage. We support 2 types of Timer Push Notification layouts:

1. Countdown Timer Push
2. Timer Push with Progress Bar

To know more about how to set up Push Notifications with timers, refer to our knowledge base. For additional information on driving website engagement with high-impact notifications, learn more about our On-site Notifications.

How to Make the Most of Timer Push Notifications?

1. Run Limited-Period Offers and Discounts

Have an upcoming limited-time offer or discount you want to draw attention to? Then adding a timer to your Push Notifications is a great way to do so! A well-timed Push Notification that catches user attention with a timer, states the benefits for them, and induces a feeling of FOMO is just what you need! It can help nudge old and new users into action with the unique combination of ‘urgency and want’ in time-sensitive deals.

For example: an E-commerce brand running a Black Friday sale campaign can send a Push Notification with a Countdown Timer to remind users of the time left for the sale to end. Additionally, with the right keywords like ‘don’t miss out’ or ‘last chance,’ you can successfully build anticipation amongst your users.

2. Send Live Class Reminders to Learners on Your EdTech Application

Having invested time and resources into setting up live classes for your users, the last thing you would want to see is low attendance. Timers are visual cues that encourage action, and sending notification reminders with timers to your users can help improve the attendance rate for your classes.

For example: You can send Push Notifications with a Progress Bar timer, displaying the time left for the live class to start. Incorporating ‘reminder for live class’ as the heading and other details such as login information, date, and time for the class can help ensure maximum clarity. This way, the potential attendees can block their calendars for the specific slot and prepare for the live class.

3. Countdown to Promote the Launch of Upcoming Releases

Countdown timers can help create a buzz around upcoming releases. Big media and entertainment houses, such as Netflix, also use this tool before launches on their platform, including upcoming original series, new seasons of popular shows, etc. This creates hype around the release and builds curiosity amongst viewers.

For example: For the upcoming launch of a TV series, you can send well-crafted Push Notifications with a Countdown Timer to your target audience. You can make these notifications more attractive by adding unique facts about the series each time, such as high-quality visual effects, fantastic action sequences, etc.

4. Remind Users of Upcoming Webinars

Webinars can be an excellent means to reach and engage a specific audience and nurture this audience even after the event. However, this is possible only if people attend the event. Nudging them with reminders of upcoming webinars can create a sense of importance around the events and make sure users don’t forget to attend.

For example: You can send Push Notifications to your users with details of the webinar, including the topic and date of the webinar, registration details, and a Countdown Timer as a symbol of urgency. Adding this symbol is crucial to nudge your users to commit to attending and showing up.

5. Engage More Customers to Participate in Travel Contests

The chances of winning a trip, cruise, vacation, or getaway are already intriguing to users, but adding a time limit on such opportunities can help take them up a notch. An eye-catching Timer Push Notification with attractive colors, catchy text, and the right image can act as the final nudge needed!

For example: You are running a contest where the users stand to win a 2-day stay in Maldives. Sending well-timed Push Notifications stating ‘stand a chance to win a trip to Maldives’ with a Countdown Timer showing when the offer expires will act as a magnet to attract users. Adding bright, contrasting colors and a beautiful image of the Maldives will further help you stand out!

6. Inform Customers of Upcoming Subscription Expiration Dates

Tracking expiration dates for users helps keep them compliant. But how can you go the extra mile to ensure this? Simple, with Timer Push Notifications. Sending your users periodic alerts for subscriptions about to expire, with a Progress Bar depicting the time left, can ensure they pay attention and do the needful.

For example: You want to alert users that their insurance expires soon and remind them to renew it. Specify the name and date of the insurance lapsing, the Progress Bar depicting the time left, and a CTA for renewal. This way, you can re-engage them for policy renewal and add any special offers to help build a sense of loyalty.

Wrapping Up

Push Notifications are a great way to keep your users engaged, but adding a timer- a dynamic element can act as the final nudge for them to take action. Creating a sense of scarcity and urgency is a tactic used in marketing; timers can help you make the most out of the situation. Timers can help keep your target audience engaged, drive conversions, and achieve more without coming across as a blatant sales tactic—excited yet? Then go ahead and give Timer Push Notifications a try, and let the results speak for themselves!

We hope you try out this feature and share your feedback. Read our knowledge base for more information. If you need more assistance, get in touch with your Customer Success Manager or reach out to product@webengage.com to get started.

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