Should You Be Using Your School App’s Push Notifications?
When it comes to marketing for schools, it can seem like there’s an abundance of new information every day. But, sometimes it’s important not to overlook the tried and true methods of reaching your community. Push notifications from your school’s mobile app are still an extremely effective tool for schools to reach their audience and amplify their message in 2023.
With the nonstop publishing of content, new technology developments, and a changing world, it might seem hard to keep up with the latest and greatest methods of marketing your school. But, it’s important not to forget the simplest tools at your disposal. While school app push notifications can come across as old school, they’re still around for a reason: they’re effective.
As of 2023, it’s reported that Americans check their phones an average of 96 times per day . That whopping number might seem high, but that same study shows that the same average American spend 5 hours and 24 minutes on their mobile device every day.
What Are Push Notifications?
Push notifications are alerts sent to a user's mobile device, even when the user is not actively using an app. These notifications can be used to promote new content, events, or updates from a school's mobile app. Push notifications are an effective way to engage with parents, students, and faculty members and keep them informed about important school information.
What Are Some Examples of Push Notifications I Can Send to My School?
There are many different types of push notifications that schools can send to their users. Here are a few examples:
Event Notifications
Alert users about upcoming school events, such as parent-teacher conferences, open houses, or sporting events.
Deadline Reminders
Send notifications to remind students and parents about important deadlines, such as college application deadlines, scholarship deadlines, or registration deadlines.
Emergency Alerts
Use push notifications to quickly alert users about emergency situations, such as school closures or weather-related delays.
New Content Alerts
Notify users when new content is added to your school's website, such as news articles, blog posts, or photo galleries.
How Long Should My Push Notifications Be?
When it comes to push notifications, brevity is key. Notifications should be short and to the point, ideally no longer than 50-60 characters. This ensures that users can quickly read and understand the message, without feeling overwhelmed or confused.
Example Scenario
Let’s pretend you have upcoming parent-teacher conferences, and you want to send a reminder to maximize the attendance rate. Here's an example of an effective push notification for this scenario:
"Parent-Teacher Conferences start tomorrow! Schedule your appointment now."
This notification is short and to the point, and it clearly communicates important information to parents. Parents are busy and there’s a good chance they could forget about these conferences. Sending a simple reminder like this will boost the likelihood of everyone attending.
How Often Should I Send Notifications?
The frequency of your push notifications will depend on the type of information you are sharing. It's important to strike a balance between keeping your users informed and overwhelming them with too many notifications.
A good rule of thumb is to send no more than one or two notifications per week, and to avoid sending notifications outside of regular business hours.
How to Create A Great Mobile App For Your School
Finally, it's important to have a great mobile app in order to effectively use push notifications. Here are a few tips for creating a mobile app for your school:
Keep it Simple: Make sure your app is easy to navigate and understand, with clear menus and buttons.
Provide Useful Features: Include features that are useful for parents, students, and faculty members, such as event calendars, homework assignments, and teacher contact information.
Make it User-Friendly: Test your app with a variety of users to ensure that it is intuitive and easy to use.
By following these tips and using push notifications effectively, your school can stay connected with your community and keep everyone informed about important information. Get in touch with our team at SOLVED Consulting to get started on building a beautiful mobile app for your school.
